Research and Theory: Week 18

This week we discussed the notion of Augmentations within Computational Art.

The piece that stood out to me the most this week was the Emissaries series by Ian Cheng. It has been described by Cheng as “a video game that plays itself,” - the works are comprised of computer-generated simulations that create self-contained ecosystems full of characters and wildlife. It consists of three scenes that are set thousands of years apart, with no definitive beginning or end. The open-ended nature of the narratives is constructed to be a commentary on the real world - It is an ongoing process, in the same way that real life is an ongoing process. It is presented as a large-scale installation, transforming the gallery into a portal-like environment containing each respective scene. The scale of the projections allows each simulation to unfold at life-size, positioning viewers as spectators who follow the lives of specific characters as they interact within the simulated worlds.

Emissaries is a trilogy of simulations about cognitive evolution, past and future, and the ecological conditions that shape it. It is composed of three interconnected episodes, each centred on the life of an emissary who is caught between unravelling old realities and emerging weird ones.

I was particularly interested when Cheng mentioned that his main inspiration behind the piece was the work of Studio Ghibli. In films such as Spirited Away and Ponyo, nature and culture are depicted with an intense level of specificity – none of the textures or characters feels repetitive. This is a detail that can be easily missed within computer animation, as it is easy to replicate and copy/paste various aspects of detail. The goal of emissaries is to make everything unique in the same way that nature is unique; Cheng also avoided depicting human habitation and architecture as it has a certain deterministic quality.

References:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO6Luilc4Bo&ab_channel=LouisianaChannel

• http://iancheng.com/

• https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/3656

• https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/whats-on/ian-cheng-emissaries/

Research and Theory: Week 17

This week we developed out research project, as well as discussing object oriented ontology within computational art.

This week I conducted an interview with Chris King, an artist and researcher working for Tate Britain. We discussed how the notion of media archaeology involves studying the culture of production around technology and how the way people make work changes over time. We also discussed the appeal of working with technology such as the oscilloscope. Chris referred to this as a ‘hybrid approach’, in the sense that you are utilising the power of digital control with the material properties of analogue technology. It provides an interesting dialogue, making you consider processes that you may not have attempted before within the confines of a standard screen. It also has a certain level of material quality that is lost when you are working with modern, digital technology.

He also introduced me to ‘The ReCode Project’. This is a community-driven effort to preserve computer art by translating it into a modern programming language (Processing). The intention is to bring pioneering works of computational art back into circulation and offer a learning resource to contemporary practitioners and educators. It is an interesting example of how media archaeology can be used to provide relevance to influential work from the past that may have been forgotten.

Another piece of technology that will be useful to look at in my project is the Rutt Etra synthesizer, an analogue synthesizer used by video artists, as well as for creating television graphics. It allowed for the manipulation of raster images by drawing over them with vectors line, enabling the user to manipulate it with analogue controllers. An influential artist that was known for using this technology was the artist Gary Hill:

One of the videos we were instructed to watch this week was ‘Personalities Without People’ by Katherine Behar.

In the video, Behar discusses the study of psychometrics through the use of clickbait and fake news on Social Media platforms. One of the main examples she refers to is the work of the British political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica. They worked in support of right-wing political movements, for example the Trump presidential campaign. The would use tools to build psychological profiles of American citizens through personality quizzes, collecting over 5000 data points for every American. This was used to help identify potential Trump voters, as explained in this article by Issie Lapowsky:

The Cambridge staff helped the campaign identify which voters in the RNC’s data file were most likely to be persuadable, meaning they were undecided but looked likely to swing toward Trump. They also created lists of voters who were most likely to become donors. In August 2016, a Trump aide told me Cambridge was critical to helping the campaign raise $80 million in the prior month, after a primary race that had been largely self-funded by Trump.

References

• http://recodeproject.com/

• https://www.wired.com/story/what-did-cambridge-analytica-really-do-for-trumps-campaign/

• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/01/cambridge-analytica-big-data-facebook-trump-voters

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74sczPGxARg&ab_channel=KarenEliot

• https://vimeo.com/111239047

Research and Theory: Week 16

This week we discussed the notion of witnessing within computational art, as well as further developments of our research projects.

