Jeffrey Ventrella

This is my 2026 Earth Day algorithmic art animation, from a series of annual Earth Day animations (ventrella.com/EarthDay). It begins with a randomly-distributed collection of particles that converge on a string, revealing that their firefly-like flashes of light correspond to a precise algorithm. The string coils around an implied sphere, becoming progressively longer. The surface of the sphere is transformed into a canvas, and the flashes reveal new patterns. These patterns become more complex and chaotic, reaching a climax driven by the beat of the electronic music. Composer/collaborator Canton Becker transformed data output from the particles' movements and flashes into rhythmic patterns. The animation is inspired by the beautiful complexity of our living planet, and the emergence of higher-order patterns.

This video explains some concepts related to space-filling fractal curves, such as how a fractal curve generator can be designed to have flipped segments (rotated by 180 degrees), allowing it to become a self-avoiding curve.