What struck me most about Casey Reas’s work was the organic creations and forms that were generated by code and step by step process. For something so particular in geometry and process, one would figure that it would end up looking mechanical or obviously generated. Some of the forms and textures produced look like microbes or textures zoomed in under a microscope, flowers and pollen. There aren’t obvious exact repetitions, yet it’s clear that the pieces are made up of a system of forms. This, I think, is where the organic effect is accomplished. Organic material is made up of molecules connected in systems, generating larger wholes. In this way, these processes really do mimic organic compositions.

Reas’s presentation on his progression in computer generated art was interesting and informative. It was nice to hear his process and the developments he and his work have gone through due to technological advancements. From the simple, geometrically exact pieces from the 90’s – 00’s, to the complex, organic, undulating and eery patterned works of the present, he is a great example of where New Media Art came from and is heading, ever changing and evolving.

– Kimi Oyama