The artist that I wanted to research this week was Claudia Hart. Hart attended NYU and was an early adopter of virtual imaging, using 3D animation to make media installations and projections. She creates work that discusses digital technology and critiques media through a feminist lens. One project in particular that I found interesting is titled “Alice XR: A Machine For Thinking”. This work is a room installation that consists of projections and is accessed using a VR headset. One thing I find particularly interesting is that this room is a room for thinking, repose, and contemplation. Often with these works, artists want to create an experience for users that is interesting and unique, but with this work, she wants to create an experience that allows people to contemplate their life. The combination of motion, music, and visuals in this virtual space merges to create a very visceral experience. In terms of design, I think that the use of color and imagery that Hart created is very beautiful because of how bright and vivid it is.
I started off by playing with different shapes and ways to depict the image. Here are some of the variations I tried.
cross hatching
large circles
star shapes made of circles, controlled by mouse location
squares made of circles, with black shadows
The variation I chose drew the image with randomly bouncing particles. When pressing a key, the color of the particles would be rainbow. When pressing the mouse, larger, black particles moved around the page to act as “erasers”.
//Alana Wu
//ID: alanawu
//Project 09
var img;
var balls = [];
var ballNum = 15;
function preload()
{
img = loadImage ("https://i.imgur.com/2U02mf4.jpg");
}
function makeBall (ax, ay, adx, ady)
{
var a = {
x: ax,
y: ay,
dx: adx,
dy: ady,
dirX: 1,
dirY: -1,
stepFunction: moveBall,
drawFunction: drawBall
}
return a;
}
function moveBall ()
{
//bounce off of walls
if (this.x >= 338 || this.x <= 0)
{
this.dirX *= -1;
}
if (this.y >= 400 || this.y <=0)
{
this.dirY *= -1;
}
this.x += this.dx*this.dirX + random(-3, 3);
this.y += this.dy*this.dirY + random(-3, 3);
}
function drawBall ()
{
//color of ball = pixel from image in that location
var col = img.get(this.x, this.y);
fill (col);
//when key is pressed, taste the rainbow :)
if (keyIsPressed)
{
fill (random(255), random(255), random(255));
}
//draws balls
circle (this.x, this.y, 5, 5);
//when mouse is pressed, black jittery particles that act as erasers
if (mouseIsPressed)
{
fill (0);
circle (this.x + random(40), this.y + random(40), 20);
}
}
function setup()
{
createCanvas(338, 400);
background(0);
noStroke();
//fits image to canvas size
img.resize(width, height);
//makes objects for each ball
for (var i = 0; i < ballNum; i++)
{
a = makeBall (0,0, random(5), random(5));
balls.push(a);
}
}
function draw()
{
for (var i = 0; i < balls.length; i++)
{
balls[i].drawFunction();
balls[i].stepFunction();
}
}
//other shapes and ideas I played with, but didn't use
function ripple2 (size)
{
for (var x = 0; x < size; x+=5)
{
for (var y = 0; y < size; y+=5)
{
fill (0);
circle (mouseX + x + 8, mouseY + y + 8, 5);
circle(mouseX - x + 8, mouseY - y + 8, 5);
}
}
for (var x = 0; x < size; x+=5)
{
for (var y = 0; y < size; y+=5)
{
var col = img.get(mouseX + x,mouseY +y);
fill(col);
circle (mouseX + x, mouseY + y, 5);
var col2 = img.get(mouseX - x, mouseY - y);
fill (col2);
circle(mouseX - x, mouseY - y, 5);
}
}
}
function shape1 (x, y, dx, dy) //diagonal lines
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; y += dy)
{
for (var x = 0; x < width; x += dx)
{
var col = img.get(x, y);
strokeWeight (mouseX/100);
stroke (col);
line (x, y, x + dx, y + dy);
}
}
}
function shape2 (x, y, size) //circles, animated if w/ random
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; y += size)
{
for (var x = 0; x < width; x += size)
{
var col = img.get(x, y);
fill(col);
circle (x, y, size);
}
}
}
function shape3 (x, y, w, h) //moving ellipse in a ripple effect
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; y += h)
{
for (var x = 0; x < width; x += 15)
{
var col = img.get(x, y);
fill(col);
ellipse (x, y, random(35), h);
}
}
}
function shape4 (x, y, size) //triangles that slowly get bigger along the diagonal
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; y += size/3)
{
for (var x = 0; x < width; x += size)
{
var col = img.get(x, y);
fill(col);
triangle (x, y, x + size, y + size, x - size, y + size);
}
size += size/10;
}
}
function ripple ()
{
var x = 0;
var y = 0;
var r = 5;
push();
for (var j = 0; j < count; j++)
{
for (var i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
x = r*cos(radians(i*200));
y = r*sin(radians(i*200));
var col = img.get(mouseX + x, mouseY + y);
fill (col);
circle (mouseX + x, mouseY + y, 5, 5);
}
r += 5;
}
pop();
}
function drawIt () //uncovers image w/ mouse location
{
var col = img.get(mouseX, mouseY);
fill (col);
circle (mouseX, mouseY, 15, 15);
}
Out of all the women artists in the list that was provided, the one the caught my attention the most was Milica Zec and her work in VR filmmaking. I watched some of her work and was hypnotized by the beautiful shots and imagery that she created in her work. I was fascinated by her work because I had never thought that VR could extend its way into the film industry. I have a VR setup at home, and I feel like the future of video games and media is flowing in the direction of Virtual reality, so to see Zec’s interesting work with VR film makes me excited to see where the future of VR will take us.
