The Swarm: r = θ #9

The Swarm: r = θ is a series of 16 generative videos by Yoshi Sodeoka which builds on his research into the behaviour and movement found in bird flocks.

Over the past eighteen months, Sodeoka has immersed himself in the study of boid algorithms (‘bird-oid / bird-like’) and the complex behaviours and formations that emerge from particle interactions. This represents a significant evolution from his earlier abstract pieces that utilised video feedback techniques, and sees him employ a combination of simulations, vector graphics and AI to create an experimental, emotionally resonant body of work.

The Swarm is an exhibition presented by SOLOS that comprises two series, The Swarm: r = θ and The Swarm: 1.618. The two collections constitute a body of works that continues Sodeoka’s exploration of the natural world’s patterns and symmetries.

His 2023 series, The Flood, saw him create a digital ecosystem to study the movements found in predator/prey arachnid behaviours. In The Swarm, the number of works in the two series (16 & 18) is derived directly from the golden ratio (1.618), a mathematical expression associated with natural patterns and aesthetic harmony.

This is further highlighted through Sodeoka’s use of vector overlays, revealing the hidden structures and layers that underpin our reality, echoing the idea that the unseen fundamental principles of these phenomena can be understood through mathematics.

Each piece in the series is unique, with randomised parameters affecting the number and behaviour of the flocking birds. The incorporation of AI-generated backgrounds adds a further layer of complexity, serving as a tool, a creative partner in the design process, and a hint at a constructed reality. The blending of organic patterns and algorithmically generated AI environments emphasises the connection between the natural world and human-made systems.

“The Swarm offers a look into the intricate movements of simulated birds, merging experimental art with emotional depth and abstract visuals with mathematical clarity.” Yoshi Sodeoka

We often think of the natural world existing in opposition to the digital one; The Swarm encourages the viewer to consider them as driven by the same mathematical laws. It hints not just at the multiple levels of our contemporary reality, but their interconnectivity.