Fractal Art

Fractals as art

Having commenced my visual artistry in photography in the early 1980s, I abandoned traditional darkroom techniques many years ago in favour of digital manipulation of my photos, as well as the creation of imagery from scratch wholly within the digital domain, using popular painting programs. My latest foray is into using 'fractal' art programs. I also produce animated videos and some of the still images are selected as prints for sale.

I am presenting here a number of still images as canvas prints taken from or inspired by my animated story, The Infinity Paradox (which is still in the development stage). Whilst the animation does contain some amazing imagery that is appealing in the context of a movie, much of it would perhaps not be the sort of imagery that people might want to display on the walls of their homes. I am therefore attempting to select images that might be considered contemporary wall art in their own right and so, whilst some images give a flavour of the video, in the main, much of the works presented are (hopefully) a little different to the very many stunning, but obviously fractal, artworks that others have online.

These prints are more than just colourful images; whilst they do exist to herald in The Infinity Paradox, they are also a representation of how close fractal algorithms - manipulated in the binary code of cyberspace - are coming to being able to represent manifestations of codes in the solid, physical world we call reality; something familiar yet still a little alien.

The algorithms can create flourishing or decaying organic-like flora, unimaginable metallic or plastic architectural structures, as well as completely alien landscapes, but the difference is that all of these structures can dissolve and merge in fluid-like exchanges, where the conventional laws of physics: of solids, liquids and gases no longer apply. Rocks can become flowers, can become space ships. Although I was initially drawn in by the amazing graphics, it wasn't long before I 'realised' that fractals can visually demonstrate many beliefs from eastern spiritual philosophy, including the notion that everything is interconnected. Every fragment contains and is contained within everything else simultaneously, whether or not it is taking on a similar visible form at the time. This may prove to be closer to describing our physical reality than we currently realise and opens up deeper questions such as, 'if no one has yet generated the exact numbers to have created a location, does it exist' - and so are we its creators or its discoverers? If we are the architects of our own destinies, what might this imply for the potentiality of all life-paths we have not yet taken? Anyway, side-stepping any questions of ownership or copyright this might engender, I hope that my images might speak to people on a deeper level than mere attractive visuals.

I do not so much consider myself to be the artist in this venture, but think myself more of an excited explorer, discovering the frontiers of this amazing and infinite alternative reality - my 'art' is in having the vision to create what I hope others might be intrigued to see...and perhaps add to their walls.

20% of all profits from print orders will be donated to (registered charity).