William Watkins

William Watkins is a creative coder and algorithmic artist based in France. He has a professional background in software development, having studied at the programming school 42 in Lyon before working as a software engineer. After a period of exploring generative art, he transitioned to a full time artistic practice.

Watkins uses computer programming as his primary creative tool. His research focuses on the development of generative algorithms and systems which produce specific visual outcomes. The artist states that his works are created entirely with code, without the use of artificial intelligence or pre existing image files. He works with languages such as Javascript and its libraries, including Three.js for three dimensional graphics within a browser. This digital practice is also extended to physical media through the use of a pen plotter.

The series Emotional Shell presents introspective portraits to explore philosophical questions about the future of humanity. The work considers the body as a vessel for emotion and questions what it means to be human in a world potentially populated by artificial beings. By generating these humanoid forms purely from code, the series engages with ideas of replication, originality and feeling. Other works, such as Geometric Motion, suggest a parallel investigation into abstract form, indicating a practice with a considerable aesthetic range.