As well as the developments in computer graphics from the SAGE system that I studied last week, I am also interested in looking at the work of John Whitney, an animator and inventor often regarded as a pioneer of motion graphics. He made use of mechanical products that he located from army depots, such as anti-aircraft computers dating back to WW2. They were repurposed by Whitney to create animations, such as the 1966 piece ‘Lapis’. This consisted of a series of small dots that would continuously repeat and create mandala forms.

Whitney, along with other technologists, also made frequent use of the oscilloscope, which served as the primary device for real-time visual computer outputs in the 60’s and 70’s. In one of my other modules from last term, I created a project using the oscilloscope, displaying interactive animations inspired by Whitney:

I am interested in artists that reference media archaeology, using modern technology to replicate old technology, creating work that is originally inspired by the latter. Some modern artists that work within this field that I intend to discuss within my research are Robert Henke, Robin Fox and Ted Davis.

In regards to the topics covered in the week’s discussion, the piece that stood out to me the most was ‘Dronestagram’ by James Bridle. The piece is an ongoing project where the artist collects information about drone attacks that are carried out in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. By gathering information from a number of different resources, Bridle is able to calculate the locations of these attacks, posting aerial photos using Google Maps.

The piece stood out to me as I have always been opposed to the use of drone warfare on the grounds that it creates an emotional disconnect from the horrors of war. I believe the intention of the piece is intended to be a commentary on this - by posting images of these specific locations, Bridle highlights the human loss as a result of Drone technology. This is reflected in the following extract from his website:

These are the names of places. They are towns, villages, junctions and roads. They are the names of places where people live and work, where there are families and schools. They are the names of places in Afghanistan and Yemen, which are linked by one thing: they have each been the location of drone strikes in the past couple of months.

References

• http://booktwo.org/notebook/dronestagram-drones-eye-view/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzniaKxMr2g&ab_channel=Chapad%C3%A3odoFormoso

Research and Theory: Week 15

This week saw me develop my research topic, alongside a guest lecture about Critical Worlding.

This week I conducted an interview with Derek Holzer. We discussed the various research topics he has conducted, as well as the themes regarding my project. One example would be his research into the history of the vocoder and how its original use was as a voice scrambling device in World War 2. He mentioned that military and telecommunications are the driving force behind information technology – the majority of the time artists merely provide a commentary. An example of this was the first example of computers and how they were designed for military use. They were used for several purposes, such as calculating the trajectory of ballistic missiles by determining the force and angle in which they need to be fired in order to accurately hit a target. This same principle can be applied to vector graphics, as it involves calculations of its current location, the angle in which it is headed and its magnitude. Another example Holzer mentioned was how one of the first computers were designed to provide the calculations necessary for creating the atomic bomb.

I also conducted research into the themes framing my project, in particular the text ‘What is Media Archaeology’ by Jussi Parikka. Parikka mentions how the process of media archaeology forms a counterpoint to the narrative in media history. It critiques the idea that current technology is the best by highlighting failed, imaginary or suppressed projects. This relates in a sense as to why people such as myself are interested in obsolete technology such as the CRT and the oscilloscope, and how it operates in a different paradigm to what we are used to. We are used to screens operating in pixels – an interesting element of early vector graphics is that it can be created with audio, displaying a visual output through beams of light rather than a predetermined grid of squares.

This week also saw us take part in a guest lecture with the artist and researcher Rachel Falconer, discussing the topic of ‘Critical Worlding’ and its relation to virtual reality. One of the major questions posed by Falconer in the lecture was:

·         How do you create a sense of presence within a world? Is it necessitated by the fidelity of visual realism – or is it more about a feeling of “being there”?

The feeling of presence within a world for me is the interaction you have within the world and the sense of freedom you believe you have available. This is something that can be displayed quite effectively if you were to compare the video games Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. They are both similar in the sense that they are open world games that strive for immersion, however I feel that Breath of The Wild succeeds in this significantly more than the former. This is due to the level of interaction and the freedom available to the user. Despite the level of visual realism in Red Dead Redemption 2, I feel it fails to truly be immersive, as it consistently attempts to control how you interact with the world and the missions in its storyline. I feel that by comparing these examples it becomes clear that you don’t necessarily need a photorealistic render in order for it to have an effective sense of presence.

