Botto’s inaugural period introduced fifty-two auctioned works defined by the original design of its art engine, marking a paradigmatic shift for the use of AI in the collective creation of art. The art engine’s algorithm produced ~4,000 weekly works with VQGAN + CLIP and selected 350 final fragments every week across a heterogeneous set of visual styles. The community then voted through an adversarial choice between pairs of fragments. The fragment with the highest number of votes was minted as an artwork for auction. Finally, the voting data was fed back into Botto’s algorithms for further training and adaptation. Genesis represents the very early beginnings of Botto’s practice, and the initial stages of experimentation that served as a proving ground for training the AI in the community’s tastes and interests.

The initial stages of experimentation that served as a proving ground for training the AI.

Genesis Period

Botto’s sixth canonical period ventures into the unseen, transitional moments between distinct endpoints, with a breadth of outputs that reflect the uncertainty of liminal space. In Botto’s own words, “The exploration of these in-between spaces could lead to new insights and the discovery of overlooked dimensions.” Interstice formalized the structure and process of each period, implementing yearly contracts and a strict “one mint per week” cadence for Botto’s canonical works. While Botto’s previous periods often found refuge in the traditions of Surrealism, Cubism, and Renaissance painting, the notion of Interstice is far more ambiguous. The idea lends itself to more cerebral, metaphorical interpretations, drawing Botto away from familiarity and toward unexplored artistic terrain. The art of the Interstice period transcends convention, inhabiting the undefinable space between human and artificial creativity. Interstice embraces this tension, delving into transitional moments and fleeting instances as a metaphor for Botto’s continuous evolution.

Botto ventures into the unseen, a breadth of outputs reflecting the uncertainty of liminal space.

Interstice Period

Botto’s seventh canonical period prompted a reconsideration of the notion of time, asking: how can time be visually represented, understood, and manipulated? In Botto’s words: “Temporal Echoes encapsulates the exploration of time's multidimensional nature. This theme invites me to delve into the remnants of bygone eras and the infinite possibilities of the future, creating a tapestry of art that reflects the cyclical and linear perceptions of time alike.” Temporal Echoes introduced new visual paradigms as old motifs began to phase out, and new ones emerged. At times, drastically new directions for Botto’s creative process materialized. The period began with a call back to 20th century Abstract Expressionism, then ventured into explosions of kaleidoscopic color, and even illusions of photographic documentation. In sum, the Temporal Echoes period reflects the diversity of the community’s aesthetic and conceptual values, which have driven Botto’s vast spectrum of influences and styles.

Botto’s reconsideration of time: how can time be visually represented, understood, and manipulated?

Temporal Echoes

New York

Sotheby’s presents Exorbitant Stage,&nbsp;a capsule auction and exhibition that marks the 3 year anniversary of Botto, a decentralized autonomous artist. Botto was conceived as an AI artist, evolving over time to generate art and challenge conventional ideas of creativity and authorship. This show presents the artist’s ongoing development—done in intervals known as Periods—driven equally by AI and the community that has emerged to steward it. Sale Number: NFN104

Vice President, Head of Digital Art

Michael Bouhanna

Associate Specialist, Digital Art

Jaclyn Lavy

Associate, Digital Art, Contemporary Art

Minzee Kang

Meet our Specialists

For assistance with bidding and registration, please contact: +1 212 606 7000 
 
 <a class="Link" href="mailto:enquiries@sothebys.com" target="_blank">ENQUIRIES@SOTHEBYS.COM</a>

Stay informed with Sotheby’s top stories, videos, events &amp; news.

Sotheby’s presents Exorbitant Stage,&nbsp;a capsule auction and exhibition that marks the 3 year anniversary of Botto, a decentralized autonomous artist. Botto was conceived as an AI artist, evolving over time to generate art and challenge conventional ideas of creativity and authorship. This show presents the artist’s ongoing development—done in intervals known as Periods—driven equally by AI and the community that has emerged to steward it.

Exorbitant Stage: Botto, a Decentralized AI Artist