First conceived in 1990 by Peter McClard and Michael McClard, DNA was originally presented in 1992 at the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain as part of a wide-ranging exhibition that included works by Picasso, Matisse, Bacon, Basquiat, and Warhol.
Over the decades, DNA has evolved continuously alongside advances in computation and display, while remaining grounded in its original artistic premise: a system capable of producing an endless sequence of drawings, each one unique and unrepeatable.
DNA is not a collection of images, but a living system. Each work emerges in real time through a complex set of mathematical rules, producing figures and environments that have never existed before and will never exist again.
The imagery unfolds slowly and unpredictably:
Each moment is transient. Once a drawing passes, it cannot be recalled except through memory or selective capture.
At its core, DNA is a work about time.
Like lived experience, it resists repetition. Each viewer encounters a sequence that is entirely their own—an unrepeatable flow of forms, expressions, and atmospheres.
There is a quiet tension between authorship and emergence: the system is rigorously constructed, yet its outcomes remain open, varied, and often surprising.
Each DNA work is realized as a self-contained installation.
The piece is delivered as a dedicated, pre-configured system, designed to run continuously on a display or projection of any scale. Because the work is generated mathematically rather than rendered from fixed media, it can adapt to a wide range of environments while maintaining clarity and precision.
Every installation is uniquely configured.
Through a structured dialogue, elements of the work may be subtly influenced by:
These inputs do not override the work’s logic, but become part of its generative field—allowing each installation to develop a distinct identity over time.
A companion interface allows limited interaction with the system, including preserving selected moments, allowing a drawing to fully resolve or transition, and viewing sequences of previously captured states.
These controls do not interrupt the autonomy of the system, but provide a way to engage with its unfolding.
Experiencing DNA in motion is essential.
Private demonstrations are available by appointment.
For inquiries, please contact Peter directly.
Fragments from an ongoing generative process. Each captured image is a transient state, removed from the context of the ever-changing work.