View code as a tool to bring imagination to life
I’m the most impressed by Casey Reas’ ability to code art from the easily overlooked details in life and how some of his works can find their roots in art history. Every piece he presented contains multiple layers of meaning, with deep consideration before arriving at a final artwork. Those works draw from scientific concepts, like that neuro model, or something as simple as the characters on a keyboard. They start with such tangible concepts but lands in somewhere abstract.
What sets coding art apart from traditional forms of art? I believe it’s the ability to accept constant changes. Reas references artists like Duchamp, the Dada movement, and John Cage to illustrate the concept of ‘chance in art.’ These works embrace improvisation as part of the creative process. Coding takes this a step further by having randomness at its core, demonstrating how randomness can have a certain intentionality. It shows how meanings can shift and layer as the program runs. These added-up layers can be endless, not just limited to one canvas and small changes in a code can result in something drastically different from before. Another key distinction is accessibility. Traditional art often requires specific skills and techniques, while creative coding lowers that threshold and provides the public with the tools to easily replicate a great piece of creative coding.