Alida Sun on code art as part of subversive digital living

Alida Sun is a multidisciplinary artist based in Berlin, Germany. Her generative art practice explores our current digital paradigm, and in particular, focuses on humanity's shifting role within it. The artist’s digital art pieces are built through the use of algorithmic codes; however, her works are hardly confined to the realm of cyberspace. In fact, the artist manifests her practice through installation art, sound art, architecture, choreography, drawing and light art. Despite Sun’s growing acclaim, she chooses to maintain a seemingly elusive online presence, often letting her art do the talking.

The digital artist has maintained a startling rigour that has seen her create a piece of generative art every day for quite some time now. When asked about this, Sun tells STIR that as of this interview, she has coded 1,604 daily artworks. "I began my daily generative art practice to better document and archive my work. It’s since evolved into a ritual that frees me from an attachment to outcomes, which is stultifying for one’s imagination and brings back the joy I found in creating multiple sketches per day as a child. I have discovered this ritual practice of joy is a powerful way of subverting the toxicity of ‘Big Data’ social media platforms where you are constantly pressured to produce content. I have also become friends with many wonderful artists who create with code and comprise a lovely, diverse digital community," she says.

The artist finds inspiration in the works of Milford Graves, Lillian Schwartz, Hiroshi Kawano and Delia Derbyshire, the last of whom has made an invaluable contribution to the popular understanding of electronic music. Beyond their artistic prowess, she is particularly inspired by the sheer courage and conviction of early computer art pioneers. Sun says, “I have had the honour of conversing with some artists who worked with computers long before I was born. They faced so much fear, contempt and even persecution, yet they remained true to their vision. It’s great to see them finally get their flowers.” Undoubtedly, this is a sentiment that many within the code art space share.

Sun leans towards free and open-source software within her practice. She tells STIR that p5.js and Processing are marvellous for sketches and that the communities built around these are “brilliant, kind and truly inclusive”. For her interactive installation artworks, she often finds herself favouring C++ frameworks and has recently begun to experiment with the live coding environments TidalCycles and Hydra. Throughout her engagement with code art, Sun has also mixed and matched various softwares, especially for live performances and exhibitions.

Discussing some of the performances and exhibitions that she has been a part of, Sun tells STIR, “It’s been a dream to participate in several exhibitions alongside some of my art heroes. I created a generative audiovisual art installation for a generative POÈME SBJKT exhibit in Paris featuring Alison Knowles, who is a founding member of the Fluxus movement, Vera Molnar and Herbert Franke, two of the aforementioned computer art pioneers. My art installation was a collaboration with the award-winning poet Franny Choi. I am thankful to (the poetry NFT gallery) theVERSEverse for curating and connecting us.” Sun also participated in a generative sound art show in London titled Sonic Alchemy (June 14-July 12, 2023), and mentions that working with Unit London Gallery on this was a genuine pleasure. Her multidisciplinary art was also featured in the auction My Body, My Business, curated by UnicornDAO for Sotheby’s in New York, where she exhibited alongside pathbreaking female artists like Jenny Holzer, Cindy Sherman and Marina Abramovic, which she describes as having been a “surreal honour”. A portion of the proceeds from the sale went into supporting reproductive healthcare.

Sun is excited about her upcoming projects, which will see her undertake live performances in Switzerland, Indonesia, Singapore and Dubai. She tells STIR, "I'll continue to seek and embrace new forms specific to my current mediums instead of imitating or upholding old conventions and hierarchies.” Finally, the elusive artist makes it a point to mention that she has also taken a certain interest in her work-life balance: she sees generative art as a medium uniquely suited to creating a space wherein one needn’t put their mind and body through constant wear-and-tear to achieve engaging results.