Monica Rizzolli began as a painter after graduating from UNESP (Brazil). In 2012, while studying at Kunsthochschule Kassel (Germany), she discovered creative programming and began studying it independently. In 2015, at the MAK Center for Art and Architecture (USA), she presented her first generative artwork thanks to the MAK-Schindler research grant. Back in Brazil, she co-founded the creative programming meeting, Noite de Processing, at Garoa Hacker Clube and participated in organizing the Processing Community Day Brazil. As a designer, she collaborated on generative magazine covers, fabric designs, and typefaces with Tony de Marco, including Tomorrow for Google Fonts. In 2021, she launched the Fragments of an Infinite Field series on the Art Blocks platform, solidifying her position in the generative art field. We spoke to Monica about technology, nature and generative art.
1. What are the main artistic influences behind your practice?
It's hard to summarise because the influences have been numerous and have evolved throughout my life. However, I would say that concrete art, Ukiyo-e prints, botanical illustration, and the rich traditions of textile and porcelain surface design have significantly shaped my work. Additionally, the graphic expressions of indigenous cultures, particularly from South America, have left a profound impact on my practice.
2. How would you describe the relationship between technology and your work?
Technology—both contemporary and traditional—has been fundamental in helping me achieve outcomes that would be difficult to reach otherwise. Beyond being a tool, technology brings its own unique aesthetic qualities. For instance, digital media allows the creation of images that can evolve over time or respond to external stimuli, offering creative possibilities that are deeply inspiring and inherently tied to the medium itself.
3. What interests you about the relationship between digital and natural ecosystems? And how does this relationship continue to develop with the rise of new technologies?
For me, there’s no true separation between humanity and nature. Humans are part of the natural world, and therefore everything we create—whether culture, art, or technology—belongs to nature as well. From this perspective, technology is not an opposing force to nature but an extension of it, shaped by humans and interwoven into the ecosystem.
This interconnectedness fascinates me. Within this relationship, there are tensions, harmonies, and contradictions—forces pulling in different directions, sometimes in conflict and sometimes in balance. These dynamics create fertile ground for artistic exploration.
As new technologies emerge, they bring fresh opportunities to reflect on and reshape this relationship. For instance, technologies like AI, augmented reality, and generative systems can mimic natural patterns, simulate ecosystems, or even interact with the natural world in real-time. This ongoing evolution challenges the boundaries between the digital and the organic, inviting us to reimagine our place within the larger system.
4. What excites you about working with blockchain technology and generative algorithms?
Generative art always surprises me. Instead of creating a single image, I design a system capable of producing infinite variations. When the system starts to function and generates results, it feels like magic—even to me. In my living room, I have a display showcasing a generative piece, and I often find myself mesmerized by the images it creates—images I "designed" but had never seen before. Isn’t that incredible? To create something you’ve never seen yourself!
When connected to blockchain, generative art becomes even more fascinating. The smart contract embedded in the blockchain defines specific characteristics of the artwork, creating an inseparable bond between the art and the contract. The artwork cannot exist without the contract. Owning such a piece is a truly thrilling experience!
