ABSTRACT
This paper explores the author's Light Pattern project, a programming language where code is written with photographs rather than text. Light Pattern explores programming languages as the most direct conduit between human thinking and machine logic. It emphasizes the nuance, tone and personal style inherent in all code. It also creates an algorithmic photography structured by the programs one writes, but not ultimately computer-generated. The paper looks at connections to both hobbyist/hacker culture (specifically esolangs) and to art-historical impulses and movements such as Fluxus and Oulipo.
Supplemental Material
- Nick Montfort, "Obfuscated Code," in Software Studies, ed. Matthew Fuller, 196.Google Scholar
- Ben Olmstead, "Interview with Ben Olmstead," esoteric.codes, published 12/16/2014, <http://esoteric.codes/post/101675489813/interview-with-ben-olmstead>.Google Scholar
- ais523, "Interview with ais523," esoteric.codes, published 2/28/2011. <http://esoteric.codes/post/84454956003/interview-with-ais523>.Google Scholar
- David Morgan-Mar, "Interiew with David Morgan-Mar," esoteric.codes, published 02/10/2015, <http://esoteric.codes/post/110647356808/interview-with-david-morgan-mar>.Google Scholar
- Jean Lescure, "A Brief History of the Oulipo" in Oulipo: A Primer of Potential Literature, ed. and trans. Warren F. Motte Jr, p. 37.Google Scholar
- Zach Budgor, "Arbitrary Subjects Turn into Kaleidoscopic Imagery with Light Pattern," Kill Screen Daily, published 08/06/2014, <http://killscreendaily.com/articles/kaleidoscopic-coding-programming-language-light-pattern/>.Google Scholar
- George Brecht, "Three Lamp Events," The Fluxus Performance Workbook, ed. Ken Friedman et al., p. 23. Performance Research e-publication.Google Scholar
- David Morgan-Mar, "Piet," last updated 5/28/2014, retrieved 4/3/2015, <www.dangermouse.net/esoteric/piet.html>.Google Scholar
- Chris Pressey, "Interview with Chris Pressey," to be published on esoteric.codes.Google Scholar
- Chris Pressey, "The Aesthetics of Esolangs," published 6/17/2013, retrieved 1/20/2015, <http://catseye.tc/node/The_Aesthetics_of_Esolangs>.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Light pattern: writing code with photographs
Comments