Xastol – LookingOutwards03

A generative piece that I really enjoyed is Aether by Thomas Sanches and Gilberto Castro. The piece is, “A series of studies in geometric symmetry, dynamic particles and interactivity on a large multitouch screen.”

I really admire the interactivity and how the artists allow for users to explore different ways of altering the geometric structures. Interactivity is something I’ve always been interested in, and I believe that giving the user the power to control the outcome of pieces is really important for developing a more personal relationship with the consumer.

The algorithm that generated the work had to involve a lot of geometry, physics, and had to know how certain points react to one another and how they also react to the entire geometric system.

The artwork’s effective complexity is the geometric shape that the user interacts with. For anyone looking at it, it’s obvious that it’s just a random shape. However, the system becomes complex when the user alters it: each user will manipulate the piece in a different way, therefore allowing for more complexity and a different outcome. The idea of order and disorder is balanced by allowing the system to return to its original state (similar state) even after it was altered.

Aether Website – http://codigogenerativo.com/works/aether/