CURATED: GEOFF DAVIS

Geoff Davis (b. 1957) is a generative artist who founded the Micro Arts Group in 1984 with the goal of supporting artists and making computer art accessible to the public, as inspired by the London experimental film and video scene.

Geoff Davis is an artificial intelligence researcher in the ethical use of generated text at the University of the Arts London (UAL). He has worked for the UK’s innovation trust Nesta, developed ‘eco’ buildings, and was a founding member of the UK’s Sustainable Development Commission (SDC). His fiction has been published by PEN International.

With Micro Arts, Geoff Davis released a series of computer-generated conceptual art pieces and story text generators on data cassettes and Prestel TV Teletext. Davis also provided a forum for computer artists and musicians with a print magazine, articles, and downloadable software on Micronet 800 on Prestel.

Micro Arts was revived in 2019 by the Computer Arts Archive (part of the Computer Arts Society CAS and BCS) and has had exhibitions in Leicester and London, UK.

Get in touch for additional information about available works. 

Inquiry

The generative art for MA1 "ABSTRACT ORIGINALS" was coded by Geoff Davis in 1983 and released on data cassette in 1984 by his Micro Arts Group. The series name, "ABSTRACT ORIGINALS," in quotes references the debate on whether algorithmic computer art is art and the role of human creativity, which still continues today. The title, "ABSTRACT ORIGINALS," was in quotes because they were not individually original but rather generated from original code and were not abstract in the sense of being abstracted from reality; they were code reality. <meta charset="utf-8">The series of seven longform generative artworks was distributed by post or directly. In 1985, most of the Micro Arts work was published on the UK's Prestel teletext (like Minitel). <meta charset="utf-8">The catalog at the time stated: "A colorful experience for you and your VDU [visual display unit]. These mobile graphics can be color-coded to fit your décor. The order, timing, and repetition can also be controlled, giving a responsive art display to enhance your next dinner or cocktail party, union meeting, or conference." 
Davis programmed the seven artworks in MA1 "ABSTRACT ORIGINALS." It had menu controls for color, length, and looping. Davis’ other art releases included conceptual computer art, a SCUM Manifesto animation, slow art (a two-year-long graphic programme), and MA4 Story Generator, which was an "early precursor of ChatGPT" (Georg Bak, 2023).

GEOFF DAVIS | MA1 "ABSTRACT ORIGINALS"

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﻿View on <a href="https://opensea.io/collection/pioneer-grails-piano-bar-red">OpenSea</a>.
EXPANDED.ART PIONEER GRAILS: 72-HOUR OPEN NFT EDITION GEOFF DAVIS: PIANO BAR – RED (1984) 2-5 NOVEMBER 2023 | 6-6 PM CET  PIANO BAR by the British artist Geoff Davis is a piece of generative computer art; it uses randomness in its design. When you watch it, you can get lost in its captivating rhythm and visuals. The name PIANO BAR might remind you of an old-time player piano. The visuals scroll or move up the screen, building upon one another, similar to how a piano player's notes are read or how printers output information. It is also visually similar to the piano roll used for note editing in music sequencers and digital audio workstations since the 1990s. Sometimes it resembles the designs in Anni Albers' fabric art and recalls the early days of computing, when machines were inspired by weaving looms. It could reflect images of bottles on a conveyor belt in a bar or capsule magazines loading and emptying. However, all these visual connections, including even the title, were added after the code work was created by Geoff Davis in 1984, when the piece was added to the Micro Arts MA2 Various Unusual Events collection. This collection was a set of computer art exemplars that pushed boundaries and challenged what digital art could be. It was very different from Geoff’s previous generative works that mathematically painted pixels on the screen. Some other pieces from the MA2 collection ranged from a piece of slow art that would take centuries to finish on modern screens to an animation discussing the infamous SCUM Manifesto and Universal Basic Income. PIANO BAR connects the past with the present. It's a mix of history, art, and modern technology. Finally, there's an ambient soundtrack for PIANO BAR by Geoff Davis, who's been involved with various bands and has a rich history in music. Enjoy watching and listening to PIANO BAR. Geoff Davis donates 50% of the revenue to the Computer Arts Archive, a non-profit company attached to the Computer Arts Society (CAS). The Archive has an important historical and educational role, with a large collection of seminal artworks. CAS was founded in 1968 following the Cybernetic Serendipity exhibition at the ICA in London, curated by Jasia Reichardt. CAS promotes computer art across the UK and beyond. ABOUT THE PIONEER GRAILS  EXPANDED.ART'S PIONEER GRAILS is a series of 72-HOUR OPEN NFT EDITIONS presenting paradigmatic artworks from key figures in the history of digital art. ABOUT THE 72-HOUR OPEN NFT EDITION Each open edition is available for 72 hours. The final edition size is determined by the number of primary sales during the 72 hour minting window. After the end of the 72 hours, the NFTs may be collected on the secondary market. ABOUT THE NFT Contract address:<a href="https://etherscan.io/address/0xfe9e28deb844c8b43770a865c6100c40e80743aa"> 0xfE9e28deB844c8b43770A865C6100c40e80743aA</a> Blockchain: Ethereum Token standard: ERC-721 Metadata: Frozen and decentralized 
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PIANO BAR – RED

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Generative artist Geoff Davis was inspired to create art at a young age. Instead of art in traditional forms, he found the computer to be the medium that excited him the most. The advent of personal computers and software, specifically in color, allowed him to marry his passion for creative writing and digital art. In 1984, he established the Micro Arts Group with the intention of enabling young artists who previously felt ostracized from the academic slant of digital art. Now, his innovative and community-minded vision remains through blockchain technology, NFTs, and Web3.

MICRO ARTS AND EARLY COMPUTER ART 

GEOFF DAVIS: "THINGS MOVE FAST IN THE COMPUTER WORLD"

The exhibition presents pioneers from different generations, early 1950s until today, working in the field of generative art. On view will be, among others, plotter drawings, generative photography, sculptures, and NFTs from 30 international artists. In collaboration with ELEMENTUM.ART.

GROUP SHOW

THE THINKING MACHINE. PRESENTING PIONEERS, 1953-2023 | GALLERY & SHOWROOM

TIME SPECTRUM is the first solo show of GEOFF DAVIS at the gallery in Berlin. 

TIME SPECTRUM

GEOFF DAVIS (MICRO ARTS GROUP) | GALLERY

The exhibition THE PATH TO THE PRESENT, 1954–2024 will showcase artists from different generations, from the early 1950s until today, working in the field of generative art and AI.

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GEOFF DAVIS

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