References

https://howtowreckanicebeach.com/

https://mediaarchaeologyreconfigured.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/parikka-cartographies-media.pdf

Research and Theory: Week 14

This week we discussed the nature of touch within computational art.

One of the texts we were assigned to read this week was ‘Archaeologies of Touch’ by David Parisi. I found it an interesting read, particularly as it covers similar themes to my research topic in terms of media archaeology. The focus of the text is on the history of virtual reality and how developers have been attempting to introduce tactile feedback into the technology. It goes into detail about a talk Ivan Sutherland gave in the 1960’s, explaining how computers in the future would have an immersive display that would present information to as many senses as possible. This vision formed the basis of virtual reality, a point that was addressed at the launch of the Oculus Rift. This reminds me of an idea raised in the lecture by Derek Holzer that I analysed last week – how advancements in technology have been defined by radical, utopian visions of the future. Holzer mentioned a specific example from the 1920’s, where a German artist predicted a future where people would talk to each other via portable radios, predicting mobile phone technology.  

Another work was Touching Reality by Thomas Hirschorn. It consists of footage of an unknown person flicking through disturbing, graphic images of war and violence on an ipad. It addresses the contemporary means in which we interact with images; it is partly a commentary on how the notion of touch affects how we consume media, as well as how technology has led us to become desensitised to violence and disturbing content. This is exemplified in the way the hand toggles through the images; the content is extremely graphic and shocking, however the viewer swipes through them with apparent calm, zooming in on certain elements before moving on.

Disclaimer: Disturbing Content

References

• https://textundblog.de/?p=5227

• https://vimeo.com/184926876

• https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/archaeologies-of-touch

Creative Coding: Further Experiments With Computer Vision

Creative Coding: Experiments With Computer Vision

Research and Theory: Week 13

This week saw the development of my research project, as well as a discussion on the topic of sensing practises.

This week I conducted further research in order to develop my chosen topic. I came across the website and youtube channel for Vector Hack, a festival dedicated to the discussion of vector and video art. It contained an interesting lecture from Derek Holzer, an artist and researcher. The talk discussed his interests in media archaeology and technoscience, talking specifically about the origins of vector graphics and computer animation. Holzer mentioned that the first examples of vector graphics can be traced back to the IBM SAGE Computer, used by the American government during the Cold War:

I find it interesting that the first examples of this technology have its origins in military use. After some further research and a conversation with Mattia, I learned that this is quite common - a significant amount of modern technology originated in the developments of World War 2. I find this thought quite dystopian in a way; this is reinforced through the use of language in the aforementioned video, particularly in the slogan “freeing man’s mind to shape the future”.

The lecture also introduced me to the theme of media archaeology, which refers to the study of new, emerging media through an examination of the past. Part of the field involves the study of what could have happened if technology had been implemented differently - this is discussed by Holzer, using an example of if television sets had been designed to be round instead of square, and the implication this could have had in terms of how we consume media. This also involves the study of how devices such as the oscilloscope and the CRT screen have changed culturally over the years. When they were used by the likes of Nam June Paik to create video art they were new in their conception - Paik used the television as a means to address technology that was directly affecting our lives. This same technology would of course have a very different cultural reaction if it were to be used today. These points have given me a lot to think about in terms of how I can develop my research project.

In terms of the weekly discussions, the text that stood out the most for me was ‘The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction’ by Ursula K. Le Guin. It discusses how the carrier bag has been intrinsic in the survival of the human race, of equal importance as tools such as the club or spear. With the bag, early humans could carry more than can be held in the hand, gathering more food for later. The intention is to shift the way we look at the foundation of humanity from associations of violence to one of gathering, holding, and sharing - ‘A leaf, a gourd, a shell, a net, a bag, a sling, a sack, a bottle, a pot, a box, a container. A holder. A recipient.’ (Le Guin, 1996) Mammoth hunters might be synonymous with the traditional image of the early human, but in reality it was the gatherers of nuts and berries who provided most of the food consumed in prehistoric times. This is the essence of the carrier bag theory; the intention is to redefine developments in technology through the notion of a carrier bag, rather than through a weapon of domination. An example of this is provided by Le Guin in relation to the book:

A book holds words. Words hold things. They bear meanings. A novel is a medicine bundle, holding things in a particular, powerful relation to one another and to us.

