Artist Statement

For many years I have been moved by the ideas of Taoist philosophers. Recently, I have been fascinated by the Taoist idea that the world was formed out of  formlessness. Somehow, order and form arose naturally from disorder and formlessness. Perhaps life arose as a result of a natural tendency, or Tao, of the universe to generate order from chaos.

For the interactive animation, Emerging Forms, I wrote a program for the Macintosh II which can generate organic forms from random fields of dots. By moving a mouse, random patterns can be transformed into organic forms in real time. Using the program, the viewer can ‘paint’ with full screen motion and metamorphosis by gesturing with his hand. I hope Emerging Forms conveys a sense that the motions and forms in the animation continually arise due to elusive principles and unseen processes.

I am moved most by art when I feel that I am peering into the soul of the artist. With interactivity, perhaps the viewer can feel a deep sense of exploring the artist’s inner self. In addition, the viewer is invited to become an active participant in the creative process, creating form and motion. The work becomes a tiny world which is explored and even altered by the viewer. I want to encourage deep absorption in the process of discovery while using Emerging Forms. The animation and imagery becomes part of the creative exploration by both myself and the viewer the art is ‘half me and half you.’

Work in exhibition: Fingertip, artist’s software for Macintosh family of computers

• Hillary Kapan, USA