Leo Villareal
dal 2/11/2006 al 21/12/2006
Segnalato da
2/11/2006
Leo Villareal
Conner Contemporary Art, Washington
Origin, 2006. To create his new work, Villareal integrated physicist Issac Newton's Laws of Motion into his own computer code, augmenting his earlier explorations of rule-based cellular automata programs that were inspired by mathematician John Conway's Game of Life.
Origin, 2006
Conner Contemporary Art is delighted to present Origin, a new digital light
sculpture by media artist Leo Villareal in his third solo exhibition with the
gallery.
To create this new work, Villareal integrated physicist Issac Newton's Laws of
Motion into his own computer code, augmenting his earlier explorations of rule-based
cellular automata programs that were inspired by mathematician John Conway's Game of
Life. By applying principles of physics, the artist has increased the complexity of
his simulated worlds. As the elements move within the large matrix of white LED's
(light emitting diodes), Villareal's encompassing patterns evoke stars swirling in
space and at other passages biological interactions deep within the body. Lively
interactions between objects in Origin's matrix generate visual stimuli pulsing with
energy suggestive of specific behavior and personality.
"I am very inspired by essential questions like 'How does life begin?'" Villareal
explains, referencing both studies in the birth of the universe as well as cellular
processes such as fertilization and cell division in his patterning. "I liked the
minimal feel of my last show Horizon, here in 2004, yet the experience of the new
piece will be like seeing a very zoomed up view of my worlds. Origin's scale within
the gallery will create a sense of immersion, like being in a giant microscope or
scientific instrument," comments the artist on the relationship of the new work to
his earlier installation.
Though the organic quality of these emergent patterns elicits an intuitive sense of
familiarity, Villareal imparts, "Origin will never repeat the exact same sequence. A
random combination of layering is constantly being presented. I enjoy not knowing
what is going to happen and being constantly surprised." The artist anticipates,
"This spontaneity will play on the viewer's brain's hard-coded compulsion to pattern
recognize, synchronize and create order from incoming stimulus. Through repeated
viewing, individual patterns and elements will become familiar but the overall flow
of the piece will be infinite and ever changing."
Villareal's work is currently on view in Young American Artists at Arario Gallery,
Seoul, Korea. Recent exhibitions include: Visual Music 1905-2005, The Hirshhorn
Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington DC and Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary
Art, Los Angeles, CA; Extreme Abstraction, The Albright Knox Museum of Art,
Buffalo, NY and All-Digital, Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland, OH, Greater New
York 2005, PS 1 Contemporary Art Center, New York, NY and Fiction: New Vision in
Contemporary Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei.
There will be an opening night reception Friday, November 3rd from 6-8pm. The
artist will be in attendance.
Opening reception: Friday, November 3: 6-8pm
Conner Contemporary Art
1730 Connecticut Avenue - Washington