Michaël Zancan

Michaël Zancan was born in 1973 in Agen, France. He began coding at the age of 8, after receiving a Thomson TO7 computer. Although he drew inspiration from classical painting, especially figurative and portrait work, he chose not to pursue formal art education, as schools at the time focused primarily on conceptual art. Instead, he studied engineering with a specialization in electronics and spent a year working as an engineer at Texas Instruments in Dallas. In the 2000s, Zancan co-founded the generative design studio 2Roqs with Julien Gachadoat, where they produced interactive installations and audiovisual projects across France.

Zancan’s work focuses on generative art that uses algorithms and technology to explore the relationship between nature, time, and transformation. He combines programming, robotics, and traditional painting techniques to create images inspired by organic forms and natural cycles. His practice examines how digital systems can mimic or reinterpret elements like leaves, flowers, and charcoal textures, while highlighting impermanence and change. His pieces usually work within carefully selected color palettes drawn from natural materials and cultural history, anchoring his digital experiments in a tangible sense of place and tradition. This approach comes through in works like Charcoal Seeds, where charcoal brush strokes, AI, and robotics are used together to reflect the enduring qualities of natural materials. In Kumono Shingou, he draws on Japanese poetry and cultural history to generate images that evoke resilience in the face of change. In Garden, Monoliths and The Lushtemples, Zancan explores natural shapes through mathematical equations and code, continuing his investigation of organic forms and their connection to time. His ongoing exploration of grey tones uses subtle shifts in shade and form to suggest the cycles of life and the passage of time, inviting viewers to consider the quiet, often overlooked details of the natural world.

His work has been exhibited widely across international venues and digital platforms. His solo shows include Tree_Line at Bitforms Gallery in New York City and Sheltered Landscapes at Rifugio Digitale in Florence. He has participated in major art fairs and events such as Art Basel Paris, NFT Now’s The Gateway in Miami and Seoul, and Bright Moments in Tokyo and Venice. In addition to exhibitions, Zancan has been invited to speak at gatherings like the Generative Art Summit in Berlin and Tezos Mondays in London, reflecting his active role in the digital art community. His projects have also featured in pop-up exhibitions, residencies, and open edition releases across Europe, the US, and Asia.