Why I Released ‘Frontline’ Using Bitcoin Ordinals

 Artist Alexis André elaborates on the appeal of Bitcoin for launching his latest groundbreaking generative art collection.

I often say that I excel at creating pixels, but I am not a blockchain expert. The complexities of statistics and security intimidate me, as any mistake in these areas can lead to significant errors or financial losses. Writing a smart contract feels like a daunting task. However, this does not mean I am clueless about the underlying technology that powers blockchains, NFTs, and Ordinals. I have a solid understanding, but I recognize my limits.

For my latest collection, I am partnering with Metagood, the creators of the Ordinals collection OnChainMonkey, to release it on the Ordinals protocol. This will be my first collection on Bitcoin, which marks a departure from my previous work with NFTs on Ethereum and Tezos. I am leveraging all the lessons learned from other chains to innovate and create smart, out-of-the-box solutions.

What Ordinals offers

The first thing I love about Ordinals is that everything has to be on-chain. That's it—no external assets, no links. This makes sure everything is clear, unchangeable, and real. All data is on the blockchain, so the artwork stays the same and can always be checked for authenticity. Many generative art pieces rely on code libraries like p5.js or three.js to facilitate commonly used features necessary for generating the artwork. With Ordinals, everything is self-contained within the blockchain, providing a seamless and reliable experience for both artists and collectors.

The protocol offers an elegantly designed solution to this problem. Any Ordinal can reference another Ordinal, whether it's a library, an asset, or even the entire creation for remix purposes. The possibilities for creative use of this feature are endless. Popular libraries like p5.js and three.js are already stored on the Bitcoin blockchain. Notably, these were uploaded by Danny Yang, the creator of OnChainMonkey. This allows artists to access essential tools directly from the blockchain, enhancing their creative process.

But how does this process work exactly? How can my Ordinal reference another Ordinal? On Ethereum (and other similar platforms as far as I know), NFTs essentially operate as token IDs issued from specific contracts. To find out which NFTs exist and who owns them, you typically need the contract address for exploration.

Ordinals have ingeniously tackled this issue with two key features. The first is recursion, where each Ordinal is tied to a unique Satoshi, allowing them to be ordered sequentially, hence their name. This enables creators to use existing Ordinals to craft new ones, leveraging a variety of assets already available on the blockchain for more intricate artworks accessible to everyone.

The second notable feature is the parent-child relationship, similar to recursion but secured using blockchain principles—think of the cryptography behind "cryptocurrency." To reference another Ordinal as a parent, you must prove ownership, ensuring integrity and establishing a clear lineage. This feature not only establishes provenance but also supports innovative uses like making an Ordinal your signature for future works or creating generative collections where all items point back to a central codebase.

These features make Ordinals a smart choice for building generative art collections on the Bitcoin chain. While they lack the flexibility of smart contracts, they provide robust tools to foster creativity and innovation.

Frontline

FrontLine is my latest expansive generative art collection. I am thrilled to share it with you, this time on Ordinals, with the initial audience being the OnChainMonkey community. This project has been a year-long personal journey for me.

"FrontLine" reflects recent events across various levels. It was both challenging to create and deeply fulfilling to complete. From the outset, this piece was intended as a collaboration with OnChainMonkey, inspired by the community's ethos of nudging towards undefined 'goodness,' shaped by societal values and cultural norms. Good exists in contrast to its opposite—bad, lawful versus chaotic, light versus dark, A versus B—forming a continuum of conflicting forces. "FrontLine" attempts to depict this ongoing struggle, where what seems clearly 'good' can swiftly transform into its opposite upon acquiring new information. The divide between these opposing forces is never starkly defined; the battle at the FrontLine rages on, nuanced and ever-present.

The artwork merges competing algorithms within its space: one explores negative space while the other connects points. Even the connecting algorithm is divided into two approaches, each iteration unpredictable yet retrospectively explicable due to the straightforward rules governing the algorithms. As the entire space is explored, the FrontLine emerges—sometimes intricate and vibrant, other times fragmented and obscure, yet always significant.

In an imperfect world, good and bad coexist, and where one draws the FrontLine becomes crucial. It's a personal choice to define what each side represents, whether it's ETH/BTC or supporting innovation. Personally, I champion those who innovate—they are the ones at the FrontLine.

Do I have all the answers? No. But I believe in trying, being present where action unfolds, and engaging in the struggle at the FrontLine.