Beeple

Reality is subjective. Choose violence.

The Tree of Knowledge is a digitally-programmed sculpture which responds in real time to events around the world, with three possible states – signal, noise and violence. The artwork, part of the Lingotto collection, encompasses Beeple’s reflections on the subjective nature of our individual realities, and on a hypothetical symbiosis between technology and nature.

VIOLENCE is a state of conflict. Activated at the push of a button, Beeple has placed an upper limit on the number of times it can be triggered before the tree remains aflame forever. With this mechanic he makes the point that, outside of the simulation, there is also an upper limit on the number of times we can make this choice before our reality is damaged beyond repair.

Printmakers at Make-Ready in London have transformed a static representation of the tree during its choose violence sequence into a fine-tuned UV pigment print with a satin varnish seal.