MRK: aDiatomea

aDiatomea

Video installation exhibited at Haeckel's Phyletic Museum in Jena, Germany, 2008-present
Official Selection at the 5th Annual Imagine Science Film Festival New York, 2012

aDiatomea is an artificial life system that uses various methods and concepts of a-life research. The basic principle of aDiatomea is that every aspect of it is entirely mathematically generated and thus it is not created purposefully as an art piece but as a complex system that takes a life of its own. These artificial organisms are based on actual unicellular organisms known as Diatoms. These beautiful microscopic creatures are constructed using the superformula, an equation that can reproduce organic forms. Granular sound is injected in these organisms, acting as their life-force, while they interact with each other and their environment. This film shows a recording of 36 seconds of evolution in 5 different colonies of artificial diatoms, pushing the boundaries of complex computer calculations.

More information on the aDiatomea website

Prints

Limited Edition prints are available here.

Fragilariophyceae

Coscinodiscophyceae

aDiatomea 1

aDiatomea II

Dust Particles I

Dust Particles II

Virtual Diatom Colonies

Colonies

Diatoms are microscopic unicellular algae and one of the most abundant groups of phytoplankton. It is estimated that they’re responsible for up to a quarter of the world’s oxygen production and almost half of the ocean’s primary organic production. Besides this biological importance, diatoms are most famous for their magnificent geometric outer skeleton made out of silica, known as a frustule. These outer shells come in a wide variety of shapes, from squares and triangles to stars and more complex geometrical shapes.

Sphaeroidea Outtakes

Deleted scenes from aDiatomea that were hidden deep within the confines of my hard drive.