This experimental system occurred 1/5/2005...
The Basic Algorithm Was: neg. video feedback, a light source close to the lens which adds a some what point source (in comparison to the light coming into the camera lens from the feedback monitor and room light) of photons to the loop (in this case the camera movie light), and the tape clock (in some feedback camera tilt/lens zoom positions) which was simply adding its numerical fonts which where changing on the second.
Several of the resultant systems generated from the above first reminded me of pictures of Julia sets I had seen because of the black and white striped imagery combined with fractal geometry like elements often descending into "infinity". From what I have studied of the Julia set it does involve a sort of mathematical "feedback" process with respect to his equations.
Also, while looking at many of these systems, all of which were derived d��ˇuring the same experimental session, I noticed many similarities to dynamic systems already existing in the known universe, such as: single or simple celled organisms, cellular reproduction in more complex organisms, the plant like structures of vines and flowers, egg/sperm fertilization in animals, fibrous strands extending from a central core as in the ganglions of neurons and dendrites, maze like structures that seem somewhat a kin to the mammalian brain, to more cosmic scale phenomenon like vortices which you might see in nature in scale ranging from whirlpools to hurricanes to the storms on Jupiter on up to galaxies such as our milky way and possibly beyond. This coil or vortex pattern/system is well known in the world of mathematics and somewhat explained via phi, aka, the golden mean/ratio ie: the spiral, to be observed on the animal scale in the shells of snails and a variety of species who “carry their home on their back”. Another form I noticed frequently occurring was many kinds of “strings” t��¸hat I found reminiscent of material and images produced of: chromosomes, protein strands, dna/rna, polymers and even the highly abstract string/M theories. The last two types of forms I observed being generated in these systems relate more the human intellect and perhaps demonstrate a natural link between the universe and that of human language/art and technology. I recorded symbols such as swirling yin/yang like pictures, the triangle, the star of David, atomic orbits, diagrams of lunar/seasonal cyclical positions ect. as well as technological structures developed by humanity such as the turbine (Tesla's 3 blade turbine engine in particular) and a timed electrical distributor (such as that in the automobile).
These video feedback systems I found extremely interesting from the perspective of both artist and scientist. I am not a knowledgeable enough mathematician to describe in mathematical script what is going on in terms of the xy co-ordinates/black and white imagery over time with respect to ��Çthe parameters of each system as described in the "Basic Algorithm". I do feel that there is probably much to be learned from a physics, bio., chem., engineering, systems analyst, and social science perspective by describing these systems in terms of calc. script, in a kind of reverse process from the way fractal geometric graphics were derived from the scripts of Mandelbrott and Julia. I am not sure, though I would think it would be most likely, that their respective calculus was originally inspired by some sort of visual phenomenon in nature. As they were pioneers in the field of chaos math/the non-linear dynamics of complex systems it is a bit of a chicken and egg question I suppose.
While the aforementioned systems are worthy of in depth research with respect to their relevance to a particular field of study. I have yet to describe what I consider to be the most interes��Åting aspect discovered during this session, being that of the figurative universe found lurking between the derivations of the more "significant" or at least more relatively stable systems listed in the previous paragraph. In these spaces the common generative factor was what I would consider one of the most significant "chaos" elements in the this experimental system, that of changing camera angel and lens zoom positions. While looking at these “between” sections frame by frame I literally stumbled upon a sort of "virtual" organic world unto itself that mirrors this world in many ways, but which also seems to operate with an intelligence uniquely its own, one which is far greater than the sum of the basic interaction of the materials used in this experiment, namely that of light. The particular type of light employed here was that which emanates from the cathode ray tube @ 60hz to m��ake two video fields or one video frame every 30th of a second. My point being, a video feedback loop using a cathode system is very much a kin to a photon based particle accelerator. I believe it is the intensity of the cathode ray "guns" "firing" the photons to make television pictures @ the fairly extreme rate 1440 X 960 (720 X 480 X 2 DV NTSC aspect ratio) "pixels"/30th of a second that makes this virtual universe unique with respect to the physical interaction of light in a feedback loop. However, I have not done feedback experiments using LCD or plasma monitors to confirm this at this point in time and thus this theory remains conjecture on my part, based on what I know about the physical properties of the cathode system, obviously, until experimentally confirmed.
