CODE CUBE

The CODE CUBE project is an invitation to immerse yourself in the convergence between the universe of code and the three-dimensional sensory experience, where a performative beauty is developed that fuses visual, auditory and interactive elements. The work challenges the traditional conception of programming as a technical and logical activity to turn it into a point of thought/analysis. The figures perform a dance around a central cube that contains an image as a texture, inciting critical reflection on the software.

The configuration of light and shadow adds depth and drama, while the continuous animation creates a feeling that everything revolves around that center that can be called the heart. The cubes in row and column create a somewhat hypnotic structure that invites visual exploration, offering new perspectives and diverse executions as you move through the work. Each angle reveals a unique and dynamic artistic experience for the user.

Technical, aesthetic and conceptual development

From a technical perspective, this work gives life to a spatial installation that is made up of figures generated by algorithms designed with the purpose of creating an interesting compositional aesthetic, inspired by the digital sphere and the alteration of images that refer to the multimedia processes of Glitch Art and Databending. To intensify the experience, the functionality of zooming by rotating the mouse wheel and the ”+” and ”-” keys has been integrated, and it also offers the possibility of rotating the scene by dragging the mouse across the canvas. These interactions allow the viewer to engage actively and interactively.

In the conceptual context of my work, I make a significant connection with the ideas presented in “The Code as a Performative Speech Act” by the German ARNS theorist, Inke. This text addresses the distinction and evolution between software art and generative art. In my interpretation, I consider that the nature of my work is more aligned with software art, an artistic activity that uses software as a medium or material to express ideas, critical reflections on technology and its cultural impact. Basing this conclusion on John Langshaw Austin’s reflections on speaking as an action in itself, where effectiveness is not evaluated solely by the results obtained, but by the act of speaking itself.

Speech act theory is especially integrated with the presumed performativity of code in my work. Here, the code not only visually represents three-dimensional elements, but, when executed, performs a performative action that brings the work to life in real time. By interacting with the work, the viewer takes actions that alter the visual experience, actively participating in the creation of meaning and the realization of the work.

The quote “a word not only means something, but performatively generates exactly what its meaning designates” translates into code execution, where each line not only has visual meaning, but also performs the action of constructing and updating the three-dimensional artistic experience. The act of showing code running within the canvas reflects the philosophy around speech as action, where effectiveness is not measured by results alone, but by the act itself. This means that it breaks the idea that coding only has value in terms of functionality and efficiency, but that it can be self-referential and with that same thing with which it is generated/produced, art can be made as a creative and expressive medium that transmits emotions, aesthetic concepts and reflections.

And finally, the aesthetic aspects. I preferred to use the cubes to represent the space, allowing complete observation through camera control. The lighting of these cubes follows a palette of vibrant and warm colors, contrasting with the sphere that has cold tones as its image, achieving a unique visual harmony.

Literature

• ARNS, Inke. (2005). “El código como acto de habla performativo”.