Archive Documents. This text was written in 1993 for presentations of Ezekiel series work at that time, especially for the show at Linz. This text presents a substantial representation of how Roman perceived his work emerging at that time. This version is derived from a similar text he wrote for the Diamond Lake Apocalypse series he showed at the 1994 International Symposium on Electronic Art in Helsinki.
The Ezekiel Series: Chaotic digital scripts in search of spirituality.
Intentions.
Verostko writes code as an artistic procedure for investigating
form. An artist for over 30 years, his recent work demonstrates
aesthetic possibilities through coded electronic procedures.
His approach holds a reverence for the materials of earth and a
sense of wonder about most things including circuit boards and computer
languages. His well crafted works exhibit iconic qualities that evoke
mystery. The texture and quality of materials are carefully chosen and
transformed in the process. "For me", he says, "the work
should have an aura that draws the casual viewer to pause for a moment
recognizing a human endeavor going beyond material concerns."
The
Work.
Each work is an illuminated glyphic script generated by parameter driven
chaotic procedures written by the artist.
Just as the medieval monk transformed the written word with
intricate design and precious gold so also Roman, in his digital scriptorium,
transforms chaotic
scripts into precious objects. Illuminated with gold
or silver leaf each work assumes the quality of a "precious
object". Hours of work with valuable materials have been lavished
to embroider randomly cast "digital scripts" or
"glyphs" as precious objects worthy of
being preserved and valued in and of themselves.
Each
work is plotted on carefully chosen rag paper and
"illuminated" with pure gold or silver leaf, applied by hand.
The design elements are always code
generated and machine plotted. This includes the glyph-like
"initial" adorned with precious metal. The black linear figure
is entirely code generated and plotted with a large pen or, in some
instances, a sumi brush.
The randomly cast control points for this figure reveal the set
of relations that control the structure of the piece, including its
general "glyph-like" character.
All
works have been executed with a multipen plotter coupled to a PC. The
plotter draws from an array of technical pens loaded with inks mixed in
the studio. The program code is written in Basic with plotter protocols
in the Digital Microprocessor/Plotting Language.
Structure.
The design forms play with code driven improvisations based on the
initiating stroke that is illuminated with precious metal, usually in
the form of a roundel. The randomly
cast control points which generate this stroke, control the distribution
of strokes in the illumination. Parameter adjustments allow both
controlled and randomly selected improvisations, including mirror strokes,
on either axis, both axes or none at all. The glyph-like
"scripts", analogous to manuscript headers and initials, are
derived algorithmically from the
same set of control points; thus a "self-similarity" permeates
the whole. The algorithm generating the "texts" on Saphire
and The Vision employ a syntax with varying degrees of user
control.
Content
and Meaning.
These works may be viewed as visual analogues to the coded procedures
with which they are made. The
essential character of the finished work is derived from the
"form-generating-procedure" acting as genotype (Note 1).
For this reason one could say that the finished work is an epiphany
(manifestation) of its code. As a precious object each work celebrates
its code, especially the recursive routines which shaped its character.
These illuminations invite us to savor both the beauty and the mystery of their coded procedures - not so much for their stark logic as for the grace and poetry they yield. The procedures provide a window on unseen processes shaping mind and matter. By doing so they become icons illuminating the mysterious nature of Earth and Cosmos.
SLIDE
DOCUMENTATION, TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WORKS
Hardware:
PC operating on DOS. Houston Instruments multipen plotters.
Chinese brushes adapted to fit plotter's drawing arm.
Software:
Software written by the artist using Basic and Digital
Microprocessor/Plotting Language (DM/PL, Trademark).
This software, Hodos, along with a PC constitutes a
personal expert system which automatically generates work following the
artist's instructions. The code, evolved over a decade, has grown to
thousands of lines.
EZEKIEL
SERIES, LNZ 2,
44" by 30", 1993.
lnz2w.jpg (full view)
lnz2-init-w.jpg (detail, lower left
gold leaf work)
lnz2-det-w.jpg (detail, central portion)
This
work includes an "illuminated" initial on the lower left side.
The software builds the "initial" from the same set of
relations that generate the "brush" stroke. The shape is
derived from a relationship of initiating control points which are the
key to all the form activity in this piece. The black initial linework
is code plotted with a 50 mm pen. Gold leaf was applied by hand. A
Chinese brush was mounted on the plotting arm for the brush work.
Ezekial
Series, LNZ 3,
44" by 30", 1993.
lnz3w.jpg (full view)
lnz2-det-w.jpg (detail, central portion)
Upper
left includes a "text". This "formal" notion of
writing is taken from my experience of writing that courses right
through the figures in some Assyrian reliefs that date back to
Asurbarnipal. The text syntax has been under development by the artist
for several years.
Brush
work is code generated and machine plotted. In this, as in the others,
this stroke is a key to the entire structure.
The
gold leaf on the diamond-like center was applied by hand. The design
elements are the consequence of the software generated shapes. In this
instance a diamond shape was formed by the overlapping transformations.
The decision for gold-work is always made after the entire piece is
plotted with color and shape decisions madce by the software.
Ezekial
Series, LNZ 4,
44" by 30",1993. This work includes an "illuminated"
initial on the lower left side. The software builds the
"initial" from the same set of relations that generate the
"brush" stroke. The shape is derived from a relationship of
initiating control points which are the key to all the form activity in
this piece. The black initial linework is code plotted with a 50 mm pen.
Gold leaf was applied by hand. A Chinese brush was mounted on the
plotting arm for the brush work.
PHYSICAL
STRUCTURE AND PROCEDURES:
Papers
& Materials:
These works are on Stonehenge, 44" by 30", an archival
quality rag paper. Studio supplies such as inks, mats, paper liners, and
mounting tapes, are carefully chosen for their quality and relationship
to the traditions of "fine art". The work is deliberately made
as an "original" valued work on archival quality materials.
Pens
and Inks:
Both steel and carbide tipped pens with refill wells are used. The
artist mixes inks establishing a palette of from 6 to 8 colors for each
work. The colors are mized as transparents to create color overlapping
which broadens the range of color effects. The pens are mounted in pen
stalls on the plotter. Pen-change decisions are software controlled.
Draw
lines:
All drawing activity is code generated. Most routines are
initiated with randomly cast control points within preset parameters.
Brush:
A software brush routine causes the plotter to pause and call for a
brush to be physically mounted on the plotter's drawing arm. The artist
literally hands a loaded brush to the plotter on demand. Brushes are
oriental and adapted by the artist to fit the plotter's drawing arm. The
"key" strokes on these works were brushed by the plotter and
driven by the artist's software.
Gold
and silver leaf:
A selected area on each illumination is handcrafted with genuine gold or
silver leaf. "Initials" are code driven and plotted along with
the rest of the work. Gold is applied only after the underlying strokes
have been code generated and machine drawn with a 50 mm pen.
Software
driven decisions
are derived from a randomizer and filtered through controlling
parameters designed and preset by the artist. Each routine used by Hodos
requires many such decisions for each loop.