loackmeSPACE\TIME
- Presented by
- Ivan Zhyzhkevych
Verse is delighted to present SPACE\TIME: an exhibition showcasing loackme's latest code-based motion series. Over the course of the last 10-15 years, loackme has employed various techniques within the realm of motion-based dithering, 2D signed distance functions, Voronoï diagrams, and programming, all of which have contributed to the creation of this collection, which is a culmination of his practice.
loackme is known for working impulsively in quick bursts, but for this series, which commenced earlier this year on May 10th, his approach differed. SPACE\TIME has been an ongoing exploration lasting three months, and is subsequently the longest lasting series to date within loackme’s artistic practice.
SPACE\TIME showcases a pixelated aesthetic, and a distinct black and white palette, which exemplifies loackme's overall body of work and illustrates his enduring passion for geometry, monochromism, and animated loops. However, due to the use of dithering, the illusion of a greater depth of colour is created, and various shades of grey seem to appear before us when viewing the works in this series, forming an entrancing visual experience.
The series departs from traditional long-form generative collections while refraining from complete curation (referring to algorithms designed to generate numerous outputs and subsequently sorted through to select preferred variants). It is positioned between these two paradigms.
The inspiration for SPACE\TIME initially stemmed from François Vogel's work, which prompted loackme to question: “What if I make something like this, but with dithering?”
“What if?” is the question at the core of loackme's creative process, setting the stage for most of his artistic endeavors.
loackme. Loves. Loops.
You can watch them, get lost in them, let them soothe you. In the midst of creation, it’s superbly exhilarating when loops become seamless. It’s a rewarding feeling. To loackme, loops signify an obsessive nature to fixate on one tiny detail over and over. You take this feeling, and you make it into something soothing. It is cathartic. It stimulates self-reflection. For loackme, the entire process of creating this series was an escape, a meditative experience. The loops have to be seamless. When time goes back to 0, it needs to be in the exact same position to loop. It’s like nothing happened.
With coding, there is often nothing at stake as you can always go back. It is common that every function and action is tracked, everything is saved in repositories.
Within SPACE\TIME loackme consciously decided each piece would be hand-crafted by code, and if he moved onto the next output - he could not go back.
Danger is an important part of SPACE\TIME’s process: each artwork was fine-tuned into completion. Every detail was thought about meticulously as there was no turning back - which in turn led to the entire process being alive and constantly evolving.
When loackme is working on a project, he can’t do anything else - he keeps thinking about it even when he’s asleep. Sometimes you have an idea and know it will develop, but you need more space to let it grow. You keep the idea on the side, until it’s ready to dive into. He didn’t want to rush it, and because of this, making SPACE\TIME required exactly both elements.
As loackme wrote new functions within the code for each iteration, the code is a mess ~ much like a painter’s studio. He wanted to create opportunities for serendipity to happen, which was achieved by not being overtly tidy in the code.
Not caring about the beauty of the code itself, is part of the process of letting go. SPACE\TIME is intended to be experienced with pure freedom.
This intention is why loackme has created a gallery-website where viewers can interact with each artwork which can be explored here.
Originally, the works did not have white frames - the pixel was disappearing & dropping off the gif. The digital resolution is the same in each piece, which acted as a constraint to heighten creativity.
loackme experimented with different sliding directions in motion. Sliding everything diagonally allowed interesting patterns to appear when combined with different dithering algorithms.
That’s why the top-left to bottom right direction was chosen in the end. The illusions, which exude from each artwork, were a puzzle to create.
To make all components smoothly melt together it’s a mathematical challenge which he gives to himself.
“Why black and white?”
loackme has been working in black and white since the beginning of his artistic journey. To him it is a natural part of self, it’s how it should be. It is brutal, high contrast, and goes well with the blocky aspect of pixel art. It’s about constraints. Too much freedom and it becomes impossible to create. The world of colors is huge, the choice is paralyzing. Combined with motion/composition, the choice of everything becomes overwhelming. In black & white alone he can fully focus; he thrives within this constraint.
Curatorial statement by Ivan Zhyzhkevych (lonliboy).