BUSY

BUSY explores the overwhelming interplay of systems in our world. We may be pulled in a million directions, always somewhere to be, something to see, a notification that needs attention. At a distance, this would appear as noise to an observer. Upon closer look, every little detail of our lives is a world upon itself of infinite detail.

This body of work contains digital assets, physical drawings, and live installations.

BUSY Digital Assets

At the core of the project lives a generative algorithm that creates both a digital rendition of the artwork and instructions for drawing machines. Utilizing JavaScript and taking a year to develop, this algorithm uses both generative, procedural, and hand-drawn elements to create artworks autonomously. The original auction took place in April of 2025. Click here for more information about acquiring artworks in the collection of 50 on the Artblocks secondary marketplace.

BUSY on Paper

Accompanying each digital asset, an ink drawing was meticulously created by a drawing machine with proprietary components to achieve precise works of archival, museum-quality art. The full edition of 50 drawings were produced in Merrill's art studio in 2025.

BUSIEST Large Format Drawings

An edition of 5 drawings was produced at 5'x2' scale with a prototype art machine to fully realize a grand scale and level of detail in the BUSY universe. Auctioned in April 2025 on Artblocks.io.

BUSY In Marfa

A live installation in Marfa, Texas, held in October 2024. Merrill illustrated various landmarks from the isolated desert town. He integrated them into the BUSY world, creating a limited release that was drawn on location during a solo exhibition.

BUSY In Istanbul

A live installation at the Istanbul Digital Art Festival, held in June 2025. Once again, Merrill illustrated landmarks of significance in Istanbul, Turkey, and combined them into the BUSY algorithm to create a unique rendition of the artwork, plotted on-site during the festival.

Busy: Algorithmic Sketchbook

An examination of the underlying algorithms within the artwork through the lens of an artist's sketchbook. The artwork is recontextualized by extracting key components and visualizing them across 35 pages of ink drawings throughout the book, giving viewers a new way to appreciate the underlying systems within BUSY.