Looking Outwards 03

I really enjoyed the computational art of Andy Lomas which was referenced in Prof. Levin’s article. The logic governing his algorithm was very well described, providing a useful insight into the methods of generative art. Lomas’s patterns are created by simulating a series of virtual cells which accumulate “nutrients” based on various factors, allowing them to multiply. He notes that many of the simulations were accidentally reminiscent of various forms of life, often based on intuitive factors (such as the directional growth of plant-like simulations). While this was touted as demonstrating the capability of algorithms to approximate organisms, I found it to be a reminder that life itself is merely algorithmic.