THE COMPUTATIONAL MONKEYS

CompMonks is short for The Computational Monkeys, an alias and digital brand created by Pierre Cutellic in 2012 to convey both individual and collaborative artworks. It stands as a generational statement on technology and a fascination for what makes us humans in the 21^st century.

Artistic

Scientific

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BIO

Approaching art from a non-disciplinary perspective, Pierre Cutellic is an architect and researcher based in Zürich. Through his dedication to pursuits both scientific and artistic, Pierre strives to create works that aim to capture the eye and grip the mind.

While studying human neural processes related to visual perception, cognition and artificial intelligence, Pierre looks below the surface of what we call modelling and design, to explore the core elements of visual-thinking. Grounding that purpose, Pierre was awarded in 2016 a fully-funded scholarship from the ETH A&T Doctoral Programme of Excellence. Until 2019, he was Ph.D. Fellow at the Chair of Digital Architectonics, within the Institute of Technology in Architecture of ETH Zürich. He obtained his doctorate of science in 2022 for his research on Brain-Computer Interfaces and architectural design (Neurodesign). Research he is currently pushing further as a Postdoctoral researcher and Principal Investigator on a SNSF-funded project (Neuramod).

Throughout his education, Pierre received an extensive polymath training in science and humanities. Shortly after graduating summa cum laude in Architecture from E.N.S.A.Paris-Malaquais in 2007, Pierre initiated his career by balancing between project consulting, and teaching on the new critical horizon offered by digital technologies. In 2008, he joined the innovative company Gehry Technologies to work on large-scale cultural projects and alongside international design and construction firms. In 2010, Pierre was appointed Adjunct-Assistant Professor at the Digital Knowledge department of ENSA Paris-Malaquais, which he contributed to found. Prior to joining ETH, he was a Lecturer at the Laboratory of Numeric Cultures for Architectural Projects at EPF Lausanne.

With this rich background, Pierre developed a peculiar perspective to create works of art that touch both the roots of scientific understanding and the horizon of discovery. His work has been published and exhibited throughout Europe since 2010.

Among his most recent appearances, are the collective exhibitions 'Biomedia' of ZKM (Karlsruhe 2021), 'Neurons' of Centre Pompidou (Paris 2020), 'Digital Wild' of Trondheim Kunst Museum (Trondheim 2020), 'Error' of Ars Electronica Festival (Linz 2018), and the duo show 'Bits, Bots, Brains' of Tetem Kunstruimte (Enschede 2018).

STATEMENT

Zürich-based architect and researcher, born in the early 80’s, I define my architectural practice by articulating artistic problems and scientific questions first, instead of anchoring it into buildings as a starting point. This position allows to balance between conceptual and technical approaches, and, rather often, takes the form of design objects series and installations, as well as the technological means and models necessary to perform. Born and educated in France at the end of the 20^th century, an early and intensive first career in consulting for a wide range of international design and construction firms led me to the conclusion that architecture, at this time, would be better refocusing on how information and communication technologies can reappraise the foundational idea of putting many different things together in a meaningful way. Or briefly put as a question: How can architecture make sense of the world after the digital? With an understanding of vision as a technology, my work is mainly grounded in computer science, cognitive science, philosophy, architecture, and visual arts. It generally takes the shape, or becomes the result, of interfaces and interactions between mixed models of human and machine bits of intelligence to emulate meaning visually and explore the possibilities of creating new values throughout the modulation of pictures, generation of shapes, aggregation of parts and the delineation of spaces. This creative process borrows the path of a thing-in-the-world becoming an object-in-the-mind and yet to be an-object-in-the-world.

CURRICULA VITARUM

Name Pierre Cutellic

Name CompMonks

Name Pierre Cutellic , CompMonks

Born in 1982 , FR

Born in 2012 , The Grid

Based in Zürich, CH

LinkedIn Link

Research Website Link

Orcid Link

Google Scholar Link

LinkedIn Link

Research Website Link

Orcid Link

Google Scholar Link

LinkedIn Link

Personal Website Link

Research Website Link

Education

Dr. Sc. ETHz 2022 PhD Fellow
  CAAD ITA D-ARCH ETH , Zürich (CH)

  Subject: Neurodesign
  Topics: Computer-Aided Architectural Design, Design Computing and Cognition, Generative Design, Brain-Computer Interface, Machine Learning

Arch. DPLG (M.Arch) 2007 Summa Cum Laude
  ENSAPM , Paris (FR)

  Subject: More Is Different: Morphogenetic Design & Production Strategies
  Topics: Computational Design

Research

Principal Investigator 2021 - 2025 SNSF Project Funding Div. 1-2
  CAAD ITA D-ARCH ETH , Zürich (CH)

  Subject: NeuraMod: Architectural Modelling with Neural Potentials
  Topics: Computer-Aided Architectural Design, Design Computing and Cognition, Generative Design, Brain-Computer Interface, Machine Learning

Teaching

Lecturer 2014 - 2016
  CNPA EPFL , Lausanne (CH)

  Programs: Bachelor Courses (Years 1-2), Master Studios and Courses (Years 1)
  Topics: Algorithmics, Computational Design & Fabrication

Guest Lecturer 2013 - 2014
  CNPA EPFL , Lausanne (CH)

  Programs: Master Studio (year 1)
  Topics: Algorithmics, Computational Design & Fabrication

Adjunct-Assistant Professor 2010 - 2015
  ENSAPM, Digital Knowledge , Paris (FR)

  Programs: Bachelor Studios, Workshops and Seminars (years 1-3), Master Symposia and Theses (years 1-2)
  Topics: Science & Technology for Architecture

