The next digital era
Boundaries between art, science, and technology are a meaningless construct, not suitable for the creative people who are building the future and practicing crypto.
Quantum mechanics, enabling inventions such as microprocessors and solid-state memories, has opened the way to the present digital era. Hence, althaugh many are not aware of it, much of the technology behind blockchain and NFTs rely on quantum theory.
In the last few years, quantum physics is driving a revolution again. It is going to change dramatically the future of information technology. Quantum computers, taking advantage of some of the odd nature of quantum reality, are going to revolutionize the digital era. The road towards quantum information technology cannot be stopped anymore. Inevitably, blockchain will evolve towards quantum crypto.
Artistic references
Abstract expressionist paintings often depict imagined forms beyond the visible world. They emphasize free, spontaneous, and emotional expression of the artist, while Quantum Collapses aims to explore the unconscious mind and personal emotions of the viewer. During our artistic research, we found out the Hilbert space, the big place where quantum states live, is populated by a variety of weird creatures, ghosts, landscapes …How they are perceived is purely a reflection of ourselves.
Outputs
Each output image corresponds to one or more randomly generated quantum superpositions assigned during the process of minting. Although quantum superpositions are quite common in quantum physics, in the macroscopic world in which we live, we never see them. Mint#0 is now public on Art Blocks! You can also check out the variety and the different features of the test outputs on the testnet shell.
Each quantum state evolves in time according to the rules of quantum theory, transforming continuously into an unlimited flux of new shapes, new ghosts (no loop). You may interact with them, but this, according to the laws of quantum theory, causes their collapse.
This project offers the possibility to continuously build, contemplate, and save new images, in a creative process where the interplay between the choices of the user and quantum randomness determines the outputs.
Collapses
Quantum Collapses offers a direct and faithfully experience of one of the main mysteries of quantum theory: the collapse of the wavefunction upon measurement. In quantum mechanics, the physics of the smallest bit of matters, objects can live suspended between different realities, known as quantum superpositions. The moment you interact, one of the options is chosen in a way which cannot be fully predicted. This lack of determinism, which is the ultimate source of randomness in nature, is exactly what mainly disturbed Albert Einstein and shocked several of the fathers of quantum theory. The collapses give life to new minimalist creations.
Aa described in our Manifesto, our artistic exploration started from the observation of several close analogies between the quantum world and our mind. Here, the sudden transition between the complex time evolving pattern, describing a quantum superposition, and the collapsed state, reminds us of the transition from the doubts, the complexity, and shades of colour of our thoughts before taking a decision, to the irreversibility of our choices.
Entangled
“I would not call that ‘one’ but rather ‘the’ characteristic trait of quantum mechanics, the one that enforces its entire departure from classical lines of thought.” — Erwin Schrödinger
Quantum entanglement is one of the most puzzling and fascinating phenomena ever. When two or more particles link up in a certain way, no matter how far apart they are in space, they remain somewhat deeply linked. So, any action, as for example a measurement, to one of these particles will instantaneously impact the others in the entangled system, regardless of their distance. Albert Einstein called it: “spooky action at a distance”.
Rare outputs of this project consist of pairs of entangled states. The two separated shapes will experience the same dynamics. However, if the viewer interacts with one of them, this will also affect the other one. These very special outputs are letting us, the creators, feeling the magic of quantum entanglement, well beyond our experience with textbooks, scientific papers, and formulas. Check out, for example, sample output#56 on testnet
Exploring the hilbert space
In addition to a number of distint traits, in the sense of metadata labeling the defining characteristics of a particular output, this work explores an additional very large continuous set of parameters: those determining the specific quantum states in a boundless space: the Hilbert space. As a consequence, rarity is not under complete control. Unexpected, unique creatures, shapes, and ghosts can emerge without control.
Colours
Titles of famous jazz songs have been used to name colour palettes. This choice was inspired by the Italian abstract expressionist artist Ennio Finzi. According to him colours have also a sound. Several palettes are inspired by his colour studies.
A living artwork
Quantum Collapses will also undergo some evolutionary steps. At some point, all the outputs will display new animations on monthly basis. However, we believe in the power and beauty of memories and of history. It will always be possible to retrieve previous animations.
As a tribute to some of the founding fathers of quantum theory more related to this project, Quantum Collapses will transform in special days.