References:

• https://ignota.org/products/the-carrier-bag-theory-of-fiction

• https://vectorhackfestival.com/2020/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCCL4INQcFo&ab_channel=chiklit

• http://macumbista.net/

Research and Theory: Week 12

This week saw us cover the topic of Computational Art and Critical Practise.

One of the texts we were required to read was titled ‘Disobedient Electronics’ by Garnet Hertz. Created shortly after the US election in 2016, the zine is a catalogue of projects that are politically charged and confrontational, using electronics as a way of conveying their message. Topics covered include climate change, the gender wage gap and government surveillance. I originally came across this piece while studying on my BA - I was introduced to it by one of my tutors as I was interested in experimenting with electronics, particularly a technique referred to as ‘circuit bending’.

This involves deliberately tampering with the circuit of electronic hardware so that it short-circuits and glitches. It can be implemented in a number of different ways - it can be used to create a visual output that is often psychedelic in nature, or for the creation of sound if the user were to experiment with a musical instrument for example. The appeal of the technique for me was in the chance behind it - Each experiment produces a different result, allowing the user to create work that can potentially not be replicated. Due to its experimental nature, it has often been used to create work that is politically charged and anti-authoritarian, similar to the work displayed in Disobedient Electronics.

An example of this can be seen in some early examples of video art, particularly the work of David Hall and Nam June Paik. These artists purposefully incorporated glitches and faults within their work in an attempt to “raise questions about technology as a successful artistic medium, but also its role in relation to the human condition and nature” (McAndrew, 2009). Paik in particular was famous for exploring the use of chance within his work for political commentary. He was a firm believer in re-appropriating the television as an artistic statement, famously proclaiming: “TV has attacked us all our lives; now we’re hitting back”. (Lawson, 2001, p356).

One example of this would be the piece ‘Nixon’ (Dewar, 2013), where he attached magnets to television screens playing various footage of Richard Nixon throughout his presidency. “The result of the setup is a visually and aurally disrupted sequence of footage that simultaneously animates and undermines the words of the politician.” (Dewar, 2013). You focus primarily on the image that is being distorted on the screen, ignoring the intended message Nixon is trying to convey.

A similar concept was explored with David Hall’s piece ‘this is a television receiver’ (McAndrew, 2009). Hall had the newsreader Richard Baker read out text to the camera starting with the line “This is a television Receiver, which is a box”. He re-filmed this footage repeatedly, each time adding layers of distortion to the video. Baker at the time was a household name, associated with truth and order; by distorting the video, Hall created a feeling of unpredictability, undermining his image. Hall recalled the effect of this piece:

“My mother was absolutely distraught when she saw that piece, because she believed in Richard Baker. He was, and had been, the principal news reader. The one Person for whom you could suspend all disbelief was the person reading the news. Someone well-loved and seen for so long. Then when his image began to disintegrate and he started to be critical in a sense, of television indirectly, through what he was saying, that whole deconstruction, floored her whole belief.” (McAndrew, 2009)

By deliberately exploiting the faults within technology, Paik and Hall raised questions about communication tools that had become an integral part of people’s lives, as well as undermining images commonly associated with authority.

The topics explored in this weeks lecture have given me a lot to think about in regards to my research project. I have an interest in the history of computer animation and moving image, however it needs to have more of a purpose than simply studying work that has already been discussed. If I explore more examples that are politically charged akin to the work in Disobedient Electronics, it may open some potentially new interesting lines of enquiry.

Reference

• https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/paik-nixon-t14339

• http://stormbugblog.blogspot.com/2005/11/war-on-television.html

• Susannah Lawson, 2001. The 20th Century Art Book. Phaidon

• McAndrew, J., 2009. DESTRUCTURAL VIDEO.

• http://www.disobedientelectronics.com/

Research And Theory: Week 11

This week was the first session of term 2, in which we discussed the notion of material semiotics.

