Julie Choi-Looking Outwards-02

Like the human eyes, the graphics of this artwork shows a visual harmony involving many shapes. I admire this project because building this system must have required a very technical calculation of each and every one of the pieces. Although, as a whole, it seems like a circular illusion, each shape is in certain and very specific positions to create a functioning system.

Memo Akten is an artist who mainly uses computation as his media to create projects that explore the collision between nature, science, and technology. This project, “Reducible Complexity” was designed in 2013 by Akin. He created this project to represent a visual form of reducible complexity derived from the natural world. Reducible complexity is a system that is composed of single interactive parts that are needed for a whole function. In other words, without one single element, the system will not be able to function or display. A natural and visual example of this is the human’s eyes. The mechanisms of eyes are systems that have fundamentally evolved with small incremental changes since humans naturally need both pairs for a full function.

Connor McGaffin – Looking Outwards – 02

This week I looked outwards to the work of Memo Akten. This work explores generating visuals of nature through the movement of manmade objects. The visuals generated have a paint-like quality, possibly driven by Akten’s admiration of impressionist art. Among the images seen in this video are simulations of crashing waves, flames, clouds, and plant life.

Atken describes the project as:

“a deep neural network making predictions on live camera input, trying to make sense of what it sees, in context of what it’s seen before.”

With this information, I would infer that the algorithm used in this project may be similar to those used in Photoshop’s filters and patch tool. The filters apply an aesthetic quality to the visuals while the patch tool interprets what visuals are around it in an effort to generate more of the image. From watching the video, it becomes evident that certain hues of color correlate to different textures and hues, depending on which “mode” the generative algorithm is in.

A deep neural network making predictions on live camera input, trying to make sense of what it sees, in context of what it’s seen before. It can see only what it already knows, just like us.

I feel incredibly drawn to this work because of it’s ability to make natural phenomena feel so understandable. The work draws parallels between the incredibly organic and the accessibly human. I am most excited about the experiment with the water simulation driven by manual fabric manipulation.

source

uploaded April, 2018

Alice Fang- Looking Outwards-2

“Metamorphic Drawings” by Miguel Nóbrega, days 1-6

it’s doing it is an online exhibition where artists express a set of instructions through code which then generates images daily for 45 days. With a new, unique image generated every single day, this project experiments with removing the physical viewing aspect of interactive exhibitions, instead driving the viewer to revisit the webpage over a month and a half. A new visit to the website will have a new set of images curated. I think this is an interesting solution to the problem of displaying media in galleries that are limited in the physical world, and I wish I knew about this while it was still current, to experience first hand the intrigue in visiting the site daily to see unique, but similar pieces of art.

Written instructions are given to the viewer as well, and they tend to be very poetic, and although the computer generates the image, the artist still has their own personal touch (through style and type of content). Each artist probably used algorithms with different purposes, from randomizing variables of size and generating numbers for colors (Matthias Dörfelt’s ‘Daily Donut’) to adding filters and effects from images in a database (Daniel Schwarz’s ‘Morning Routine’), to generating random handwritings (Adam Ferriss’ ‘Signed Autograph’).

Nina Yoo Section E- Looking Outwards-02

I admire how it seems to draw me into the projection even though I, myself, am behind a screen. It feels 3D despite its lack of presence in real life. The algorithm generated most likely considers the space of the projection (the room that it is in) and setting patterns within cubes of space, basically trying to explore the space within the cubes as much as possible. Then later on, expanding the cube size to the room itself and then one again shrinking down. The artist behind this program is exploring a 3D sculpture that is able to display the applicabilities of geometric shapes and a presentation(much like a movie). He demonstrates both the simplicity and the complexity of simple shapes into an art form while also experimenting with a “no sound” experience. Even though the room is quiet, the projection seems very loud making the audience experience a more 3D landscape by just focusing on the images and having blank sound in the background.

https://vimeo.com/283848376

Yousuke Fuyuma LIVe at Lacking Sound Festival 2018

Looking Outwards – 02 Min Lee

The ReCode Project is an online archive of computer-generated art that takes its content from “Computer Graphics and Art”, a magazine that published this art from 1976 to 1978. The project is a collection of works from many different generative artists, such as one work Untitled by Otto Beckman.

The work itself is very mysterious, but what’s admirable about it to me is the artist’s ability to play with empty space and dark space to reflect the distinct style of watercolor painting, a very different medium from computer generation (in 1977, no less).

Part of the beauty of the archive is that no code is shown in any way, which leaves the algorithm of each work of art up to interpretation. I am amazed at how the artist achieved the watercolor look and managed to reflect shadows, but unfortunately cannot guess at how his algorithm works. However, the artist’s skill in perhaps other mediums shines through in his work, and his skills in computer-generated art, to me, opened my eyes to a different medium.

