Chaos Machine by Distributed Gallery

Chaos Machine demonstrates the breadth and materiality of blockchain-based generative art. Distributed Gallery unveiled the Chaos Machine—a unique crypto-jukebox artwork—during the Proof of Work exhibition at the Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin and curated by Simon Denny in September, 2018. This exhibition featured an eclectic lineup, including CryptoKitties and Harm van den Dorpel. The piece itself was constructed from oak wood, steel, slate, and glass. This 192 cm tall installation burns banknotes to play user-generated music playlists stored on the Ethereum blockchain via IPFS technology. Burning a banknote mints an NFT and prints a QR code, allowing new songs to be added to the playlist. The early material-blockchain generative work has been exhibited in multiple prestigious venues, including the Kate Vass Galerie in Zurich and the FIAC in Paris. These early experiments with NFTs by artists like Simon Denny and Robbie Barrat demonstrate how artist-led the movement was prior to the popularization of NFTs in 2021.