2012 Joint Mathematics Meetings
Gary Greenfield
Artists
Gary Greenfield
Professor Emeritas of Mathematics & Computer Science
University of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia, USA
Statement
Many of my computer generated algorithmic art works are based on simulations that are inspired by mathematical models of physical and biological processes. In exploring the space of parameters that govern the simulation, I try to focus the viewer's attention on the complexity underlying such processes.
Artworks
Stigmmetry Print #4660
10.5 in x 10.5 in (unframed)
Digital Print
2011
Stigmergy is a form of self-organization that is brought about by indirect coordination of agents or actions. Urbano proposed a model based on stigmergy for simulating the nest formation that occurs when ants of the species T. albipennis collect grains of sand. He used this model to create virtual “sand paintings”. Stigmmetry Print #4660 was made by asasigning centers, radii, and colors to virtual colonies so that stigmergy self-organizes a uniform density grid of virtual sand grains into a sand painting that up close, has no color symmetry, but from a distance is perceived as color preserving when reflected across the horizontal axis and color reversing when reflected across the vertical axis.