PROJECTS 16

Dreamcatcher 2023 - present ongoing research
Grasping Fleeting Memories

Neuramod 2021 - present ongoing research
Architectural Modeling with Neural Potentials

Fourier's Demon 2020 - present ongoing research
Proto Categorical Spaces

Phosphenes 2020 completed
Speechless Massing of Grammars

Proteus 2018 - 2023 completed
Interacting with Matter & Mixed Intelligences

Stargazer 2018 - present in production
Aggregates from Neural Potentials

Time Pictures 2017 in production
Dicrete Meanings of Time

Narcissus 2017 completed
Compositions of The Self

Frontdesk 2016 completed
Rod-Bended Furniture For a Gallery

Hilbertonians 2015 completed
Void Filling Furnitures

Les Colchiques 2014 completed
Shape Generation Through Neural Patterns

Le Cube d'Après 2013 completed
Non-Linear Neural Selection of Pseudo-Cubes

The Grills 2013 completed
Reciprocal Daybeds and Slabs

Normalons 2012 completed
Reciprocal Huts and Canopies

The Great Decimation 2011 completed
Topological Decimation for Organic-To-Geometric Figuration

More Is Different 2007 completed
Generative Design

Stargazer 2018 - 2020 in production
Aggregates from Neural Potentials

EXHIBITIONS 11

Emulations 2024 group exhibition
French Institute, Paris (FR)

Living Systems 2023 group exhibition
Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb (HR)

Humans 2.0 2023 - present group exhibition
Copernicus Science Centre, Warsaw (PL)

Biomedia, The Age of Media with Life-like Behavior 2021 group exhibition
ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe (DE)

Neurones, Les Intelligences Simulées 2020 group exhibition
CNAM Centre Pompidou Museum, Paris (FR)

Digital Wild 2020 biennial
Trondheim Art Museum, Trondheim (NO)

Lab30 2019 group exhibition
New Media Festival, Augsburg (DE)

Error 2018 group exhibition
Ars Electronica festival, Linz (AT)

Bits, Bots, Brains 2018 duo exhibition
Tetem Art Space, Enschede (NL)

Creative Robotics 2017 group exhibition
Ars Electronica Center, Linz (AT)

Minimax, Integrating The White Cube 2014 group exhibition
Gallery Lebenson, Paris (FR)

AWARDS & SUPPORT 6

Grand Prix d’Architecture 2023 award - Mention
Beaux-Arts Academy, Paris (FR)

Events Abroad 2023 funding - production
Pro Helvetia, Swiss Arts Council (CH)

EMAP 2023 residency - research & production
Kontejner, Bureau of Contemporary Art Praxis, Zagreb (HR)

Intelligent Museum 2022 residency - research & production
Hertzlab, ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe (DE) & Nuremberg Deutsches Museum (DE)

SNSF Project Funding 2021 - 2025 funding - research
Research Funding Div. 1-2, Swiss National Science Foundation (CH)

A&T Doctoral Programme of Excellence 2016 - 2019 funding - research
PhD Fellowship, ETH Zurich (CH)

REPRESENTATION & ACQUISITIONS

Humans 2.0 2023 collection
Copernicus Science Centre, Warsaw (PL)

ZKM 20th & 21st centuries Art 2022 collection
ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe (DE)

The Computational Monkeys 2018 - present self representation
Artist Collection

Art[n+1] Gallery 2013 - 2018 main representation
Paris (FR)

COLLABORATIONS

Thierry Serbeto 2022 - present
Videography

Zosia Prominska 2018 - 2021
Photography

Maria Smigielska 2016 - present
Art & Design

TALKS & TEXTS 15

Proteus 3.0 2023 Symposium
ISEA, Forum Des Images, Paris

An Inverse Modeling Method 2023 Proceedings
CAADRIA, CEPT University, Ahmedabad

Proteus 4.0 2023 Catalogue
Living Systems, Kontejner, Zagreb

Proteus 3.0 2023 Catalogue
Biomedia, Spector Books, Leipzig

Neurodesign 2022 PhD Thesis
ETH, Zürich

Modeling with Neural Potentials 2020 Symposium
On AI In Architecture, Engineering, And Construction, ETH, Zürich

Growing Shapes 2020 Proceedings
DigitalFUTURES, Shangai

Experiments in Architectural Modeling 2020 Conference
ANFA, Salk Institute, La Jolla

Encoding Shape Features With Visual ERP-BCI 2019 Journal
International Journal of Architectural Computing Vol 17, 1

CAAD Modeling with Visual ERP BCI 2019 Conference
NAT, LJMU, Liverpool

Uchron 2018 Proceedings
eCAADe, University of Technology, Lodz

Design without Reason 2017 Symposium
LABEX CAP, Centre Pompidou, Paris

Machine Learning from Las Vegas 2016 Article
#Volume 49: Hello World, Archis, Amsterdam

Le Cube d’Après 2014 Proceedings
ACADIA, USC, Los Angeles

Augmented Iterations 2013 Proceedings
eCAADe, University of Technology, Delft

PRESS & DOWNLOADS

Proteus 2020 Essay
M. Smigielska, in ‘Architecture and Naturing Affairs‘, Birkhaüser, Berlin

How do you use AI in your work? 2020 Talk
CompMonks, P. Cutellic, Interview at IRCAM, Paris

La Fabrique du Vivant 2019 Curatorial
M-A. Brayer, in ‘Designing The Living’, Hyx, Paris

La Fin de la Représentation? 2017 Curatorial
M-A. Brayer, in ‘Printing The World’, Hyx, Paris

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