Genes are the original memes. In this collection, I wanted to explore the idea that genes, like memes, represent an abstract packet of information that can be transmitted through a population.
The gene(rative) collection is a generative art project where each human gene is depicted as a barcode, the quintessential symbol that uniqueness.
Each element of the barcode encodes specific information. The first number is the chromosome where the gene is located. The gene name follows and is filled with 0x and then a string of randomly generated numbers. The bars of the bar code are established positions of chromosome banding patterns. The gray bar is the location of the centromere between p- and q-arms and the red bar is the location of the gene. Here's a library of the 6 'most popular' genes.
To share this work, and experiment in this space, I'm minting these as NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain. For fun, each image in the collection is under selective pressure and the price* is set to the number of micro-publications (publication count x 1x10^-6).
This collection starts with 2 of the most researched and published genes and will grow in sequence as the pieces are collected; however, requests for your favorite gene are available via DMs on Twitter.
See the full collection here 👇
*as I experiment in this space, these emails are not to shill this work. But rather, my goal is to show you things I make, share the process, and explore the technology behind them. As we meander through this new world, I'm happy to have you along this journey.