Metamorphosis I

Metamorphosis I (M1) is a landscape that endlessly translates, scales, and rotates its elements over time. Unlike static digital art, where the end result is the focus, M1 emphasizes the transformation itself, designed with subtle details for the observer to deconstruct.

This project is meant to be experienced live, using it’s interactive controls. You can explore the project online via Highlight.xyz. Metamorphosis I was commissioned and supported by FingerprintsDAO.

The animation is built with the concept of a perfect loop, which refers to an animation sequence that seamlessly repeats without a noticeable beginning or end, creating a continuous and fluid motion.

In M1 there’s a unique twist: while the looping sequence remains unchanged, the starting and ending points of the loop can mutate on every iteration, yielding a system that never repeats itself, despite being always in repetition.

M1 is also a visualizer of Ethereum network traffic. You can enable this mode via the parameters. When active, blocks will move faster if traffic is low, and slower when the network is busier.

Inspiration

I have always been fascinated by paradoxes, infinity, and self-reference. Few have accomplished as much in the visual arts on these topics as M.C. Escher, one of the most well-known and inventive Dutch artists. M1 is heavily inspired by his fantastic creations, and particularly his homonymous trilogy.