Shirley Chen-Looking Outwards-02 – [OLD FALL 2018] 15-104 • Introduction to Computing for Creative Practice

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