# Conceptual Foundation

"S || M" stands as a conceptual artwork and meta-puzzle, prompting viewers to ponder questions about "Art". This artwork doesn’t composed to be something for you look and admire its beauty. Without the engagement and active thinking it’s dull, motionless and meaningless. The questions below serve as speculations arising from your interpretation of the elements of the artwork and the meanings embedded within the series' composition. Your approach to unraveling this artwork is entirely at your discretion; whether you view it as a challenge focus solely on deciphering the ultimate message or derive different meanings from your symbolic associations.

In order to find the encrypted message in this series, which consists of a series of puzzle layers, the viewer is encouraged to use all kinds of tricks and side ways, apart from the classic puzzle solution. Apart from classic art engagement.

When an image is examined closely enough to reveal its individual pixels, its defining characteristics begin to fade into obscurity. At this level of detail, the overall image loses its clarity, and its essence becomes difficult to grasp. Two images with entirely opposite visual features can, in this way, be equalized into a static structure—devoid of composition or visual association.

In this process, I intentionally relinquish control over the visual elements, allowing the artwork to emerge without deliberate composition or manipulation. My goal is to create works that strip away visual connotations and intentional design, leaving only their conceptual essence to provoke thought and invite questioning.

On-chain art offers a unique opportunity to create enduring, evolving, and interactive pieces. Unlike traditional art forms, digital artworks are not bound by physical or temporal limitations, making them accessible to viewers across time and space. By leveraging this digital realm, I craft interactive, durational artworks designed to engage audiences over time. Through this approach, I aim to push the boundaries of on-chain generative art, exploring its potential to produce conceptual works that redefine artistic possibilities.

# Technical Details

This series comprises 540 sliding puzzles. In its creation process, Mona Lisa digital image underwent division into 540 equal pieces, each measuring 50x50 pixels, and was scaled to ensure pixel visibility. For the creation of this series, each puzzle piece originates from a distinct segment of an image, utilizing the tokenId feature. Through this method, every piece is extracted from a particular area of the artwork, ensuring a diverse and individualized composition. As a result, the puzzles are uniquely crafted, forming a cohesive yet varied collection. From each piece, one pixel was removed and the pixel hidden carefully. Pixels of each piece shuffled with each other and original coordinates of the removed pixel represent a letter. Upon solving all puzzles and finding these original coordinates, the letters will come together to reveal a hidden message.

![The visuals above illustrate the process behind the project: how the code generates a puzzle from each piece](ipfs://QmQEbs2teB6xQB4WqgpK5SZqjvTJczCzCZUHJW7Li242vU)

# Clues and Guidline

-   For Finding the Hidden Message
-   Locate the removed pixel's coordinates in the first place.
-   After identifying the coordinates of the removed pixel for each of the 540 pieces, use these coordinates to decipher the encrypted message.

**Guide**

-   tThe title is a clue.
-   S||M begins to speak with the first move. All the questions you have guide the way to the solution
-   Finding the final message is nearly impossible; this was not created as a solvable puzzle. Solving a piece requires approximately 100,000 moves.
-   If you know how to move the pieces, that alone is enough to find a solution.
-   Be aware that the more information provided about this series, the more likely it is to mislead you. This unintentional deception arises from the nature of the work.

**Features**

Navigation: Use the arrow keys (UP, DOWN, RIGHT, LEFT) to change the location of empty pixels. Also, W, A, S, D keys can be used for navigation

Sliding: Slide the empty pixel by swiping in the directions (UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT) to manipulate the sections of the artwork.

Engagement: While solving the puzzles, remember that no notifications will be provided even upon successful completion. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the process of unraveling the hidden message within the series.

![Speeded-up illustration of the movement of the empty grid](ipfs://QmSJ7j3bsMWrWVSCLhKPdA6aGBAX9qvo5nmT7LjfR3ZMpU)

# Journey

**Creation Process**

This series began development in early 2023 and is one of the projects I’m most excited about. Its open-ended nature allows viewers to find their own meanings, and its blend of absurdity, complexity, and simplicity reflects the kind of work I aspire to create.

The series uses the Mona Lisa image as its foundation. I began by encrypting the final message, experimenting with different methods to ensure it remained hidden. After researching various techniques, I manually removed specific pixels from each piece of the image. This manual process was crucial because using an algorithm could have made the message easier to decode from the source code.

Next, I moved on to coding the puzzle. I explored several methods for embedding the image data into the code, including directly embedding the image, storing it on IPFS, and using base64 encoding. I ultimately chose base64 encoding as the most suitable method and proceeded with it for the project.

**Personal Challenges and New Beginnings**

As an artist, I’ve often sought approval from galleries or institutions before presenting my work to an audience. I now realize this approach is flawed. I believed that sharing my art independently would limit its reach, but applying to programs or cold-emailing galleries without recognition has felt like shouting into a void. Each attempt left me exhausted, not because of rejection, but because the process itself was draining and ineffective.

This realization led me to take a different approach. I’ve decided to publish this project myself. I’m done waiting for the “perfect” opportunity or institution. Since this project relies on audience interaction and collaboration, I’ll share its details, process, and insights directly with the public.

I don’t yet know the best way to manage and showcase it on social media. Instead of striving for perfection, I’ll share everything openly, from this project to my other creative endeavors. It’s a scary but exciting step, and I’m trusting the process.

**What’s Coming Next**

I plan to share individual pieces of the series periodically, allowing for interaction and engagement. A website or another platform might be the best medium, but I’m open to adjusting the design or presentation as the project evolves. Once I gather enough participants, I’ll release the entire series.

I’m open to feedback and collaboration, especially regarding technical aspects like choosing the right platform to host the project. Suggestions and advice are welcome.

**Stay Connected**

For updates and information about the process, follow me through the links below.

Twitter: [x.com/topqcu1](https://x.com/topqcu1)

Instagram: [instagram.com/sefa.topcu1/](https://www.instagram.com/sefa.topcu1/)

Website: [sefatopcu.myportfolio.com/](https://sefatopcu.myportfolio.com/)















S||M is a series of artworks created in the form of a puzzle, and only a few individuals will be able to solve it. No specialized knowledge is required; the only essential element is effort and attention, which is the hardest to give these days.
A hidden message is encrypted within these puzzles, which reveals itself only when every puzzle has been solved. No notification or acknowledgment will be given upon solving them—it’s up to you to figure it out.
"S || M" stands as a conceptual artwork and meta-puzzle, prompting viewers to ponder questions about "Art". This artwork doesn’t composed to be something for you look and admire its beauty. Without the engagement and active thinking it’s dull, motionless and meaningless. The questions below serve as speculations arising from your interpretation of the elements of the artwork and the meanings embedded within the series' composition. Your approach to unraveling this artwork is entirely at your discretion; whether you view it as a challenge focus solely on deciphering the ultimate message or derive different meanings from your symbolic associations.

S||M: Where Interactivity Becomes Free From Limits via On-Chain Possibilities

Written by

Editions

Share

Details

stay ahead with our newsletter