Tetra

Tetra

A pixel, the most basic element of a digital image, presents just a few properties: position, color, and opacity. By allowing it to mutate just slightly, how far can it lead us? In its simplicity, can it capture our complex perceptions, our dreams and fears, our quest for awe?

Tetra takes the square and plays with its identity by inviting it to transform. As an individual entity, it is unique yet almost invisible; but as part of a larger context, it becomes a jewel worthy of admiration.

Initially starting as a purely geometric, structural study, Tetra evolved, becoming increasingly intimate to me. It resonated with the emotions I was experiencing in my personal life, spontaneously reconciling logic and intuition, individuality, and belonging.

The mix of vivid, saturated colors with dry, muddy washes splattered throughout. The sharp, perfectly aligned shapes become loose and disordered, as if being pushed by some invisible, mighty force. It's like fallen leaves, once full of life and color, now dragged by a cold, merciless winter wind. The magnificent presence of light, glitter, and shine, juxtaposed with muted deserts. And the ubiquity of darkness, albeit almost imperceptible, present even in the brightest places and moments.

I present Tetra as a snapshot and a metaphor of my inner self. It accurately captures the mix of feelings I've been grappling with recently. The duality of being fully connected with the Whole while simultaneously feeling essentially alone, split apart. It's a meditation on the unavoidable impermanence, for better or worse. It realizes that we are beautiful, delicate mosaics made of pieces from multiple pasts, constantly dissolving into something else, to someday become mosaics of multiple futures.

Tech Notes

Some outputs can be quite intensive in terms of computation, especially at higher resolutions, and therefore require a capable, relatively modern computer and browser. Best viewed in Chrome. Firefox and Edge should also work, albeit more slowly. Safari is not supported. Please ensure that the artwork is rendered properly on your device and browser before minting.

High-Resolution Downloads

Open the artwork in full-screen mode and append the "density" URL param with a number indicating the pixel ratio (i.e. "...&density=4"). Max supported value is determined by the computer capabilities and the edition complexity. I've successfully generated up to "density=15" (on a Macbook Pro M2 Max, 32GB RAM), resulting in a 11205 x 19920px PNG file. However, values between 2-5 are usually enough for regular-size prints at 300dpi

Credits:

p5.js (GNU LGPL)

Contact

• Daniel Aguilar, December 2023
• Twitter: @protozoo
• Instagram: @prtzart
• Website: https://protozoo.xyz

NFT License 2.0