INTERVIEW

John Provencher on the Aesthetics of Pixilation

Can you elaborate on the pixelated aesthetic that is often present in your work?

I've been working with a particular dithering algorithm over the past year. Dithering was a necessity back when computer screens could only display a finite number of colors and it created a seemingly random pattern of noise to create lightness. I'm attracted to the pixelated artifacts it leaves behind.. How it resembles the pixel but also has a quality of being printed.

In what ways do you connect with the Imperfections exhibition theme, and could you describe the artwork you are showcasing?

The piece is programatically trying to draw a circle but gets interrupted by time and light. This interruption is an imperfection that creates something new.. some sort of artifact that always surprises me even though I've seen thousands of these. I guess this is what attracts me to generative work. It feels like the imperfect parts of the script are my favorite and keep me interested in a script for a long time.

Your art has a distinct retro vibe reminiscent of 1990s computer games. Does this resonate with your artistic intentions, and if so, how?

I work with pixels because I work with the screen. If any medium has mastered the art of pixels on the screen, it's video games. There's a lot to learn!

What message or experience do you hope viewers will derive from your artwork?

I have no overt message but my favorite part of generative work is that viewers and myself are exploring the script together. Even though I've seen many of these outputs, I always find something new. That experience of discovery really excites me and I hope to share that with the viewers.

Leyla Fakhr

Leyla Fakhr is Artistic Director at Verse. After working at the Tate for 8 years, she worked as an independent curator and producer across various projects internationally. During her time at Tate she was part of the acquisition team and worked on a number of collection displays including John Akomfrah, ‘The Unfinished Conversation’ and ‘Migrations, Journeys into British Art’. She is the editor...

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John Provencher

John Provencher (b. 1991) is an independent artist, designer, and educator based in New York City. His practice explores the generative nature of software as a tool to produce works both online and offline, through the form of generative collections, exhibitions, and select commissions. John’s work is deeply embedded in the rich physicality of the internet, reflecting his interest in the idea that...

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