Dynamic System No. 3 (Myrmegraph) 1999. custom pc software.

Drawing from the emergent group behavior of ants, this piece creates a system for drawing with a stream of living entities. As the viewer draws, they lay down both pheromone and simulated ants. These ants are simulated beings that obey a simple set of rules - they follow pheromone gradients stored invisibly in the image and have limits on their speed and turning to give them lifelike movement. From moment to moment, they can change their heading to better pursue the trail of pheromone. Like real ants, they sometimes lose their way and wander off. Unlike the natural world, however, you cannot kill the ants in this system. By pressing with the second button, you can erase the pheromone and release the ants from their trail, but you cannot destroy them.

High quality images [1 2 3]

Download and Install Myrmegraph for PC

About the Dynamic Systems Series

The Dynamic Systems Series is an series of screen-based works which use human movement as input. The only way for one's body to enter into the desktop computer is through the mouse, and the cursor is the projection of the body into the screen. These works take that projection of the body and create a system in response.

Each work is embodied as a dynamic system - a model of natural, mathematical or algorithmic reality. The pieces are meant to provide an immediate sensation of touching an immaterial, but "natural" world with consistent and predictable reactions, but infinite variety. An instant and intuitive sense of presence and efficacy is achieved, while spending more time with a system provides greater reward - the effect of the work on the mind is equal to the effect of the mind on the work.

These pieces blur the line between artwork and art-making tool. The artwork is the set of rules which construct a system in which the viewer is an essential part. Sol LeWitt's work serves as a traditional media example of this concept. However, within the dynamic medium of computation, the particular expression of the rules continuously changes in response to the active viewer.

High quality images [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11]