Roman Verostko Talks at Lighthouse
Early Pioneer of digital computer art Roman Verostko visited Brighton from the States to discuss his work, processes and influences with the art world. The talk at Lighthouse was an interesting insight into the formative years of one of the world’s foremost instigators of the Algorist art movement.
Before the existence of the huge array of digital visualizing tools now available to the artist working within computer assisted art, Verostko developed his own algorithm interface to allow him to harness a new style of ‘painting’ that in it’s very nature was previously out of reach of the traditional artist. This new form of mark-making was art using pure visual form, without reference to other objects or images, non-objective and non-representational. Using computers to translate code into printed article executed by an industrial plotter took bold new steps into the relevance of digitization as an aid to visual practices. The process itself certainly did not eliminate the need for a human, conceptual beginning – Verostko would begin with a calculated symbol (although perhaps autonomous) created by his own hand – an homage to his study of Chinese calligraphy – the mathematical information of which could be programmed into a computer to repeat this information based upon an algorithm and upon reaching the end of the cycle would have plotted using paper and inks a work of art unattainable by human hand but entirely based upon it. He would take an entirely human act, apply its data to stark logic and produce an end result of grace and beauty. The resulting artworks would have an unplanned and initially unpredictable visual output which as controlled by algorithmic routine realised some of the spatial tension techniques of Mondrian, using as a base the expressive energy of Chinese Shufa & the abstract expressionists Robert Motherwell & Franz Kline.
This was the beginning of the computer’s role in assisting the artist to realise his visual idea.
“The use of algorithm in & of itself does not constitute algorist work – It is the inclusion of one’s own algorithm that makes the difference.’
Read more about Roman Verostko