Tessellate

Tessellate is a part of the N=12 group show on Feral File.

Tessellate is an embodiment of geometric precision and repetition, with each distinctive patch reflecting its unique color and texture, and together contributing to a larger design. This work showcases the harmony possible within diversity.

RalenArc uses code to combine textures from two distinct art forms: the fluidity of watercolor and the meticulous structuring of patchwork. The organic blending of watercolors is recreated to contribute hazy dream-like palettes, building on layers to evoke the viewer’s memories. Like Boro quilts, a traditional Japanese art form dating to the 17th century, the work ties together various patches in rectangular forms with rough edges. The interplay between colors, shapes, and textures is a key aspect of this work, adding depth while enhancing the natural realism.

One of the patch fills is reminiscent of the famous 10 PRINT program, a one-line piece of code written in BASIC for the Commodore 64 computer. The program prints alternating forward slashes (/) and backslashes (\) to create a generative maze in the terminal. This is one of the earliest accessible generative art programs that permeated personal computing in the 1980s.