Prairie, Criadero, and Piel SoŇada come from a recent
series of compositions developed from algorithmically generated tiling
patterns. In their surface appearance, the compositions imitate traditional
arts such as quilting, weaving, and ceramics. Through careful choice
of compositional rules, the pattern modules combine to recall natural
patterns such as the dispersion of plant species across a meadow.
I began working with these tiling patterns over 20 years ago in
Spain, where I developed the theoretical basis for the current series
through an abstract, mathematical shorthand for representing the patterns
and the rules that govern them. The patterns were used for paintings,
theatrical games, and parametric spaces for musical compositions.
Using a computer to manage the generative processes for the compositions
has sped up the development of new work and opened up possibilities
for image production and intermedia composition which it would have
been practically impossible to explore manually.
The series title, Recordatori (Catalonian for "remembrance"), suggests
that patterns act as memory cues, preserving and regenerating experience.
Although in a sense the generative process itself is the artwork,
in this series I wanted to transform the austerity of mathematical
pattern into sensual pleasure and to evoke the role of traditional
arts in carrying memory forward.
