Monica Chang – Looking Outwards – 06

There’s always a fear that the use of random data can imply that the creator has no sense of intentionality or ability to make a decision. However, designers have been able to develop a way that randomness becomes more of a generative tool that helps overcome the limits of the artists’ imaginations than an arbitrary statement.

Aaron Tobey, the creator of the project below, agrees with this idea as he specifically states that integrating randomness in design does not “eliminate” the artist, but rather “displaces” the artist in the process of the creation. With this project, Tobey was required to create a pseudo random number generator using the “register and tap” method to also create a design. He was also required to consider the idea of “working” as a set of logical operations rather than watching what the generator comes up with. Furthermore, he creates a frame-by-frame animation with this collection of randomized, data-driven imagery.

The amount of thought and registration that was required for this project is what intrigued and satisfied me the most. Integrating randomness within art or a design was something that was always tricky in the notion of producing an elaborate creation. Many believe that when a creator utilizes randomness in their artwork, they either lack in depth or purpose and is nothing but made of surface. However, with this project, it helps build a visual piece of evidence that even randomness can open the creator’s option of forming a design that can be composed within the artist’s visual field.