When we talk about technology or computer science, and specifically about games or software developers, many always imagine them to be men. It is true since only 20% of computer science professionals are women thus it is understandable that many may assume that some specific developer will be a man and not a woman.
For this Looking Outwards writing assignment I chose an incredible woman, a woman thanks to whom this class of 15-104 even exists. It is Lauren Lee McCarthy, lead developer of p5.js! The project that obviously fascinates me is the development of p5.js but for this week’s I chose a McCarthy’s project called “I’m Glad You Asked”. “Commissioned for the NRW Forum AR Biennale in Düsseldorf, “I’m glad you asked” spreads over the museum grounds, augmenting the social landscape of the park.” I admire this project because it was created with an intention to bring people together, to create new acquaintances, friendships, relationships. On the museum grounds there were multiple benches that were virtually labeled with many different phrases that would pop up on your phone screen after scanning the bench. Some of these phrases were: “This bench is reserved for people who are feeling overwhelmed”, “This bench is reserved for people who have a lot of questions”, “This bench is reserved for people who are missing someone”, “This bench is reserved for someone who enjoys quiet”. People who identified themselves with some specific phrases would sit on the bench and another person could come up and ask them something like: “Hi, excuse me but do you also miss someone?” or “Are you also feeling overwhelmed”. It’s always easier to talk to strangers about your problems since their opinion about you won’t be biased and will most likely be true. The aspect of this project that I admire is the fact that such small talks could grow into big friendships and maybe even potential romantic relationships. If two people have something in common then this spontaneous conversation will start on its own.
Lauren Lee McCarthy (she/they) is an artist examining social relationships in the midst of surveillance, automation, and algorithmic living. Lauren has a BS Computer Science and BS Art and Design degrees from MIT and MFA degree from UCLA where she currently works as an Associate Professor for UCLA Design Media Arts. She is working with performance, software, electronics, internet, film, photography and installation. As it was stated before, Lauren is the lead developer of the p5.js, “an open-source art and education platform that prioritizes access and diversity in learning to code, with over 1.5 million users. She expands on this work in her role on the Board of Directors for the Processing Foundation, whose mission is to serve those who have historically not had access to the fields of technology, code, and art in learning software and visual literacy.” (https://lauren-mccarthy.com/Info) In many of her computational projects, Lauren uses the idea of communication and interaction with other people or where new people meet other new people due to her social anxiety. Lauren once stated that she felt jealous of how Amazon Alexa has an intimate place in people’s lives without even trying. McCarthy uses her knowledge of computer science and her unique thinking and creativity to help people socialize and learn more about technology, especially if people didn’t have a chance or opportunity to do so before. Her actions are very honorable and I respect Lauren as a human being and as a programmer. “I create performances inviting viewers to engage. To remote control my dates. To be followed. To welcome me in as their human smart home… Each work feels like an attempt to hack my way out of myself and into closeness with others. I am embodying machines, trying to understand that distance between the algorithm and myself, the distance between others and me. There’s humor in the breakdown, and also moments of clarity. Who builds these artificial systems, what values do they embody? Who is prioritized and who is targeted as race, gender, disability, and class are programmatically encoded? Where are the boundaries around our intimate spaces? In the midst of always on networked interfaces, what does it mean to be truly present?” These excerpts from Lauren’s personal statement show us that she truly cares for people and that she truly loves what she does.
A particular work that I find interesting is “US Oil Fix” by Brooke Singer. Made in 2006, Singer was asked to contribute to the book “The Atlas of Radical Cartography” which was a collection of “10 maps and 10 essays about social issues from globalization to garbage”. Her contribution “is a look at the work through the lens of US oil consumption. The mission for this generative art piece is what I admire so much about it. It touches on the idea that art can create change within our world. Using art also enables a larger audience to understand and take action against a complicated idea like Oil Consumption. Brooke Singer’s artistic sensibilities manifest in this piece as they are trying to persuade a larger audience on an issue. With this mission, it forces the artists to portray their art a very specific way making them use their artistic sensibilities. In conclusion, I really enjoy looking at this piece and the message that it has to offer. The creator Brooke Singer is an Associate Professor of New Media at Purchase College at State University of New York. She works with technoscience as an artist, educator, nonspecialist and collaborator.
