On February 19, 2025, theVERSEverse proudly presents another literary milestone: the first generative, on-chain performance of Ginsberg’s era-defining poem Howl, rewritten for the digital age by AI pioneer Ross Goodwin.
HOWL.camera began with wonder: Can AI help us read human poetry with fresh eyes? If so, what might we discover about ourselves?
to find out, Goodwin has configured generative tools, from Markov chains to advanced image recognition, to transform the original text of HOWL (with permission from the Ginsberg Estate) into dynamic ASCII translations of Ginsberg’s photographs. the result is a hybrid poetic language – part word, part image – that expresses something urgent and new as it howls across the screen.
view the works minted on fx(hash)
HOWL.camera #112 by Ross Goodwin, collected by the Allen Ginsberg Estate
on behalf of theVERSEverse, the Allen Ginsberg Estate, and Fahey/Klein Gallery, 60% of proceeds from the sale supported LA fire relief through the artist-run LA Ayuda Network.
special thanks to Fahey/Klein for hosting HOWL.camera: into the darkroom, a conversation between Ross Goodwin and Elisabeth Sweet.
a transcript of “HOWL.camera: into the darkroom” can be found here.
HOWL.camera is presented by theVERSEverse in collaboration with the Allen Ginsberg Estate, Fahey/Klein Gallery, fx(hash), objkt, and support of the Tezos Foundation.
from HOWL.camera: into the darkroom, a conversation with data poet Ross Goodwin & Elisabeth Sweet on the release of HOWL.camera
GEN TEXT
HOWL.CAMERA is the 6th edition of GenText, a series from theVERSEverse that delves into the craft and creativity of generative text, exploring the intersections of AI, art, and language. previous issues have featured Anne Spalter x Nathaniel Stern, Sarah Ridgely x Christian Bok, Ivona Tau x Ana Maria Caballero, and more.
AFTER GINSBERG
in 2023, theVERSEverse debuted our ongoing collaboration with the Estate of Allen Ginsberg – the legendary Beat poet renowned for his boundary-pushing experimentation with both poetry and photography. as reported by The Guardian, Artnet, and Smithsonian Magazine, this project has broken ground with its exploration of how avant-garde technologies like AI and blockchain can empower meaningful modes of readership and understanding.