When she began her career, Brazilian-born artist Monica Rizzolli, now residing in Portugal, did not know she would become a renowned NFT generative artist; she only knew she wanted to create art.
More specifically, she knew she wanted to build upon the inspiration and creativity she derived from her grandfather's own creations. Although he was a printer (not a generative artist), she still learned from his work ethic and dedication to art.
Thus, Rizzolli studied fine arts, then learned programming. She always paid attention to nature around her, combining these three perspectives and skills to form Monica's unique artistic style—a painterly, serene, and dance-like natural style, which swept through the NFT world with her first Art Blocks series 'Fragments of an Infinite Field' launched in 2021.
Before we delve into how this series has changed lives, here are some facts about Monica Rizzolli, her design style, and her creative approach.
Who is Monica Rizzolli?
Monica Rizzolli is a Brazilian artist and researcher, currently residing in São Paulo, Brazil. For over a decade, she has been a pioneering force in the field of generative art, with her work situated at the captivating intersection of art, science, and technology. She combines traditional artistic techniques with cutting-edge technology, creating generative artworks that are not only visually stunning but also intellectually stimulating, pushing the boundaries of digital art.
Rizzolli's focus on generative art predates NFTs
In interviews, Rizzolli often cites her grandfather, father, and her homeland Brazil as sources of inspiration for her creations. She also sees many shadows of her grandfather's printmaking process in the NFT process. In April 2023, she told the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) that generative art is very much like printmaking; it is built upon a singular inspiration but can give rise to multiple potential iterations and versions.
Rizzolli draws inspiration from these ideas to create generative art, emphasizing the iterative nature of the process and how it allows for infinite variations from a single source.
She told the Los Angeles County Museum of Art: '...Printmaking has always revolved around the concept of multiplicity. Before NFTs appeared, this tradition persisted, which is attempting to create similar versions using matrices. In generative art, this process goes further by using a single matrix (i.e., code) to create different multiplicities.'
Nature is the pillar of Rizzolli's perspective as a generative artist
Whether you are browsing Rizzolli's 'Fragments of an Infinite Field' on OpenSea or viewing her 'Underwater' series at the Bright Moments exhibition at NFT ART CDMX, you will encounter a celebration of waves, flowers, and nature.
Soft greens blend with vibrant oranges and blues, helping collectors and viewers feel a connection to the world that Rizzolli aims to capture.
As Rizzolli explained: 'There are two things that drive me to study plants. Firstly, the morphology of plants and the development of shapes and structures, which relates to the forms and mathematics of plants. Secondly, observing plants can teach us a lot about a place, what people eat, where plants come from, their symbolic meanings, and so on.'
Rizzolli uses generative systems to explore the forms and mathematical aspects of plants, enhancing her ability to blend traditional and modern techniques in her work.
Starting to create generative art with Monica Rizzolli from datasets
Monica Rizzolli's creative process is a perfect fusion of art and technology. She first collects and analyzes large datasets, which serve as the foundation for her generative artworks. She uses complex algorithms and machine learning models to generate unique and dynamic patterns, shapes, and colors.
This process allows her to explore the complex relationship between human creativity and machine intelligence. By pushing the boundaries of generative art, Rizzolli continuously redefines the possibilities of digital art, creating works that are both innovative and thought-provoking.
Rizzolli's first Art Blocks series garnered attention in the generative art world
After studying at the Kassel School of Art in Germany, Rizzolli decided to self-learn programming. Just three years later, in 2015, she combined her artistic vision with her new programming background to hold her first generative art exhibition at the MAK Center for Art and Architecture.
But what drew everyone's attention was Rizzolli's first Art Blocks series, 'Fragments of an Infinite Field,' a collection of 1,024 pieces that sold for $5.38 million in less than an hour.
For Rizzolli, discovering Art Blocks changed her life as it provided her a space to manifest the artistic form she had been honing for years—generative art—now in the NFT realm.
Rizzolli explained in an interview: 'Now, I can sell the actual code on the chain instead of extracted files, which is incredibly exciting. The emergence of Art Blocks feels like something I've been waiting for my entire life.'
Rizzolli's use of computer graphics in her 'Generative Portraits' series showcases her technical prowess and connects with the historical significance of computer graphics in generative art.
For Rizzolli, art is about uplifting the entire creative community
Since the mid-2010s, Rizzolli has aimed to ensure that the creative community around her is supported. During her time in Brazil, she co-founded a monthly creative programming event called 'Noite de Processing' and co-organized the Brazil Processing Community Day.
These initiatives help others create art using generative tools, enabling creators to leverage algorithmic processes to craft innovative artworks. Here, she and others have the opportunity to learn more about the development of blockchain technology and the NFT world.
After the success of Fragments of an Infinite Field, she told Time magazine: 'I hope to be more involved: to have good equipment and a tranquil environment. I also want to contribute to the education sector in Brazil—to give back to society.'
Just like the seeds in nature, Rizzolli's personal life inspires her ideas, which ultimately manifest in her works. She best describes her collection by pointing out that she hopes collectors will carefully observe our interconnectedness and 'think about and observe the landscape.'
For Rizzolli, that landscape tells a story about 'the relationships between all elements,' from the 'visual chaos' of rain to the 'veil' of winter snow, all of which inspire her.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Rizzolli's work and the life of the artist reflect upon each other, always returning to the seed and the harvest.
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