Upon a n��ßot very careful first viewing of these single frames I can imagine a cynical skeptic dismissing this world as a kind of electronically generated "rorschach" (sp?), though I would have to insist that they were quite misguided and I would urge them to take a closer more careful look at this imagery where I have found all sorts of specific forms that are literal icons of some kind of intelligence related to ours, but unique to itself (a sort of “AI” if you will) making pictures literally at light speed and photographically documented @ a 30th of a second. I personally see in this experimental system, and can point out to another observer upon request, simple yet spirited childlike flower drawings and smiley faces at one end of the spectrum to the other end of the spectrum, being that of complex entire bodily forms of creatures not of this world and “drawn” completely by the physical interaction of light with in this system.���
It is here I would like to interject a tenet of quantum mechanics, that being that the observer (in this case the partial creator of the system) of a system effects the perceived system because in reality they are part of the system they are observing. This bears particular significance to these creatures and other entities because each observer will bring their own consciousness to the viewing and see what they see as unique individuals. This scientific perspective probably has even more significance during the experimental recording sessions for the obvious reason that that is when the recording is being created. I mention this because I have found it quite easy and enjoyable to construct entire narratives by simply placing a soundtrack with this imagery. With this in mind the particular consciousness of the participating observers, and their interactions with each other, if there is multiple observers, would be key to what is perceived. This is of course where the art and imagination side of the p���roject comes into play and what I would like to make the focus of an animation project, working with these characters which quite literally almost have appeared out of the ether and place them within the tools of modern day photographic and computer animation. To call upon a bad pun using somewhat antiquated video speak, this system is a C.G.... a Character Generator, only most of the characters it generates are just that, characters, not fonts in an alphanumeric language, though the camera time code was certainly an element which brought these creatures into existence. Occasionally there does occur some rather peculiar looking fonts swirling in this virtual cosmic soup.
In closing, I consider this system to be a "small" scale alternate “dimensional” model for how a universe might come into existence over a period of evolution. It is small in scale, in human terms of course, as scale is always relative to the size of the observer and it is of an alternate dimension than ours because it is made prima��⁄rily of light and the absence of light.
I have looked at many texts on the subjects of non-linear dynamics and fractal geometry from the fields of mathematics, physics, fluid mechanics, astrophysics, astronomy (gaseous nebula, Jovian planets and star clusters are excellent examples of non fractal yet “chaotic” systems) chemistry, botany, biology, oceanography and geology and have not run across any imagery approaching the variety, complexity and probably most importantly the human like, but definitely meta-human intelligence encountered in some of the still imagery from this experimental session. A recent book I am currently reading Nonlinear Oscillations in Physical Systems by Chihiro Hayashi (1964, McGraw Hill) has some similar looking imagery with respect to some of the more basic oscillations which I referred to as “symbolic”. ie: the yin yang and the spiral, but with multiple levels elements interacting. His experimental methodology appears to be an electric��≈al synthesis feedback loop systems monitored over a 3 phase electricians oscilloscope, but he does not go into the specifics of any of the technology employed other than he is an electrical engineer and he does show the 3 phase 1080 degree scope. (An Introduction to Fluid Mechanics by G.K. Batchelor Cambridge, 1967 excluding cosmic phenomena is a second text which presents relevant graphical systems that relate to the non-linear dynamics and fractal aspects of this experimental system) astronomy(gaseous nebula, Jovian planets and star clusters are examples of non fractal chaos systems) The math is over my head as I am not a mathematician of that level in the field of electrical engineering, but it is appears to be an excellent book for me to begin looking at the relationship between calculus and non linear dynamic pictures like the ones I have generated with the help of a 1 video camera and 1 television monitor. The experimental system I am working o��3n is more specific to the interaction of light in a feedback system than electricity, but there are some obvious relations as well.
An Introduction to Fluid Mechanics by G.K. Batchelor (Cambridge, 1967) is a second text which presents relevant graphical systems that relate to the non-linear dynamics and fractal aspects of this experimental system)
A third text, and probably the most relevant one yet that I have encountered related to this experimental work is by J.P. Churchfield, entitled Space-time dynamics in video feedback (Physica D, vol. 10, 1984 p.229). In it he attempts to describe some of the aspects of the single monitor/single camera video feedback image motion and luminace dynamics as they oscillate through their specific periodic cycles in time using differential and integral calculus.�
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