About
God's Eye is an interactive art installation that utilizes software to generate an endless and ever-changing stream of images, akin to how one might imagine the all-seeing gaze of a higher power. The work invites viewers to contemplate the concept of omniscience and the infinite possibilities that exist in the world around us. As the software algorithm systematically generates new images, the work continually evolves and surprises, creating a unique and mesmerizing or dissapointing experience for each viewer. The piece is both a commentary on technology's role in shaping our understanding of the world and a meditation on the vastness and complexity of the universe.
Installation Setup
A comfortable blue velvet couch seduces the viewer to sit and stare at a seemingly blank beige computer monitor that sits upon a white gallery pedestal flanked on both sides by physical prints of the first and last image that the God's Eye software will generate. Although thousands of images are being generated every second, a single change in pixel color qualifies as one new image. The algorithm is looping through 256 possible colors for each pixel position starting at the top left of the screen. The sheer number of possible combinations (256 to the power of 480k) of pixel color and position makes it appear as if the screen is blank but if you stand up from the couch and approach the screen, you will see the pixels changing color rapidly. Yet when you step back, the screen will again appear blank. Given enough time, God's Eye will produce every image a person could see on a screen before the universe gets a chance to end itself.
God's Eye Chrome Sculpture and Code Poem
A chrome painted sculpture accompanying the main installation is placed in another nearby section of the gallery. The sculpture is an interpretation of how the code could manifest itself in a physical form. The aglorithm of the code is written on the sculptures base pedestal in a pseudo-code poem format. Staring at the sculpture can give the viewer a similar but distinct meditative experience as gazing at the screen where the computer generated images are being created. The sculpture surface creates its own set of seemingly infinite reflections with the viewer as the subject providing an opportunity for contemplating the perspective of a higher being with the capability to see and understand all things, and the intertwined relationship between technology and spirituality.
Sketches and Movie Poster
The sketch book illuminates the process of creating God's Eye without any prior experience of developing software. Although not very clear from the image quality, the sketches show the step by step thoughts that eventualy were made real by a collaborating programmer.
A movie poster was created once the full installation and software were complete since the constant generation of images could be interpreted as a moving image, although not very exciting.