Tessellate #62

“Tessellate" is an embodiment of geometric precision and repetition, with each distinctive patch reflecting its unique color and texture, and together contributing to a larger design. This work showcases the harmony possible within diversity.

RalenArc uses code to combine textures from two distinct art forms: the fluidity of watercolor and the meticulous structuring of patchwork. The organic blending of watercolors is recreated to contribute hazy dream-like palettes, building on layers to evoke the viewer’s memories. Like Boro quilts, a traditional Japanese art form dating to the 17th century, the work ties together various patches in rectangular forms with rough edges. The interplay between colors, shapes, and textures is a key aspect of this work, adding depth while enhancing the natural realism.

One of the patch fills is reminiscent of the famous 10 PRINT program, a one-line piece of code written in BASIC for the Commodore 64 computer. The program prints alternating forward slashes (/) and backslashes () to create a generative maze in the terminal. This is one of the earliest accessible generative art programs that permeated personal computing in the 1980s.

The combination of references from code, watercolor, and fabric result in singular dream-like compositions building on RalenArc’s extensive experience with traditional media.

“N=12 is an experiment in building intentional community, with 12 artists collaborating across seven time zones. Contemporary computer-based artists create their work while connected to an effectively infinite network of information. This affords artists the capacity for infinite input and collaboration, leaving them to distill these disparate connections and experiences into their artwork. Distinctly, the computer artist’s principal tool for creation is also a means for connection. This exhibition leans into the inherent proximity of computer users by explicitly asking 12 artists to create work while in constant dialogue with one another. These artists convened and collaborated online over several months, sharing their code and artistic processes while fostering a co-creative microcosm enriched by weekly meetings, aesthetic critiques, code reviews, and vibrant discussion.” — Aaron Penne