Lycorises is a series of generative artworks inspired by Ernst Haeckel‘s illuminating illustrations on biological evolutions. Combining the visual language of microscopic organisms and flowers, the Lycorises artworks aim to represent the intricacies of life and how it constantly evolves.

Through the use of generative algorithms, the artworks are able to constantly create new, unique floral-like forms. Each different color palette reflects the unique structure of Lycorises specifically evolved in its environments, including the volcano, alien desert, or cyberspace. These environments encouraged the growth of characteristic features, such as spikes, feathers, and leaves, that serve the protection of the Lycoris seed.

Speculation: The Evolution of Lycorises

We are fascinated by the illustrations created by Ernst, in which one cannot tell the reality from the imagination. Would the organism be real? Why do they evolve in one way vs the other? What are the functions for those intricate structures? Similarly, we speculate stories from our generated Lycorises beings.

“Over time, Lycorises evolved to adapt to new environments with different challenges. In the volcano environment, for instance, the Lycorises species evolved with long, thin spikes that would prevent them from being devoured by the local wildlife. However, in the alien desert environment, with few natural predators, Lycorises evolved with large leaves to capture as much sunlight as possible.

The most fascinating environment where Lycorises evolved is cyberspace. In this environment, the Lycorises species evolved with unique features that allowed them to thrive in the digital world. They developed an intricate network of root systems that allowed them to pull energy from various digital sources.” - text generated by GPT-4