Eyeo2012 – Casey Reas
The 40 minutes flew by as Casey Reas began by detailing the origin and development of his very intricate code-generated graphics in relation to Chance Operation. The fact that Reas began by generating simple geometric randomized patterns, gave way to his use of noise and random number systems in order to produce more sophisticated designs, with an organic flow to the shapes and patterns. During his talk, Reas articulates the importance of Michael Noll as a pioneer in the field of creative digital computation, and how Noll emphasizes the significance of the “full exploitation of those unique talents [of computers] for controlled randomness and detailed algorithms [which] can result entirely in an entirely new medium”, and this new medium that Noll describes is a “creative artistic medium”, that has enabled the likes of Reas to to manifest beautiful artworks.
It was also fascinating how Reas points out that randomized number systems have proved to be essential in the exploration of computer-generated graphics, and allowed people more freedom in creating fascinating patterns that emphasize the intrinsic relation between order and chaos. It really raises the question around the limitations of noise and random numbers in the world of code, design and computer graphics.