Untitled – Twelve Blacks and Four Silvers
The project consists in a visual interactive game-like adaptation of the work “Twelve Blacks and Four Silvers” from Jesús Rafael Soto, an artist most known by his kinetic sculptures. While the original is a wood sculpture, reflective of the abstract and geometric style, as well as the optical illusions and relief, the game answers the proposal of taking inspiration from a physical artwork and creating a ludic and interactive piece.
Through the simplification of the shapes present in the sculpture – multiple lines and sixteen squares –, and the use of only blacks, greys, and whites like the original, it was developed sixteen different visual compositions using the program Processing, which can be accessed and changed using the letters “a” to “p” of the keyboard. These lines and squares are dynamic, working randomly, infinite, or interactive. The order in which the compositions are chosen is completely free so that the experience with the game can alternate on a visual level, since there were used different blending modes that create overlays from composition to composition. Besides the keyboard, the mouse may also interact with some visuals, being accentuated by turning into a cross when that is possible.
The sixteen compositions form a single work, much like the sixteen squares of Soto’s sculpture create the visual of it. The overall project intended to reflect the inspiration to it, as well as creating a digital and ludic representation of the kinetic and optical illusion art.
After its first presentation, the project took part of the “The Dynamic Eye – Beyond Optical and Kinetic Art” exhibition at a World of Wine museum, in Gaia, from July to November 2023. It was also selected as one of the works featured in the Processing Community Day 2024 online exhibition.
Interact with the project here.
consultant: Rodrigo Carvalho
FBAUP, March 2023—April 2023