At this current moment in time I am still debating what subject I intend to cover. I am interested in the history of computer animation and moving image, particularly the origins and history of vector graphics. In another module I have been producing experiments in Processing inspired by the work of John Whitney, an animator and inventor often regarded as the founder of computer graphics. A lot of his work was created using an oscilloscope, a device intended for viewing changes in voltage by displaying sine waves. Animations could be created on this device by adapting and modulating electronic waveforms. This process was used to create some of the first instances of computer animation and video games.

Another example of work created on an oscilloscope is the series ‘Electronic Abstraction’ by Ben F Lapowsky:

I am interested in looking at these early instances of computer animation and studying how the field has developed over time. I am also interested in researching innovations that are currently being made to develop this field. At the moment I am undecided where to take this idea - I am interested in the subject area, however I feel that in order for it to be an interesting research topic it should connect to a theory or relate to a contemporary theme. After a conversation with Mattia I decided to continue researching, as he suggested that a potential question could arise from studying the past.

This week we also discussed the theme of Material Semiotics and Writing Methodologies. We discussed different ways of approaching a concept and research, looking at this through a lens in order to form the structure of our final project. One of the topics addressed in the lecture was the idea of replacing facts with questions; this was also addressed in one of the example texts on discussing Material Semiotics. The subject of Computational Art is driven predominately by data - it is important to consider how we prepare it, and what data do we decide to keep or drop. We also discussed how an object or technology acquires meaning after a series of parameters have been put in place - an example of this can be seen with social media and digital technology, such as smartphones and wireless internet. In this instance, the technology only makes sense within a specific set of relationships between the user and the technology. This has also been a key element of politics over the last few years, particularly during the 2016 US election and the Trump administration.

Bibliography

• http://dada.compart-bremen.de/item/artwork/215

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIv-EcX9tUs&ab_channel=leuchtspurmedien

Research and Theory: Week 9

This week saw further development of our research project.

This experiment was another development in creating objects from the data of a 2d image. The picture in question was an aerial shot taken from Google Maps, gathered by the programmer Paul Bourke. It is part of a wider series displaying how fractals can be seen across different landscapes. I was inspired by a piece from ‘Form + Code’ that generates 3d explosions by displacing the brightness of each pixel on its z axis. By displaying it in 3 dimensions, the viewer can view the form of the image from multiple angles, interpreting its data from different perspectives.

If I had further time develop this project and access to a workshop, I would have like to experiment with creating physical objects from this data, using techniques such as 3D printing and CNC routing. This is a process commonly used within architecture for creating forms using topographical data, an example of which can be seen below. This from was fabricated from routing topographical data of the Grand Canyon into a block of wood.

This allows the observer to the view the form of a previously flat image from multiple angles. The creation of physical forms also allows the creator to give different meanings to the intention of the original data. An example of this would be if the creator were to build a table out of the routed wood - this gives it an audience, a function, and a distinctly different purpose to the original image, which was to display a natural form using data from Google Maps.

The experimentations we conducted for our project made me reflect on my time at the Arts University Bournemouth, where I was interested in combing craft and computation to create physical objects. An example of this can be seen below, where I created a generative pattern in processing that I subsequently used as the basis for a lino print. What interests me about processes like this is that it allows for a level of chance and unpredictability to be implemented within physical objects. This can also be seen in the precedents I listed in previous blog posts, from example ‘Fractal Dice’ and ‘Resolution Wall’.

Bibliography

• precisionpeaks.com/classics-2015/grand-canyon-south-and-north-rims

• http://paulbourke.net/fractals/

Lost Moments: Further Developments in Projection Mapping

My initial experiments with projection mapping elicited some interesting responses, however now I felt it was time to try something on a larger scale. I started by gathering white boxes of various sizes that I pieced together in my garden.

The next step was to figure out what content to map onto the boxes. Following on from a video call with Holly Norcop, I felt it would be a good idea to produce another experiment linking back to Stokes heritage. Holly gave me the idea of using the patterns commonly seen on pottery, for example Wedgewood Blue China.

Once I had set up Resolume to accurately map onto the boxes, it was time to experiment with different effects. Below are some examples of my experimentation - I took the china patterns and applied various types of displacement to give it movement. I have also included a montage of some experiments using kaleidoscope and glitch effects.

