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Leo Villareal

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The Essence Of Light: Thirteen Years Of Exploration (PHOTOS)

Posted: 09/16/2010 8:07 pm

The San Jose Museum of Art is presenting my first-ever museum survey show and features 20 sculptures dated from 1997 to the present.

My work is focused on stripping systems down to their essence to better understand the underlying structures and rules that govern how they work. I am interested in lowest common denominators such as pixels or the zeros and ones in binary code. Starting at the beginning, using the simplest forms, I begin to build elements within a framework. The work explores not only on the physical but adds the dimension of time combining both spatial and temporal resolution. The forms move, change, interact and ultimately grow into complex organisms. Inspired by mathematician John Conway's work with cellular automata and the Game of Life, I have sought to create my own sets of rules. Central to the work is the element of chance. My goal is to create a rich environment in which emergent behavior can occur without a preconceived outcome.

I believe in being an active participant, serving as editor in the process through the careful selection of compelling sequences. These selections are then further refined through combination with other sequences through simple operations such as addition, subtraction and multiplication.

The sequence's opacity, speed and scale can all be manipulated through custom software. Ultimately, complex compositions are formed and then displayed in random order and for a random amount of time in the final artwork. The visual manifestation of the code in light is my core interest.

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The San Jose Museum of Art is presenting my first-ever museum survey show and features 20 sculptures dated from 1997 to the present. My work is focused on stripping systems down to their essence ...
The San Jose Museum of Art is presenting my first-ever museum survey show and features 20 sculptures dated from 1997 to the present. My work is focused on stripping systems down to their essence ...
 
 
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
ConfuciusSay-
Aglets: their purpose is sinister.
10:58 PM on 09/20/2010
Wish I could attend. Looks cool.
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07:35 PM on 09/18/2010
Wow... not my thing at all.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
MAragon
06:52 PM on 09/18/2010
I have to be real careful with this sort of art - it can give me migraines.
10:13 PM on 09/17/2010
Always enjoy your vision, Leo. I wish I could see it in person because I know that the essence is in the transitions. Your work truly illuminates, but I'm not sure it can be captured in traditional photos. It maybe fantastically represented online in the new medium of 360 degree video. Take a look at what has been done http://bit.ly/aHDafK.
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12:32 PM on 09/17/2010
Works like this have always left me a bit cold but I do wish I could see this exhibit in person, I think a lot is lost in the photos.
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KeepNIt2Real
Um, are you gonna eat that?
11:42 AM on 09/17/2010
I want this exhibit in my place.
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09:06 AM on 09/17/2010
Beautiful !!!!
I have always liked anything that glitters, glows, or shines.
Peace.
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SolarPowerGuy
Ph.D., Immunology; Solar power @ home; Green Party
04:44 AM on 09/17/2010
Hey there, Leo, congratulations. I haven't been to the Art Museum in a few years, and this looks like an interesting exhibit. I'll have to see if I can talk the wife and kid into a trip downtown.