The central visual element of each generated artwork is a vintage receiver set. The size, shape, and color of the receiver casing vary in each instance, depending on the hash. Colors are derived from a predefined custom palette (the Zitchalo palette). Each generated receiver features two antennas, whose size, shape, and position are likewise determined by the hash. Beneath the receiver, a screen reflection dynamically changes in real time, corresponding to the transformations of the image displayed on the screen.
The initial state of the generated artwork is chaotic: the screen is filled with dynamic visual noise, composed of fragmented and indistinct lines. This initial state is divided into segments - groupings of related visual elements marked by different colors. Each segment is generated as a distinct visual configuration, some of which may already appear as clear lines. All visual elements of the initial screen state are hash-dependent and unique to each artwork. As a whole, the initial screen presents a disharmonious image composed of heterogeneous visual elements.
On the right side of the receiver is a control panel with knobs and sliders through which interaction is realized. The number of knobs corresponds to the number of screen segments and may range from a minimum of three to a maximum of nine. Each knob is color-coded to match the lines or noise of a specific segment on the screen. By rotating a knob, the viewer modifies the state of the corresponding segment, ranging from complete distortion and unarticulated noise to fully clear and defined lines. The number, size, color, density, and shape of the lines within each segment are determined by the hash and vary across generated artworks.
The screen brightness of each generated receiver is also determined by the hash. The middle of the three sliders on the control panel allows for interactive brightness adjustment: the far-left position corresponds to the darkest possible state, while the far-right position corresponds to the brightest.
In Harmozo, sound and image are integrated into a unified structure. Both evolve from an initial chaotic state toward a fully harmonious condition. Sound is generated based on the hash and does not rely on external libraries. On the control panel, the upper slider controls volume, while the lower slider controls pitch.
The antennas of the receiver are also interactive compositional elements. Moving the left antenna shifts the image horizontally (from right to left), producing a visually altered state of the composition. Moving the right antenna shifts the image vertically (from top to bottom), effectively changing the order of the line segments on the screen. These changes in segment arrangement do not affect the order or function of the knobs, which retain their initial mapping: rotating a knob of a given color always controls the lines of the corresponding color.
When, through interaction, complete clarity of all lines is achieved - thus harmonizing the entire composition - the algorithm automatically generates a static PNG image representing the completed state of the artwork. This harmonized state can also be achieved by 'tapping' the receiver: upon being tapped, the device first shakes, after which the image resolves into a harmonious configuration and a PNG is generated. The manner in which the receiver responds to the impact is determined by the hash.
The collaboration between the artist and the philosopher connects the inner necessity of the creative process with the precision of philosophical reflection - two key prerequisites of a successful generative project. The authorial team signs artworks with a clear artistic methodology and execution in which every step carries a defined meaning.
Srđan Šarović, D. A., is an interdisciplinary artist and art theorist. His artistic practice is grounded in a unique platform that bridges theoretical-philosophical reflection and artistic creation. Šarović’s artworks, usually abstract and expressive in form, span multiple media and integrate unconventional technical approaches.
Una Popović, Ph.D., is a philosopher and a university professor. Her scholarly work intertwines several branches of philosophy, with a primary focus on the philosophy of art and the philosophy of language, namely the study of the ontology of artistic creation and the methodological grounding of philosophical concepts.