77 Million Paintings

Brian Eno discusses 77 Million Paintings, which sees the continued evolution of his exploration into light as an artist’s medium and the aesthetic possibilities of “generative software.”

77 Million Enos

Some weeks ago the exposition called 77 Million Paintings by Brian Eno closed at a museum we all know in Mexico City. I was there, sat there for, seriously, about two hours and contemplated the installations trying not to even blink!

The question I raise now is, Was It Art? I mean, Brian Eno is a British artist devoted to everything that can be linked to music… painting included. 77 mixed marvelously the ambient sounds created by Eno ex profeso for the presentation with the outstanding images full of colour and life that were appearing at regular intervals in front of all of us sitting inside the dark, very dark room without even realising the presence of the others.

The question I stated above is there because, despite how much I personally admire Eno and his music, it is difficult to me sometimes telling the artistic merit behind something created by computers. 77 was made up by a program designed by Eno himself, which randomly depicted a series of combinations of colour, shapes and shades he already decided in advance. The combinations could ad up to 77 million different depictions (therefore, the name of the exposition that has gone all over the world, and re-designed ad hoc for our country). Now, Eno’s ambient music is entirely made by computer, Eno’s paintings are entirely made by computer… is it still art?