Source: http://recodeproject.com/artwork/v2n1untitled_Beckmann_Otto_06

Shirley Chen-Looking Outwards-02

A Berlin-based photographer Polina Efremova found a unique type of datamosh glitch by accidentally running a new video player on a very old PC. As the videos play on the player, glitches come up and she captured these moments as screenshots and turned these scenes into photographs, producing a series of photographs called “Destruction”. It is interesting that this special type of photography is discovered by accident, and the moments that she captures cannot be reproduced again. The randomness and fault generated by the software configuration eventually lead to an unexpectedly, uncontrollable and unique result. Although the glitch effect can be produced artificially nowadays, I think the most valuable thing from her experience is that new type of art or new method of generating art can be found at some interesting moments in our life, and we need to learn how to find and capture them. Computer is a tool for us to process artworks, but it also can be a generator of art that lead to an unexpected result.

Photograph Produced by Polina Running New Video Player on a Old PC

Photograph Series:”Destruction”

Original Source:
https://creators.vice.com/en_us/article/zmmwk4/polina-efremova-glitched-out-photos-vintage-pc

Rachel Lee Section E Looking Outwards 02

A generative art project I find inspirational is David Wicks’ Innovation Clock. The primary reason I was drawn to this project was its potential for inspiration and further impact beyond aesthetics– the clock extracts real time data from Twitter regarding the discussion of innovative ideas to stimulate conversation and encourage people to create. At a school like CMU, I am constantly inspired by the motivations, passions and compelling projects that my peers are working on, and feel like an artefact like this clock encompasses many attributes that I admire about my classmates and would encourage me to try new things. The programmers of this creation generated an algorithm that extracted up to the minute data from Twitter, presumably posts with hashtags related to innovative ideas or fields. Wicks’ artistic sensibilities are revealed through the lively text functions (hashtags are more hierarchically important with regards to type that Twitter posts) as well as dynamic lighting that reveals a coded map of activity, which reveal his consideration of space, composition and typography, as well as drama and impact.

Innovation Clock by David Wicks, 2015.

Min Jun Kim- Looking Outwards 2

This project is called ‘Immersive: Playing with Fauna’ by Dr. WooHoo! While looking for generative art, I was immediately drawn by the person’s name. I don’t know if that is his actual legal name or his pseudo name, but I just thought that it was a great choice in a marketing standpoint. The art is very unique and innovative to say the least- It is an immersive art experience where an audience can interact with the visual fauna that is floating around. Even though it is in equilibrium when untouched for a while, it enters a dynamic dance engaged by people. I admire the fact that it is so unique yet refined and has great reaction time with minimal latency. It is difficult for interactive software to be so detailed and intricate while having little latency.
I suppose that the algorithms that are in play for this piece involve two parts, one for standard behavior when in equilibrium, and one that is called when there is a stimulus. I felt that the function that is called is very similar to mouseX and mouseY except with camera coordinates. I think that the artist’s true genius (artistic sensibilities) comes into play when he is able to convey fun and excitement into an artform.

Source Link: https://www.behance.net/gallery/44562239/Immersive-Playing-with-Fauna

Sarah Yae LookingOutwards2 Section B

“Boil Up: Realtime Feeding Frenzy” (2013) is created by Robert Hodgin. His work can be explored on:

http://roberthodgin.com/portfolio/work/boil-up/

Hodgin’s animation installation of the sea and fish pattern amazed me. Although the audience receives a single experience, there were so many procedural layers involved to create it. Hodgin had to break down his project into multiple steps, which added onto each other. For example, his first step would be the formation of bait by observing group behavior, then he would introduce the smaller predators.

The algorithm that generated the work was apparently “GPU-based” and his work was to be displayed via 4 projectors in a cylindrical room.

Hodgins’s artistic sensibilities manifested in his algorithm when he had to code the design of the fish as well as the sea, to make them look realistic.

Tuna model in “Boil Up: Realtime Feeding Frenzy

JohnLegelis – Looking Outwards – 2

Looking Outwards 02: Generative Art

MECHANICAL PLOTTER DRAWINGS MACHINE ZEN

BY LIA

Machine Zen by LIA is a generative art project that implements the precision a robotic arm, and the infinite variability a paint brush. This project beautifully combines the deterministic nature of computer generated art and the individual personality of a brushstroke to create art that looks human, a rarity amongst computer generated art. The algorithm that created this series of works likely involved a simple program that instructs the robotic arm (in this case an AxiDraw mechanical plotter) to move in a circle while slowly raising the brush upwards. Many of LIA’s works, similar to this one, are not inherently complex in their synthesis. Instead the mark of her work comes from the highly polished final product whose elegance is derived from the simplicity of the design. I believe LIA could build upon the minimal style she’s already perfected to create more complex pieces that extend beyond “proof of concept” or first-word art.

Demonstration of Mechanical Zen Created by Robotic Arm Holding Brush