Dmitri Cherniak

Minted by m00se

Acquired from above

Trained in computer science, Dmitri Cherniak is a Canadian artist residing in New York City whose work investigates automation in visual art through generative algorithms, and firmly believes that both computer code and its output are both creative productions. Cherniak is inspired by both traditional artists, such as Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky, as well as generative artists, including Vera Molnar and Manolo Maon. He also references Armin Hoffman, who was a Swiss graphic designer, as an inspiration behind his practice. Hoffman was widely known for his work's reliance on the fundamental elements of graphic form – point, line, and shape – while subtly conveying simplicity, complexity, representation, and abstraction. In 1965 he wrote the Graphic Design Manual, a popular textbook in the field which Cherniak has referenced and emphasizes that he studied and explored many concepts in the book, taking the practice a step further than Hoffman, automating his processes and implementing parameters and automation into his practice. Cherniak’s breakthrough project was the introduction of his Ringers series via ArtBlocks in February 2021. Each work is designed to be unique, with a limit of 1,000 variations among the endless combinations in which a string can be wrapped around a set of pegs. In a minimalist design, the value of each "Ringer" is determined by various characteristics, including the number of pegs, layout, sizing, background, wrap style, wrap orientation, scaling, body color, peg style, and extra color. More recently Ringer #962 joined the permanent collection of the LACMA as part of their first acquisition of digital art on the blockchain works.

Ringers #194 is a great example of the adaptable and fascinating form that the output can take. It provides a great example of a code base that is smooth with clean lines and a geometric feel while also having an organic feel with curves and colors. Red backgrounds are considered to be a very rare trait for Ringers; only 5% of works in the series have this aesthetic characteristic. The use of a red background in this piece adds a sense of drama and intensity to the overall composition.