Mathematics, art, and computer programming combine in the captivating artworks of the German creative duo Christoph Bader and Dominik Kolb, also known as deskriptiv.

Processes that give rise to forms are at the heart of Bader and Kolb’s artistic work. After the artists generate intricate shapes in virtual space, the objects are brought into the real world through 2D and 3D printing, or are animated as seen in the Video A Unified Approach to Grown Structures, which was screened during the recent Art+Science in Motion Short Film Festival at Visual Voice Gallery.

For their exhibition Generative Methods, Bader and Kolb present works on paper from their series Kuglen (Spheres) and Ringe (Rings). The creation of the rings and spheres in these prints is driven by a varying set of parameters, such as duplication, fragmentation, and deformation. As mesmerizing as the final artworks are, the end product is not the artists’ prime focus. The duo is more interested in the process which generates the complex geometries. Their artistic medium is algorithms, and their aesthetic interventions are steered by varying the parameters of the rules which drive the creation of each form.

Say the artists: “We work on the interface of computer science and design, combining both disciplines. In this area of conflict we search for new processes by investigating and analyzing graphic interventions; it’s what fascinates and drives us. In our creative process we operate purely digitally with the help of our main working tool, the computer. It acts as our laboratory where we establish all rules and parameters, much like creating a digital blueprint. Working in the digital space allows us to create without limitations, focusing entirely on the generation of forms.”

Each print in the Generative Methods exhibition is accompanied by an infographic which illustrates how each image was generated, providing a fascinating context to the artists’ work.

Christoph Bader and Dominik Kolb are currently students at the University of Applied Sciences in Weingarten- Ravensburg, Germany where they are writing their thesis on 3D printing and are developing an interactive software which will allow users to create their own 3D printed sculptures based on generative methods. They are also collaborating with artist and scientist Neri Oxman at MIT Media Lab to create grown and 3D printed clothing with embedded living matter.

(text by Bettina Forget)

More info at www.visualvoicegallery.com