Back in 2013, he decided to make a switch from working as an electrical engineer to pursue a career in art and design. He came to New York in 2014 to attend graduate school in design and technology.

Udit now works with diverse companies, institutions, labs, and friends, on projects ranging from award-winning large-scale experiential installations to personal and collaborative artworks. His art practice involves generative technological experiments to formulate and present ideas, often inspired by nature and perception.

→ Udit Mahajan

The Generative Art Museum (TGAM): Hello ser! Thank you very much for joining us today. How are you?

Udit Mahajan (UM): Hello! Thank you for asking. I’m feeling well and excited to be here.

TGAM: As a designer, artist, and educator, how do you see the intersection of UX-UI design, creative technology, and critical thinking in your work? How do these disciplines influence and inform each other?

UM: Good question! And a loaded one right off the bat, ha! In my day job as a Senior UX designer, I work on creating experiences for museums, institutions and brands. Majority of my design work involves creating digital experiences in physical spaces. User experience, critical thinking and creative technology play a crucial role in creating concepts, finding problems, collaborating with teams and coming up with solutions. When creating art as well, these disciplines definitely influence and inform each other. The intersection of UX-UI, creative technology and critical thinking allows me to merge functionality, aesthetics, and conceptual depth in my work.

TGAM: Could you walk us through your artistic process when creating responsive art? How do you approach balancing strategic design, user experience, and interaction while incorporating the element of generative art?

UM: Almost always I start with brainstorming and researching to find ideas and come up with concepts. Once I have a general concept and an artistic vision in place, I delve into the generative art aspects utilizing languages and platforms like GLSL, JavaScript, Processing, Unity3D etc. Often I create algorithms involving mathematical functions, randomization, or implement scientific simulations. I iterate on the code to refine and fine-tune outputs, till I achieve the desired aesthetic and interactions. Strategically, I align the artistic expression and outputs with the intended purpose, whether it's for an exhibition, installation, or a digital platform.

TGAM: Generative art is known for its dynamic and ever-evolving nature. What initially drew you to this medium, and how has it shaped your creative journey and practice?

UM: Yes - ability for repetition and iteration, complexity and emergence, interactivity and participation, time-based and animation, among others are all aspects that initially drew me to generative art. It has definitely been a catalyst for innovation and experimentation in my creative journey. It has allowed me to merge technology and art, embrace unpredictability, and continuously evolve my practice. Through generative art, I have found a medium that resonates with my artistic process and vision, and enables me to create dynamic and immersive experiences for viewers and myself.

TGAM: How do you navigate the collaborative and iterative nature of your design process? Are there specific techniques or methodologies you employ to ensure a balance between creativity and meeting business and technological constraints?

UM: I believe this question is specific to my design work. Compared to my art practice where I try to be more expressive and less structured, in my design work I employ a thoughtful and thorough design process. In order to come up with innovative and creative solutions I emphasize clear communication, brainstorming sessions, user-centered design, agile methodologies, sprints, prototyping, user testing, technical feasibility, etc. as needed in different phases of different types of projects to strike balance between creativity and constraints.

TGAM: Can you tell us about any notable projects or experiences that have significantly influenced your approach to generative art and design? What lessons or insights did you gain from these experiences?

UM: I’ve had the privilege to work on a wide variety of projects and experiences with G&A, ESI Design, AV&C, etc. If you check out their projects, you will get a sense of how generative art and design fits into the larger ecosystem. Importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, user-centered design, contextual considerations, ethical awareness, and the potential for public engagement, are all lessons and insights I have gained from working on these projects over the years. They have reinforced the value of integrating diverse perspectives, understanding the needs of people, and harnessing the power of art and technology to create meaningful and impactful experiences.

TGAM: As an educator, how do you incorporate hands-on learning and an approachable style into teaching generative art and creative technology? What do you find most rewarding about sharing your knowledge and expertise with others?

UM: In the courses I’ve taught in the past, I incorporated practical exercises, tutorials, scaffolding techniques, involving advanced students into the teaching process, encouraging experimentation, collaborative learning, and practicing constructive criticism. The most rewarding aspect of sharing knowledge and expertise with others is witnessing the growth and transformation of students. Seeing them turn from students to peers and friends is truly rewarding.

TGAM: The theme of the exhibition is responsive art. How do you interpret and explore the concept of responsiveness in your generative artworks? What role does interactivity and user engagement play in your creative process?

UM: The definition of generative responsive art for me is two-fold.

Firstly, it involves creating art that is responsive to the screen size or viewing window on which it is presented, taking into consideration the visual impact and composition within that specific context. The artwork may be programmed to adapt and transform based on various factors such as screen size, aspect ratio, or orientation, creating a visually compelling experience that is tailored to the specific viewing environment.

Secondly, generative responsive art is responsive to the person viewing it, unfolding in a manner that is unique to their presence or activity. It goes beyond the visual aesthetics and engages the viewer on a deeper level by blurring the boundary between the artwork and the viewer, creating a dynamic and participatory relationship between the two.

Generative responsive art is an exciting and evolving field that pushes the boundaries of traditional art forms, combining technology, design, and interactivity to create immersive and engaging experiences. It challenges the conventional notions of art as a static object, inviting the viewer to actively engage with the artwork and become an integral part of the creative process.

TGAM: In your opinion, what are some of the unique challenges and opportunities that responsive generative art presents for artists and designers? How do you navigate those challenges while pushing the boundaries of the medium?

UM: Just like any other medium, generative responsive art has its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. Designing algorithms and code that can handle dynamic changes and interactions can be complex. How viewers will engage, what parameters they can control, technical feasibility of the artworks, etc. are all challenges and opportunities. Researching, experimenting, failing, iterating, learning new techniques, trying to keep up with the advancements in the field, etc. is how I have been navigating these challenges.