Lost Moments: Initial Experimentation

After my initial experiments I was keen to explore projection mapping further, creating an experiment specifically related to Stoke. I started by contacting Ray Johnson from the Staffordshire Film Archive; he provided me with a great montage of footage taken from Stoke during the 1950’s. I was particularly interested in the shots of Stokes pottery factories and canal systems; it reminded me of the survey response describing how the writer missed walking along the canal at the start of the lockdown. I decided to make an initial experiment in response to this by projecting the footage onto a vase created out of paper, providing a nod to Stokes heritage:

I began by designing a low-poly vase in Cinema 4D.

I then brought this 3d file into Pepakura, a programme used to create origami and papercraft. This converted my file into a net that I was able to print off.

Once I had printed off and cut out each face, it was a case of glueing them together and spray-painting to provide a smooth finish.

Once the paint had dried, I brought the footage into Resolume and distorted it to fit onto the shape of the vase. I will elaborate on this process in a subsequent blog.

Lost Moments: An Art Project In Response To The Lockdown

Pleased to announce that I have started a residency with Festival Stoke as part of their Stoke Echoes programme !

I am interested in exploring moments and experiences that have been lost due to isolation and social distancing, bringing them to life using the tools available to me within the confines of my room. My initial idea was to create a series of experiments with projection mapping, based off responses from the public. Below is an initial mock-up I created in support of my application:

I started by conducting a survey with residents from Staffordshire, asking the following questions:

1. What experiences have you missed due to the Covid-19 pandemic?

2. When you think about what you have missed, what locations come to mind?

I received a lot of interesting responses, a few of which I have listed below:

“I miss live music and dancing with my friends.”

“I missed my sons’s wedding and seeing my baby granddaughter. ”

“In the early days of lockdown I was too anxious to go for my walks so I missed the fresh air and wildlife. ”

I related to these responses in particular as they reminded me of my own experiences with the lockdown. One of the main ways I am able to relax and stay positive is when I am amongst nature; this was made made a lot more difficult at the start of the lockdown as I became very hesitant to leave the house. I also believe that the feeling of missing experiences with friends and family is something that can be widely shared with the rest of the country.

I began thinking about different ways I could create pieces in response to these themes, becoming particularly interested in projection mapping and the way this process is able to add new meaning to static objects and locations; I felt like this could provide an effective avenue to explore the themes of my project. I produced some initial tests using Resolume, a program intended for producing projection mapping and visuals for live music. I mapped animations onto a series of objects that I constructed out of paper; I will explain this process in a subsequent blog post. You can see some examples of my experiments below:

Physical Computing: Creating an MVP

This week I created a meaningful viable product for one of the final projects of this term.

I was interested in experimenting with ‘Peppers Ghost’, a hologram effect that dates back to the Victorian Era. I set up a potentiometer that controlled a simple animation changing the length and direction of a line - once I had mirrored this 4 times I placed it underneath a prism that created the illusion of 3D movement. I was happy with the outcome of this test, particularly how the hologram was a direct result of the users input.

Research and Theory: Week 7

This week saw the development of our research project.

During a conversation with Mattia, we decided it would be best to complete the artefacts and base our writing in response to our findings. I started by experimenting with generating 3D shapes in Processing - I was interested in creating them with code, using techniques such as 3D printing to turn them into real, tangible objects. I started by producing some super-shapes inspired by the work of Daniel Shifman:

The shape and segments of the object were influenced by the movements of my mouse. I did some research into how I could export this into an STL file that would allow to print it on a 3D printer, however due to complications surrounding COVID-19 I was unable to use the labs at university. Due to this setback, myself and Chris decided that our artefact would exist solely online as an interactive website.

I started to consider other 3d objects I could create using code. After producing some experiments with image filters in Processing, I became interested in generating 3D objects from the pixel values of an image. I started by creating an experiment using the cover of one of my favourite albums - Pink Floyd’s Animals. I have always loved the colour palette of this photograph and I thought it would provide a good starting point for extracting colours. I mapped the brightness of each pixel to the z axis of cubes within a for loop, increasing with the movements of my mouse. As I moved my mouse to the right it produced the explosion that you can view below.

This is a similar process from an example that can be found in the book ‘Form and Code in Art, Architecture and Design’. This design is taken from a black and white image of an iceberg. The grey value of each pixel is displaced along the z-axis, creating a 3D surface that can be viewed from multiple angles.

