Generative Art: Samsy’s Derivative Simulation Super-Serie

Editorial is open for submissions: [email protected]

samsy interviewed by Benoit Pagotto

1) Hi Samuel, can you tell us about yourself and the work that you make in one or two sentences.

People call me Samsy, born and raised in the banlieues of Paris, Former Fiver Creative Technologist at Google Creative Lab in London, independent Technical Artist and Director ( and sometimes Teacher at Gobelins School in Paris ). I help people to understand the technical and graphical challenges that might one day influence the very fabric of the new Digital-Era, and make things that help creatives answer their questions, mostly 3D interactive graphics, VR prototypes, computational code and visual arts. This kind of work can take many forms, I’ve been involved in various projects including huge 3D music festivals, augmented reality exhibitions, virtual reality documentaries, VJ-ing, Gameboy Hacking etc…

2) What made you start to use code as medium for your creative work ? 

I’ve been a lot into Street arts ( Light Painting Photography, Graff-ing, beat-making )  field when I was younger, and a lot of my friends were already intro things like music, graphic design and film-making, I guess that helps to give you strength to undertake and believe in an artistic career. I studied to be a designer, but relying on people skills was a pretty good reason to start coding things by myself to develop my own ideas.

I’ve had something for generative systems, computational applications, parameterization, performances, and simulations. Real time Generative artworks are fascinating, they just pop out as a result of Math, Physics, Shading and a bit of brain. Each frame is calculated in a fraction of time ( 16ms ) and leaves spaces for a lot of live parametrization and live retouching. Once your system is ready, the time friction between “How I’d want the thing to be” and “What I’m seeing now” is dramatically reduced. I’d define Coding as a kind of super-power that turns any weird dreams into an interactive mode, pretty attractive isnt it ? 

3) What are some of the projects you’re the most proud of ? 

Hard question as I’ve worked on so many different projects with such talented peeps… if I had to pick a few it’d be : 

Stonewall Forever

A living monument to 50 years of Pride  and Anniversary of the StoneWall Riot in New York. An immersive digital experience and documentary that features previously unheard perspectives from the LGBTQ+ community and expands access to key narratives from LGBTQ+ history.Anyone, Anywhere can explore the monument online or in AR and add their own piece to this ever-growing monument.

First Digital edition of the huge music festival of TomorrowLand. 

A new festival immersive experience so fans around the world could still enjoy their magic universe from home.A translation of the unique emotions of a festival into a digital experience. More than 1 million viewers.

An augmented reality art exhibit

Throughout the city of Namur, in Belgium composed of 7 high-quality and exclusive code-generated art pieces.

4) How do you think this approach is opening new possibilities in the world of NFT art ? 

Minting an iteration of a generative system is like engraving one amongst infinite possible variants of the same artwork. 99.9% of those possibilities are unreadable, move one parameter to the left and you get chaos, move it the other way and you get order. It is like looking-for a little gem in a world of confusion and noise. You get the comparison ? 

5)  I’ve heard you are offering a very special physical Perk to every NFT of the Derivative Simulation super serie drop ? 

I’ve always been fan of Retro-gaming consoles, I’m born with a Game-Boy, love hacking-them. Every NFT drop of my first Super-Serie: Derivative Simulation are coming with a very special physical perk that connect physical and digital world I’ll ship to every 1st owner : An original custom-made Game boy cartridge I crafted that embed one 8-bit frame of the artwork corresponding + the contract number ( that works in a Game-boy for real ! )

6) Can you describe your creative process ? 

Think it, draw it, plan it, architect it, plug it, grow it, parametrize it, iterate it, bend it, hack it, break it, fix it, shade it, play it, share it, restart it.

7) What words and phrases would you use to describe your work.

Generating, Captivating, Reminiscing

8) How did you first find out about CryptoArt?

I’ve been following CryptoArt for quite a long time now, and observed major artists that got in the crypto art movement, like GMUNK, Quasimondo etc..

9)What excites you about the movement?

Since most of the galleries and exhibitions are closed now due to the current situation, it makes kind of sense to open “digital galleries” on the web to let people explore, search and discover art in another way. It teaches us and proves that “Art” does not have to be physical anymore but completely dematerialized, It was already the case but this is pushing a bit more in this direction.

10) Who are some of your favorite artists on SuperRare?

GMUNK / Quasimondo / MGXS