Brian Eno Creates 77 Million Paintings For Your Computer

Brian Eno — an early member of Roxy Music, the godfather of ambient music and the producer of U2's biggest records — isn't resting on his musical laurels.

Eno's latest project, 77 Million Paintings, is a combination DVD/software package that will be released on Sept. 26 by All Saints/Hannibal/Ryko. It features an exclusive interview DVD and a generative software disc playable on Mac or PC that comes in limited-edition deluxe numbered packaging that includes a 52-page hard-bound, fully illustrated book with an extensive essay by Eno on his career as a visual artist.

The 77 Million Paintings software disc uses the screens of computers or televisions to create a constantly evolving painting. The painting is spawned from hand-made slides that are randomly combined by the computer using software that also processes the music that accompanies it. The software arbitrarily chooses the selection of sounds and images, as well as their duration, which allows for a virtually infinite number of variations.

Eno's visual work has been exhibited in galleries around the world, and installations of 77 Million Paintings will be featured in both Venice and Milan, Italy later this year. Plans for American gallery showings of it are in the works.