At first I really did not know how to start off with my portrait. I looked and reread the timeline for a while until I decided I wanted to do some sort of recreation of Chuck Close’s portraits. Instead of using colors to create skin tone, I ended up sticking with the pixel colors that I got using .get for my images. It took me the longest to set up my photo than to actually get my random walk to work.
Figuring Out pixel sizePlaying around with accuracy in pixel size
So to get my work to be more like Close’s I made an array of two different size circles inside my pixels. I thought this looked really cool but I was hoping to get more definition in my features by doing this.
Circles and Squares
So I ended up using my Ipad to make a grid of areas in the face that I wanted to be more or less pixelated. I ended up counting and working from this top image to make sure I was using the right constrains in my for loops. I probably could have shortened my code for this project, but I was happy with how it was so I did not bother.
Figuring out proportions
So, for every new and smaller square I was building I was also making my two circles on the top, unless the pixels got too small. I played around with the numbers a lot here. I felt that my image was very stagnant and decided to use noise to get my circles to vibrate in certain parameters. I thought doing this was quite funny because it reminded my a bit of the saying that the Mona Lisas eyes follow you across the room and, I felt that my entire face was doing the same.
I looked at the work of Kate Hollenbach for this week’s blog. Hollenbach works professionally as a programmer, artist, and educator. Most of her art projects focused on users’ relationships with digital interfaces and information. I especially admired one of her projects called USER_IS_PRESENT, which uses original software to explore user habits when interacting with their smart devices. The software developed by Hollenback allowed devices to simultaneously record video from the front and back cameras and screen record. The artist later used rendering techniques to layer those recordings together into one channel. The outcome gave viewers a new perspective to look at users and their habits on digital platforms. I think the result is artistic but informative at the same time. By layering three interfaces that we usually only experience separately, Hollenbach created a new visual environment for interaction and research.
The female artist I chose to look into is Jenny Sabin, who investigates the intersections of architecture and science and applies insights and theories from biology and mathematics to the design of material structures. One of her works called PolyForm catches my attention immediately when I see it. It is a permanent interactive installation which from a distance and from within, passersby can explore the square structure’s laminated glass walls and jewel-like stainless-steel modules, whose colors and reflections change depending on the time of day, weather and a viewer’s orientation. What’s fascinating about this project is not only its changing colors and beautiful forms, but also the theme embodied in it. By placing an installation like this to make people stop by and interact with it, this sculpture thereby creates an atmosphere in that place to represents the great minds coming together for new possibilities and hope for the future. It is not interpreting human ecology literally but representing it by itself. Like Sabin herself says “this project promotes communication and active exchange across disciplines”.
When looking for an artist, I came across Höweler + Yoon. They are more of a team of people rather than just one person and their work. I was interested in their work because it looks very futuristic or otherworldly. Their architecture reminded me of many dystopian films. One particular work that interests me is the Collier Memorial in Cambridge, MA. The structure makes a star/hand shape out of blocks of granite. Its form was helped with new digital fabrication and structural computation technologies. In my research, I think this is the largest structure I have seen that used computation. Höweler + Yoon is an architecture practice and creative studio with some 20 workers spanning from architects, designers, and researchers. It seems that the company does not rely on computation to create their designs, but a lot of their architecture and shape reminds me of the randomness used to create images and animations when coding.
Demonstration of all the possible transformations of “Augmented Hand Series”
The “Augmented Hand Series” is a real-time interactive software system that presents playful transformations of participants’ hands. The project was developed in 2013-2014 by Chris Sugrue, Golan Levin, and Kyle McDonald. Chris Sugrue, currently based in Paris, is an artist and programmer developing interactive installations, audio-visual performances, and experimental interfaces. She received her Masters degree in Fine Arts in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design. Since then, she worked as a creative engineer, a lead developer, and also as a teaching artist. She enjoys experimenting with technology in playful and curious ways. The “Augmented Hand Series” is one great example. The project is presented as a box that allows visitors to insert their hands, then a screen will display a “reimagined” version of their hand. For instance, there may be an extra finger on their hand or a finger is relocated to the other side of the palm. I find this project to be extremely interesting because it provides such a dynamic and fun way for visitors to interact with the software. The resulting behavior of the displayed hand depends on both the visitor and the algorithm. I really admire that dynamic aspect of this series.
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