TGAM: Are there any specific technologies or tools that you find particularly valuable in your generative art practice? How do you stay updated with the latest advancements and trends in the field?

UM: I’ve been using coding languages (GLSL, processing/p5.js, javascript) and softwares (Touchdesigner, Unity3D). I like to experiment with a variety of technologies and try to learn new ones. WebGPU is next on my list. Blogs, publications, social media, courses, tutorials, online communities etc. have been great in keeping up with this fast growing field.

TGAM: Growing up in India, a country rich in culture and natural beauty, how has your upbringing and surroundings influenced your artistic sensibilities and design approach?

UM: So much I can talk about here! But I’ll try and keep it brief. Family and friends, travels to different parts of the country, food, architecture, education, mythology, spirituality, challenges of everyday living, and so much more, continue to contribute greatly in my artistic sensibilities, choices, approach and process. Colors, textures, depth, diversity, exploration, and meaning are what I strive to seek in the work I create.

TGAM: Can you share any childhood memories or experiences that ignited your passion for creativity and design? How have those early influences shaped your artistic journey?

UM: When I was little, I took inspiration from my sister who used to paint and I filled up my sketchbooks. I was fascinated when my father bought a computer. I used to paint landscapes, shapes and figures in MS Paint. Over the years my interest in computers and design grew. In high school, I learnt softwares like Flash and Photoshop for animation and web designing, C++ for programming. In my engineering undergrad, I took time out and started experimenting in FL Studio and Ableton Live, used Photoshop and Illustrator for festival posters and college magazines, participated in crowd-sourced projects making logos and t-shirt designs, tried my hands on projection mapping and played extensively with my DSLR. When I started working as an electrical engineer, after office hours, I made electronic music, digital art and took online courses to learn multimedia softwares. It was back in February 2012, I attended a 3 days event in the mountains of India, Carnival of eCreativity, where leading artists came and displayed their works, mixing technology and art. It was then that I started viewing art from a scientific perspective, questioning the development process of its form and purpose of its content. I realised that art is not merely the final result of a process but the process itself. And if that process is technology driven, it can lead to huge possibilities.

TGAM: Let’s jump into your Responsive Dreams project, “Prisma”, can you explain a bit more about the project and the concept behind it?

UM: The concept behind Prisma is inspired by the idea of transformation and the interplay of forms and colors. It draws inspiration from the concept of a prism, which breaks light into its constituent colors, creating a kaleidoscope of hues. As well as aerial perspectives of the diversity of natural formations or macro ones as if organic life being observed under a microscope. Prisma explores the transformation of forms and blending of colors, creating a dynamic visual experience.

It is responsive, meaning it adapts and responds to various interactions and different screen sizes. The interactivity of the artwork will allow viewers to engage with it, explore different perspectives and experience a sense of immersion. Fun fact - you can zoom infinitely in both directions, so you can choose to zoom in and observe intricate details or zoom out and take in the overall pulsating spectacle.

TGAM: Could you describe the process you follow when creating a responsive artwork? How do you incorporate interactivity and adaptability into your pieces?

UM: Almost always I start with brainstorming and researching to find ideas and come up with concepts. Once I have a general concept and an artistic vision in place, I delve into the generative art aspects utilizing languages and platforms. Often I create algorithms involving mathematical functions, randomization, or implement scientific simulations. I map the parameters of the algorithms to variations and controls. I iterate on the code to refine and fine-tune outputs, till I achieve the desired aesthetic and interactions. Then I test on different devices to check responsiveness and behaviors with further refinement as needed. I share out work in progress versions to friends and on social throughout the process to get feedback.¡

TGAM: In addition to your professional work, how do you like to engage with nature or the environment in your personal life? Do you find any connections between your experiences in nature and your creative process?

UM: Whether it’s gardening in my front and backyard, walking through my trees-filled neighborhood or hiking diverse trails around my city, I am surrounded by nature. It is my source of observation and inspiration, a place for reflection and contemplation. Colors, textures, organic forms, ever-changing, ever-evolving, rhythms, etc. in nature, all serve as connections to my art.

TGAM: Are there any particular artists or creative figures outside of the generative art realm who have had a significant impact on your approach or thinking? How have they influenced your artistic growth and development?

UM: The works of Salvador Dalí and other surrealist artists have always had a huge impact on me. I often go back to seek inspiration in the familiar yet otherworldly spaces and moments. The writings of Isaac Asimov, light years away yet accessible, is another source of inspiration I admire and draw from. Recently I discovered the architectural works of Étienne-Louis Boullée. The play on scale and perception in his works has had a definite impact on me. So many more I can’t think of right now!

TGAM: Looking ahead, what excites you about the future of responsive generative art? Are there any new directions or ideas that you're eager to explore within this realm?

UM: With the ever advancing technology, I’m excited about the future of responsive generative art. I’m seeing an increasing demand and use cases for responsive generative art among brands, industries, and organizations, be them online or onsite. With new form factors, emerging technologies, incorporation of sensors and IoT, and increased viewer participation, there are so many possibilities and opportunities. I’m eager to continue to explore these with my focus right now on hybrid digital-physical experiences.

Udit Mahajan is part of TGAM's Responsive Dreams Festival, the first generative art exhibition in Barcelona dedicated entirely to showcasing art created by code.

"prisma" will be minted live during 14/15th June at Nau Bostik, Barcelona. Holders of TGAM's brochures are elegible to mint preferentially.

The Generative Art Museum (TGAM) is a non-profit organization based in Barcelona dedicated to explore, promote, and advance the understanding and appreciation of generative art as a unique form of artistic expression.