On procedures & operations: a dialogue with some basic programming concepts

1. On procedures & operations:a dialogue with some basic programming concepts SM2220 Generative Art & Literature January 23, 2006 Linda Lai

2. I. Review

3. 20th-C art innovations: generative art & literaturereview of Week 01 discussion Openness: -Demarcation of art/non-art and the boundary of a work is fluid: stretchable, modifiable, invites participation Emphasis on Concept -a work of art doesn’t have to be about something in the world out there; it can be about thoughts and abstractions -what is actual what is possible  what is virtual Dematerialized art -Process-oriented -Set of instructions that govern the process of the making of the work (significance) Role of authorship  co-authorship  co-creativity

4. 20th-C art innovations: generative art & literaturereview of Week 01 discussion Serialism as our first example Permutation / combination Repetition / variation Mind-mapping based on the collaboration of divergent thinking and lateral thinking Automatism Rule-driven-ness *Execution / the procedures (today’s emphasis)

5. 20th-C art innovations: generative art & literaturereview of Week 01 discussion [#slide 32-33 from week 01] TWO kinds of generative systems in 20th-C art history (Diane Kirkpatrick): • Closed generative systems: -fixed pool of elements -in each work a closed analytic structure is set up which becomes a generator for exploration (2) Organic generative systems: A work begins with creating one word or idea and uses that to generate the next, and the next and so on…(creating generators)

7. II Processes & Procedures…: Conceptual  Structured

8. Generating a possible / virtual work Shifts– more humanistic input in the creative process ↓ conception ↓ design of rules and procedures

9. What is Generative Art? Generative Art performs the idea as process. Execution / the procedures Designing the procedures and the set of instructions becomes the core activities

10. Algorithms: procedures in computing Algorithm is the systematic procedures that computer science adopts to final correct solution to complex problems. Algorithm is a procedure for solving a problem in terms of: 1) the actions to execute 2) the order in which these actions execute

11. Setting workable procedures… Generative principles ≠ the technical procedures Sorting out solutions for a problem ≠ doing the actual scripting with a certain programming language

12. Algorithms: actions in order “rise-and-shine algorithm” [source: H.M. Deitel & P.J. Deitel (2005), C++: How to Program 5th edition, p. 121] (1) Get out of bed (2) Take off pajamas (3) Take a shower (4) Get dressed (5) Eat breakfast (6) Drive to work Consider other sequencing possibilities and the qualitative change in narrative meaning, e.g.: (1) – (2) – (4) – (3) – (5) – (6)

13. Algorithms: actions in order Setting actions in the right order in a computer program is called program control. “Structured programming”: Concerned with sequential execution, that is, the execution of statements one after the other in the order in which they are written.

14. Actions in order: Structured Programming Böhm and Jacopini (1960s) demonstrated that all programs could be written terms of only three control structures for sequential execution: • Sequence structure: about succession • Selection structure (OR “decision structure”) ifa single selection statement (conditional performance) if…else a double selection statement(conditional performance) switch a multiple selection statement (3) Repetition structure looping statements OR loops (loop-continuation condition) for () while () iteration recursion

15. III. Recursion? Iteration? preliminaries

16. Generating a possible / virtual work Shifts– more humanistic input in the creative process ↓ conception ↓ design of rules and procedures

17. An illustration of Recursion Recursion is one class of algorithms Recursion: the process of solving a large problem by reducing it to one or more sub-problems which are: • Identical in structure to the original problems; and • Simpler to solve

18. An illustration of Recursion How to collect $1000 in a fundraising event in which coupons are printed at $1 per piece: One way to do it is to find one person who can donate the total amount… [Source: Eric S. Roberts (1986), Thinking Recursively, pp. 1-4]

19. How to collect $1000 One way to do it is to use an iterative solution:

20. How to collect $1000: a recursive solution Principle: to break down the problem into identical, sub-problems that are simple to solve  Enlist 10 people, each in charge of raising $100. Each person asked 10 volunteers who will raise $10 each. Each volunteer will find 10 others who agree to raise $1.

22. How to collect $1000: a recursive solution The use of recursion here is a “divide-and-conquer” method. The original problem divides to form several simpler sub-problems, which branch into a set of simpler ones…until the simple cases[the simplest case(s), base case(s)]

23. How to collect $1000: recursive solution

24. More illustrations on the use of Recursion Mondrian-like computer art 1907-1914: Cubism (a modern art movement) flourished in Paris [nature should be represented in terms of its primitive geometrical components, e.g. cylinders, cones, spheres etc.] The Cubist community was dissolved at the outbreak of WWI  ideas influenced and shaped the development of abstract art, e.g. works of Piet Mondrian, characterized by rigid patterning of vertical and horizontal lines.

31. Iteration? Recursion?There’s a Hole in the Bucket There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole Then fix it, dear Charlie, dear Charlie Then fix it, dear Charlie, dear Charlie, fix it With what shall I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza With a straw, dear Charlie, dear Charlie But the straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza Then cut it, dear Charlie, dear Charlie With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza With a knife, dear Charlie, dear Charlie

32. Iteration? Recursion?There’s a Hole in the Bucket (cont’d) But the knife is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza Then sharpen it, dear Charlie, dear Charlie With what shall I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza With a stone, dear Charlie, dear Charlie But the stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza Then wet it, dear Charlie, dear Charlie With what shall I wet it, dear Liza, dear Liza With water, dear Charlie, dear Charlie But how shall I fetch it, dear Liza, dear Liza In a bucket, dear Charlie, dear Charlie There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza, There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Liza, a hole

33. To be continued next week… *Comparing iteration and recursion *Generative Grammar, an introduction