404zero breaking through with generative art and modular synthesizers

This week at Tuck & Trap Bali, Indonesia – TouchDesigner and artist 404zero held a workshop on media generative art. Generative art has become a crucial element in the field of music live performances.

In 2016, Kristina Karpysheva and Sasha Letcius joined together to create an art project called 404zero. The artist duo has since then challenged the limits of modern generative art. Kristina is an installation artist that has done audiovisual performances since 2015. She creates multidimensional atmosphere, integrating performances and theatrical acts. She was nominated for the Future Lions in 2016. The artist duo has participated in large-scale audio-visual installations in various international festivals located in Russia, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Indonesia, USA, and Korea. The immersing amount of details in their work continues to present and raise the bar for the meaning of high-definition and quality.

Generative art and algorithmic art have become a key player in the electronic music scene. It can be seen ranging from large festivals such as Berlin Atonal to individual artists’ music videos. The definition of generative art is that the artwork is co-produced with a computer. This also means that the computer takes on its own definition of what the artwork itself is. It is also used to describe art that is created with algorithms. With regards to TouchDesigner, it is a visual development platform that equips the tools that allow real-time projections and interactive media showcases. There are many different ways to define generative art, but a simple definition for zero404’s work is one – mind-altering visuals. Kristina and Sasha establish unusual dimensions and perspectives that creates loopholes that lead to peculiar universes.

A few months back at Moscow City Museum, 404zero showcased Zoenthropy, an installation that consists of a 360° rig set up and 30 cameras each capturing movement at different moments. It is combined with sounds created by modular synthesizers Buchla and Eurorack.

The greatest art is one that showcases an idea that has never been done before, 404zero has done and continues to do so.


About the Author

Yang translates the emotions in electronic music into installation and video art. She believes that Art and Music are the only two languages that have no boundaries. She started digging into electronic music when she first heard Matthew Herbert’s “I Hadn’t Known (I Only Heard)” and was completely mesmerized by its power - she has not stopped since then...