Intersections - Nguyen Dang Binh

Patrick Lichty
Pixelboxes
12 inches x 38 inches x 38 inches
laser-cut wood, lEDs, microcontrollers
ARTIST STATEMENT
Pixelboxes is deceptively simple in appearance, but is an experiment
in emergent behavior. The piece consists of a grid of 36 color-changing
lEDs that contain very small microprocessors. When powered
up simultaneously, the lEDs begin as all red. But because of miniscule
differences in the manufacturing process, timing changes occur,
and the grid of lEDs create patterns of red, green, and blue. The
result is a study in complex interactions shown as a visual display.
Conceptually, Pixelboxes creates “characters” or “calligrams” (to
quote Foucault) that hint at the legible symbol, but never quite get
there. Pixelboxes also is informed by John Simon’s “Every Icon”
work, which cycles through every possibility in a 32 x 32 pixel grid,
creating every icon imaginable.
CONTACT
Patrick Lichty
Bowling Green State University
1556 Clough Street, #28
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403 USA
voyd@voyd.com
www.voyd.com
TECHNICAl STATEMENT
Pixelboxes consists of a laser-cut sculpture and lattice that holds 36
color-changing lEDs, each section representing a “pixel” in the 6
x 6 icon. While each of the lEDs has a preset pattern of sequential
flashes, differences in the processors inside the RGB lED create
slight differences in timing. In addition, the different power requirements
of the red, green, and blue lEDs cause further instability in
the timing of the circuit.
Artworks Art Gallery Electronic Art and Animation Catalog
5