Lindo Circulito

This work “Lindo circulito” shows the occurrence of something unexpected but, at the same time, with the total control of the person contemplating the work. The predetermined route of a small figure that travels on the canvas in different layers and depth, disappearing at times from the viewer and at the same time returning, knowing and at the same time not knowing what route it takes. Those seconds where the figure is not seen generate uncertainty, the question of Will it follow the same path or not? What happens when no one sees it? Even though one can truly anticipate the movements he makes, even though it is suggested that it is the same pattern that repeats itself, what is hidden before our eyes? Just a few seconds can make us question what is happening, because we want to know everything. Based on one of Joshua Davis’ works, “The V01D”, I wanted to copy the essence of its aesthetics and set of formations of figures and colors to, taking advantage of its great depth, express that feeling that we all have of the need to know everything that happens, to know what things we are missing, even if it is something as small as a small and pretty circle.

Technical, aesthetic and conceptual development

I decided to base my work on one of Joshua Davis’ works, “The V01D”, an installation in 2018. Although I thought the code was going to be more difficult, it was just deciding what to do, how to do it and how to take the essence that the works transmitted to me. Adapt it based on the knowledge allowed, the guidelines imposed and on my own capabilities.

“Pixel art. It is often said that the computer is, simply, “a tool”, which can be used exactly the same as any other. Naturally, this is simplistic, and proof of the misunderstanding to which it leads is what we could call pixel art and translate by electronic watercolor. Whoever uses the computer as if it were a brush can reach this type of aberrations (painting a pointillist portrait “coloring” pixel by pixel). (…)Only those languages, or production domains signifier, in which a critical exploration of its own limits is carried out - productions that we must legitimately consider “art” contribute.

I wanted to start with this quote from the writing “Brief (and messy) antiglossary - or dictionary of topics - on electronic art”, by (José Luis Brea), since it was the one that caught my attention the most and I was able to understand a little more while doing this work. As someone who has tried various types of Art, including digital, it is true that if we just saw it for what it is, without any analysis behind it, it is just a digital copy trying to imitate what someone could do with a piece of paper and pencil. That’s why I took the trouble to look closely at the works, seeing the shapes, the colors, which is what caught my attention the most, which is what it conveyed to me. Of all of them, the one I chose gave me a sense of depth between the colors and figures, and I wanted to reflect in a “simple” way on my own canvas, making my own interpretation of those figures, which mostly focus on lines or “waves” as I decided to call them, along with circles.

“30. In three different ways, new artistic practices are assuming that responsibility. First of all, through narration. The use of the image- technique and the image-movement, in its capacity to expand in an internal time of story, multiplies the possibilities of generating narratives. Secondly, for the via the generation of events, events, through the production of situations. (…)”

I want to end with “Redefinition of artistic practices” (José Luis Brea), because I believe that the part of being able to tell something with art is a key part of a work. I decided that I wanted to make one of the circles move, indefinitely, as soon as the person clicked the mouse. I wanted to leave it as a “surprise”, although it is not a mystery either, but rather, until you click, you do not know which of all the figures you are going to move. And, furthermore, it was a way to show that depth effect that had inspired me.

Literature

BREA, José Luis. (2002). “Breve (y desordenado) antiglosario –o diccionario de tópicos- sobre el arte electrónico” en La era postmedia. Acción comunicativa, prácticas (post)artísticas y dispositivos neomediales”. Salamanca: CASA Editorial

BREA, José Luis. (2008). “Redefinición de las prácticas artísticas (s. 21)” en El tercer umbral. Estatuto de las prácticas artísticas en la era del capitalismo cultural.. Murcia: CENDEAC.