Landscape Past Future

Archival pigment prints. 2019.
Variable dimensions.

Situated in an era of abundant access to digital images and imminent environmental collapse, Landscape Past Future proposes a re-thinking of landscape paintings through the lens of data-aggregation technologies.

Each image is created through aggregation of pixels from existing landscape paintings and photographs from the permanent collections of major Museums. Using custom software and machine learning techniques, groupings of pixels are “mosaicked” from the original artworks onto a new canvas, creating images that reveal both specific details of historically significant works as well overarching statistical features.

In these new, original works, the underlying pastoral associations are reconstituted within a digital realm of preservation: a virtual simulacrum in dialogue with our present witnessing of a disappearing natural world.

Concept, development, and realization: Adam Basanta

Custom software programming and development: Tiago Vaz.

17th Century Dutch Landscapes

Dutch Landscape with Tree in Foreground, 45 x 45 pixel grid
2019. Archival pigment print. 58” x 43”. Computer-generated aggregate of 26 Dutch Landscape Paintings, 17th and 18th centuries, collections of the Metropolitan Museum (USA) and the Rijksmuseum (NL).

Dutch Landscape (Cross-hatch)
2019. Archival pigment print. 42” x 28”. Computer-generated aggregate of 19 Dutch Landscape Paintings, 17th and 18th centuries, collections of the Metropolitan Museum (USA) and the Rijksmuseum (NL).

Dutch Beach, Windswept
2019. Archival pigment print. 58” x 43”. Computer-generated aggregate of 55 Dutch Landscape Paintings, 17th and 18th centuries, collections of the Metropolitan Museum (USA) and the Rijksmuseum (NL).

Canadian Suite

Important Canadian Landscapes: Lakes and Sky
2019. Archival pigment print. 28” x 21”. Computer-generated aggregate of 19 notable Canadian artworks included in the Sotheby’s auction “Important Canadian Art”.

Important Canadian Landscapes: Winter scene
2019. Archival pigment print. 28” x 21”. Computer-generated aggregate of 12 notable Canadian artworks included in the Sotheby’s auction “Important Canadian Art”.

Important Canadian Landscapes: Field and Sky
2019. Archival pigment print. 28” x 21”. Computer-generated aggregate of 31 notable Canadian artworks included in the Sotheby’s auction “Important Canadian Art”.

Early Photography Series

Sliced 19th century photographic vistas
2019. Archival pigment print. 36” x 24”. Computer-generated aggregate of 62 Landscape Photographs taken primarily in the United States, as well as Egypt, North Africa, Israel, and Asia, 19th century, collection of the Metropolitan Museum (USA).

19th century photographic vistas (cross-hatch)
2019. Archival pigment print. 20” x 13”. Computer-generated aggregate of 48 Landscape Photographs, taken primarily in the United States, as well as Egypt, North Africa, Israel, and Asia, 19th century, collection of the Metropolitan Museum (USA).

Vertically sliced 19th century photographic landscapes with rounded passe-partout
2019. Archival pigment print. 14” x 9". Computer-generated aggregate of 72 Landscape Photographs, taken primarily in the United States, as well as Egypt, North Africa, Israel, and Asia, 19th century, collection of the Metropolitan Museum (USA). 19th century, collection of the Metropolitan Museum (USA).

Collaged 19th century photographic landscapes with trees, palms, and observers
2019. Archival pigment print. 14” x 9". Computer-generated aggregate of 25 Landscape Photographs, taken primarily in the United States, as well as Egypt, North Africa, Israel, and Asia, 19th century, collection of the Metropolitan Museum (USA).

Collaged Yosemite in 1872 after Carleton E. Watkins
2019. Archival pigment print. 14” x 9". Computer-generated aggregate of 11 Landscape Photographs, 19th century, taken by Carleton E. Watkins (1829-1916) in Yosemite in 1872, collection of the Metropolitan Museum (USA).

photos by Simon Belleau.

Completed with support of the Canada Council for the Arts