Another piece I came across recently that was relevant to our research was “Fractal Dice” by Keith Tyson. This sculpture was intended as an exploration as to how decision-making in the creative process can be surrendered to and achieved by chance. The work is the result of an algorithm sent to the gallery’s production team; they were instructed to follow a sequence of instructions to calculate and determine the size, shape, and colour of each sculpture, fabricating the outcome.

After having a discussion with Chris, we decided that were both interested in producing further experimentation with the pixel values of images, using this information to generate 3D objects that will form our final artefact.

Bibliography

http://formandcode.com/code-examples/transform-landscape#

http://futuremodern.blogspot.com/2008/09/keith-tyson-fractal-dice.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbX3RnlAyGU&vl=en&ab_channel=TheCodingTrain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akM4wMZIBWg&t=422s&ab_channel=TheCodingTrain

Research and Theory: Week 6

This week we covered the topic of nature and ecologies, as well as working on the concept for our final research project of the term.

For our research topic we were tasked to form groups and pick a theme. I decided to work with a student that has a similar background to me; before starting the course we both worked in Graphic Design, even studying the same BA at the Arts University Bournemouth. We were both interested in researching how generative design can be merged with methods of traditional craft, such as the letterpress, sculpture and the construction of buildings. In regards to an artefact, we are interested in using rules and algorithms generated from computational tools and exploring how this can be realised through techniques such as 3D printing, CNC milling or laser cutting.

I was particularly interested in architecture and how the forms we generate could influence the design of a building. This is similar in a way to the work of Frank Gehry, an architect that takes influence from the forms of everyday objects such as tin cans or crunched up bits of paper, as well as quick sketches:

“I know I draw without taking my pen off the page. I just keep going, and that my drawings I think of them as scribbles. I don’t think they mean anything to anybody except to me, and then at the end of the day, the end of the project they wheel out these little drawings and they’re damn close to what the finished building is and it’s the drawing”

I find Gehry’s methods interesting, as it is a lot looser than what you would commonly assume an architects process to be. I feel like his work could be a useful starting point for this project, as we have to come up with concepts in a limited time frame. I also found an interesting book at Goldsmiths library titled ‘Generative Design, Form and Technique’ by Asterios Agkathidis. A course leader at the Liverpool School of Architecture, he teaches his students to use computational tools to create 3D objects, considering how they could be used to influence the form of a building.

I also discovered another book titled ‘Form and Code in Design, Art and Architecture’. It gives an overview of digital art and computation throughout history, looking at a variety of disciplines in which it has had an influence. I was particularly interested in the piece ‘Resolution Wall’ by ‘Gramazio & Kohler’:

This piece was created with a variety of concrete blocks at different sizes, pieced together with robotic arms. The use of large blocks accelerates the building of the wall but reduces its resolution, affecting the level of detailing. Small modules are placed where a high density of information is desired, while areas with low information can be built quickly and efficiently with larger blocks.

Another topic explored this week was around the theme of Nature and Ecology. One of the podcasts I was tasked to read was interesting as it covered topics such as how VR and AR can be used to imagine new realities. It includes an interview with Jakob Kudsk Steensen, an artist that uses virtual reality to create environmental storytelling about natural phenomenon. I find it interesting how Steensen use this technology to provide a connection with natural environments - he explains in the podcast that this is achieved from a ‘sensory vacuum’ that occurs when someone puts on a VR headset. An example can be seen in the piece tree VR, in which Steensen uses VR technology to replicate an area of the Peruvian Rainforest that is suffering from de-forestation:

Bibliography:

• jakobsteensen.com/about

• https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/art-and-ideas/back-to-earth-systems-and-sprouts/

• https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Generative-Design-Methods-Implementing-Techniques-Agkathidis/e89c273d26e9a8b4577c707741b019b88d962295/figure/4

• https://gramaziokohler.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/lehre/131.html

• https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1068402

• https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/architecture/staff/asterios-agkathidis/publications/

• formandcode.com

Generative Experiments with Random Walk

Experimentation with Perlin Noise in Processing

This week I produced a series of randomly generated patterns, inspired by the work of Manfred Mohr.

Audio Reactive Experiments in Processing