Order/Disorder is the debut monograph of generative artist Tyler Hobbs, bringing his algorithm-driven practice into the physical world through a carefully crafted printed publication. Commissioned by Hobbs’ studio and developed in collaboration with Unit London and Hurtwood Books, the project documents the artist’s work from 2018 to 2023 while exploring how digital-native artworks can be meaningfully experienced through print.
Generative art often exists primarily in digital environments, where algorithms and code produce visual outcomes that evolve beyond the artist’s direct hand. Order/Disorder was conceived as a way to slow down this process and translate it into a tactile format without losing the conceptual integrity of the original works.
Developed in close dialogue with Hobbs, the book brings together pieces from this five-year period, including works shown in his solo exhibitions at Unit London and Pace Gallery in New York. Editorially, the publication is structured around a series of dualities that define generative practice: order and disorder, control and emergence, human intention and machine behaviour.
“What separates man from machine? How are the two artistically related, and when they are inevitably brought closer by technological progress, what will the result be? My work explores these questions,” says Hobbs.
The monograph includes an in-depth interview with curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, an essay by Melanie Lenz, Curator of Digital Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and written reflections by Hobbs himself. Together these contributions provide context for the artist’s approach to algorithmic art and the evolving relationship between creativity and computation.
Exceptional attention was given to the production of the book to ensure that the digital works could be translated faithfully into print. Careful reprography and colour management were used to maintain the subtle gradients, textures and structures that define Hobbs’ generative compositions.
The project was published in two hardback editions. The Trade Edition, released by Hurtwood Books, is widely available through booksellers internationally. Alongside it sits a limited Collector’s Edition of 999 copies co-published with Unit London.
The Collector’s Edition reflects the ambition to combine traditional bookmaking with digital innovation. Each copy is quarter-bound in high-quality linen and finished with a satin ribbon marker. A hand-editioned artist’s print is housed in a bespoke pocket at the back of the book, with four different print variations distributed across the edition to create subtle differences between copies.
Perhaps the most distinctive element of the Collector’s Edition is the inclusion of an embedded NFC chip in the cover. This chip connects the physical book to a blockchain-registered digital certificate of authenticity, bridging analogue publishing with the digital ecosystem that underpins Hobbs’ work. Integrating this technology required close collaboration between the studio, designers and binding specialists to ensure it could be embedded without compromising the book’s structure or longevity. Once sold out, the Collector’s Edition will not be reprinted.
Published in 2023, Order/Disorder demonstrates how contemporary print publishing can engage with emerging artistic practices, showing that even work rooted in algorithms and blockchain can find a powerful expression through the craft of bookmaking.
Founded in 1978, Hurtwood is an independent publisher of fine art and photography books. Working closely with artists, galleries and cultural institutions, the publisher is known for pushing the boundaries of book design and construction while maintaining a strong commitment to craft, sustainability and long-term artistic collaboration.
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