Glossary

Generative art is created when an artist writes rules like code, algorithms, systems and lets those rules generate the visual outcome, often with an element of controlled randomness. The artist designs a process. What separates serious generative work from a novelty is intention: does the system reflect a genuine idea and is self-critical?

The practice traces back to the 1960s, when pioneers like Vera Molnár, Georg Nees, and Frieder Nake began using early computers to produce geometric compositions. What's changed since is the sophistication of the systems. Today's generative artists often work with neural networks and deep learning models, including GANs, trained on large datasets to generate complex visual worlds or build work that generates live on screen (reacting continuously to data streams or the movement of people in the room).