A series of pencil (6B) studies based on 'data moshed' video screenshots.

When a video file becomes corrupt or incomplete it starts showing distorted particles (pixels) of the previous screens.

This creates a wonderful and sometimes surprisingly surreal effect. The data get all mangled up and in a way these misplaced pixels remind me of what they call ‘the hand of the artist’, or in this case ‘the hand of the program’. A bit similar to the renderings of Magenta’s neural network but with complete different intention. The beautiful imperfection of a faulty digital system.

In a way you could make the comparison between the configuration of confused bytes of mashed up video data and torn, ripped poster elements.

Like the work of Jacques Mahé de la Villeglé born in 1926 who has been using torn posters as his mosh medium of choice for over 50 years.

His work shows a collage of torn-away strips of posters revealing layers and layers of other posters that were glued on the same wall before. What remains is creative residue shaped over time and with that inherent sentiment when nature goes into its cycle of life and death.


Related work

Theme II: Presences – 2007

Theme III: Hat Men