Art
From crispyneurons
the making of the symbol is the artist's entire problem
I began developing a serious interest in visual art in high school. I was already pretty far down the software track, but what began as little more than a tangent was catalyzed by a variety of unique and unexpected experiences. The types of art that speak loudest to me are cubism, surrealism, abstract expressionism, and what has come to be termed mathematical art. I believe these modern art forms are more responsive to the expressive needs of modernity. The old schools simply don't speak to me, with the exception of cave art, the oldest art form. I also love photography.
[edit] To be integrated properly later
[edit] Cubism
As it developed from 1907 to 1914, is widely regarded as the most innovative and influential artistic style of the 20th century. I studied cubism in college. Cubism led me to create Bizarre Repudiation. I am most interested in early and analytic cubism, with the exception of Picasso's Guernica, a later instance.
[edit] Surrealism
As cubism shattered the old artistic traditions, it facilitated new ones such as Surrealism. Dali blah blah blah...
[edit] Symbol
[edit] Abstract Expressionism
This is the first form of American art that was ever really worth paying attention to.
Unbeknownst to Pollock, his paintings happen to be fractals, a blend of order and chaos that is all over the place in nature, and happens to be very amenable to mathematical expression. Which leads us to the next interest of mine...
[edit] Mathematical Art
This isn't really considered a school of art per se, but it's clear to me that there is a poorly understood thread of art incorporating logic and mathematical forms of beauty and structure. For example, Jeremy Lutes' lily pond, which I saw installed on the playa at Burning Man 2002. I also include the art of Piet Mondrian and Kenneth Snelson in this category.
I add to this the notion of art purely expressed through digital means, exploring the various intersections of art and digital media/computation. The original Electrocute Your Mind site was my sandbox, and included pieces such as Static Cling and Live Wire. $SLACK is my homage to Unix and the Church of the Subgenius.
Inconclusive Helix is my extremely inadequate attempt to honor Mondrian and another form of mathematical beauty I love known as the golden spiral.
[edit] Ancient Art
Somehow modern art, driven ostensibly by the cultural requirements of industrialism, seemed to deliver a kind of savage intensity returning to the ancient cave art of 30,000 years before. That, plus exposure to Joseph Campbell were the inspirations for Gravid Mary and my re-creation of Women of Castellón. Amazing Paleolithic cave paintings were discovered in La grotte de Lascaux.
[edit] Photography
My personal focus of artistic expression in the visual realm is in mainly the realm of photography. Examples of this are Oregon Coast, Strauss Jug and Parking Curb. While Burning Man is more about performance and sculpture or art installations, it's true nature is radical self expression, which provides outstanding photographic opportunities.
