Yoshi Sodeoka The Flood
- Presented by
- Ivan Zhyzhkevych
Yoshi Sodeoka’s two latest series, The Flood: Orchestrated and The Flood: Chaos consist of code-based simulations that juxtapose the organic behavioural patterns of spiders with the inorganic nature of algorithmic animation. While each generative spider in The Flood: Orchestrated is custom coded with unique parameters, those in The Flood: Chaos are governed by randomised behaviours generated by diverse parameters, symbolising both the inherent behaviours biological encoded within nature as well as the unpredictability that proliferates within the natural world. The resulting videos fluctuate between ballets and battles, with predator and prey struggling interminably in 13-second loops.
Sodeoka's fascination with spiders carries a personal resonance, stemming from his late mother's belief in their auspicious presence, they are symbolic of good luck, yet they are simultaneously involved in nature’s tumultuous rhythms. The works in these series are not merely visual spectacles, but symphonies of structured chaos. Sodeoka’s interest in storytelling even within the abstract realm is apparent in the narrative conflict within these works. For example, the parameters of each work in The Flood: Chaos are randomised, yet specified to mirror the hunting behaviours of spiders - their range of view whilst searching for prey, how eager they are when chasing their prey. Maintaining a sense of progression even within a very limited timeframe was a central aim in his creative process.
The series began with transforming footage of spiders’ behaviour into looping animations which were then manipulated using motion graphics softwares. In many of the works the spiders emanate from a central point symbolic of the nest, the origin of the spider’s ominous journey. The spiders’ movements often escape beyond the confines of the digital canvas, leaving eerie trails in their wake. Both series contain auditory elements that adds to the disquieting visual environment, with the amalgamation of sight and sound heightening the sense of conflict and the viewer’s experience of the works.
While the predator-prey interactions in The Flood: Orchestrated are meticulously coded to mirror the calculated movements of spiders, The Flood: Chaos embraces spontaneity, presenting a less scripted and more impromptu exploration. In the latter series, each iteration yields a new result utilising from the same initial parameters, utilising algorithmic spontaneity to create organic, unpredictable, and free-flowing depictions of arachnid-inspired behaviours. Together, these artworks provide viewers with a dual perspective that mirrors both the natural world and algorithmic creative possibilities, with The Flood: Orchestrated showcasing orchestrated precision, while The Flood: Chaos unveils the untamed beauty of disorder.