∞ Recursion ∞
We are Strange Loops feeding back onto ourselves.
Single Edition NFT, available through reserve auction on SuperRare.
∞ ∞ ∞
I first got fixated on the notion of recursion about ten years ago, when I read the book “I am a Strange Loop” by Douglas Hofstadter.
Recursion is, of course, a mathematical principle, a method of solving a problem where the solution depends on solutions to smaller instances of the same problem. I’ve never been much for computational math myself, but Hofstadter’s book introduced a concept I had never thought of: That the “I”, or the ego itself, is a recursive equation.
Mind. Blown.
It makes a lot of sense, if you think about it. Recursion is often visualized in the form of fractals or mandelbrots, and what better way to visualize one’s self? I am the I am that I am now, which is informed by and contains the I that was then, and generates the I that I will become.
I started working with analog video significantly in my art in 2015. While my practice has evolved immensely since then, video feedback has always played a role. The notion of feedback in any scenario is inherently recursive. That horrible noise a microphone makes if it gets too close to a speaker: it’s amplifying it’s own sound, the loop exponentiates, and we all clutch our ears in agony – quivering at the sheer magnitude and force of recursion on the loose.
Video feedback can often be equally chaotic and unpleasant – hence the need for “strobe warnings” across many glitch art blogs. Since 2015, I have been teaching myself an unusual instrument – I seek to tame and manipulate the feedback to yield harmony. She is a wild beast, that analog feedback, but I do pride myself on this aspect of my work. These recursive iterations appear as though they could spin off into chaos at any given moment, and yet, you know that maestro has them under control.
This mastery has been a long time coming. I actually have the moment I discovered video feedback on tape, when my dad was trying out the new camcorder all the way back in 1992. It’s surreal that this footage even exists, as you can witness the exact moment I became enamored with video feedback.
And so, you see, my work with video feedback feels like destiny in a way. It is a way of visualizing the boolean structure of our evolving minds as we take our first steps into the metaverse. The old ways are linear, and the new ways are fractal.
I created RECURSION in my analog video studio. When working with analog video, there are so many factors that can affect the final outcome of the work. The time of day, the quality of the light, the fine touch of the knobs and dials. Not to mention the animation I create digitally to pipe into the system, or the very concept itself! I like to think of these variables as the terroir, a term typically used to describe the environmental factors that affect the character and qualities of wine or olive oil.
The wind was really beneath my wings on this piece – a beautiful quality to the feedback to elevate the animation and concept. This piece was created with Hi8 camcorder feedback, digital animation and analog processing on VHS. It was filmed in 4K from my vintage CRT TV screen.
If the work speaks to you, I invite you to venture a bid on SuperRare. It’s a special piece destined for a special crypto art collection!