On Linear Segmentarity - Moods, Logic, and Interpretations

“We are segmented from all around and in every direction. The human being is a segmentary animal. Segmentarity is inherent to all the strata composing us. Dwelling, getting around, working, playing: life is spatially and socially segmented. The house is segmented according to its rooms’ assigned purposes; streets, according to the order of the city; the factory, according to the nature of the work and operations performed in it. We are segmented in a binary fashion, following the great major dualist oppositions: social classes, but also men-women, adult-children, and so on.”

-a thousand plateaus: capitalism and schizophrenia, Deleuze and Guattari

We are segmented by the places we live, the people we know, the work we do, and the things we own. We are even segmented by our own bodies, as seen in the binary opposition of men and women.

The idea of segmentarity is not new. It has been explored by philosophers and artists alike. Deleuze and Guattari's philosophy of the "rhizome" speaks to the inherent segmented nature of existence. In the arts, Barnett Newman's "zip paintings" and Sol LeWitt's "serial structures" are examples of segmentarity in action.

Linear Segmentarity takes this concept one step further by visualizing the hidden segmented self. We are constantly moving from one segment to another, but we often don't realize it. The goal of this project is to make the segmented self visible and to highlight the beauty in our own hidden intricacies.

Segment 1 - Process Domain

Monotype printmaking is a type of printmaking where a single image is printed from a plate. This printing process can be used to create both prints and drawings. In monotype printmaking, the artist uses a brush or other tool to apply paint to the surface of a metal or acrylic plate.

The paint is then transferred to a sheet of paper by running the plate through a printing press. Because monotype prints are created one at a time, each print is unique.

Linear Segmentarity began as a monotype printing project. I was interested in exploring the relationship between segmentation and repetition. I began by creating a series of small, segmented images.

The printing process was very laborious, so I decided to create a computer program that would do the work for me. I wanted to create a program that would generate segmented images that could be printed on top of each other to create a larger, more complex image.

The result is Linear Segmentarity.

This project was created with p5js, a Javascript library for creating computer-generated art. I started with a simple sketch that divided the screen into a grid of quadrants. I then added a function that randomly selected the color for each quadrant. I repeated this process a few hundred times, and the result was a colorful abstract image.

Segment 2 - Concept Domain / Multiplicities of n dimensions

“If we consider the great binary aggregates, such as the sexes or classes, it is evident that they also cross over into molecular assemblages of a different nature, and that there is a double reciprocal dependency between them. For the two sexes imply a multiplicity of molecular combinations bringing into play not only the man in the woman and the woman in the man, but the relation of each to the animal, the plant, etc.: a thousand tiny sexes.”

-a thousand plateaus: capitalism and schizophrenia, Deleuze and Guattari

My journey into generative art has involved a lot of trial and error. I've experimented with a variety of programming languages and libraries, and I've slowly been able to piece together a workflow that works for me. Along the way, I've learned a lot about myself and my own creative process.

One of the most important things I've learned is the significance of constraints. When I first started exploring generative art, I would try to make something from scratch every time. I quickly realized that this was not only impossible, but it was also not very fun.

Now, I often start with a specific constraint in mind. For example, I might decide to use a particular color palette or shape. This allows me to focus my creative energy and explore the possibilities within the given constraints.

Another important thing I've learned is the value of iteration. Generative art is all about experimentation and play. I often have to try something a few times before I get it right. And even then, "right" is often a relative term. There is no wrong way to make generative art, and there is no such thing as a perfect piece. The goal is simply to keep exploring.

Segment 3 - Hypostasis

So, what does all this have to do with segmentarity? Well, segmentarity is a concept that can be applied to generative art. In short, segmentarity is the idea that a thing can be divided into segments and that each segment can be further divided into smaller segments.

One of the benefits of generative art is that it can be generated infinitely. That is, once the parameters are set, the art can be produced ad infinitum. This is in contrast to traditional art forms, such as painting or sculpture, which are limited by the artist's time and energy. With algorithmically generated art, artists can project the segmented nature of reality into eternity.