Cilium animates the core algorithm behind my earlier static generative artwork, "Line Composition 1" (fxhash, 2022). This dynamic piece was the result of a joyful reunion and renewed collaboration with Chris Scussel, a fellow artist I connected with in graduate school during the early 70s. Our shared history includes early explorations with pen plotters, a medium that may have seeded Chris's enduring fascination with generating non-intersecting lines.
His algorithm, the heart of Cilium, masterfully employs random vectors and linear interpolation to weave intricate, organic visual landscapes where lines never cross. My input involved some fine-tuning and the introduction of a rich color palette. In this animated form, the algorithm comes alive against a dramatic black canvas, with only the lines themselves saturated in color. Randomly placed gaps along these lines introduce a compelling pseudo-3D effect. The inherent mathematical complexity, balanced with controlled randomness, yields surprising emergent behavior at higher levels, causing individual lines to dance with an almost chaotic energy, reminiscent of the beating cilia of a microscopic organism.
Enjoy!
By William Kolomyjec
