“Two Space” by Larry Cuba
Video still from YouTube
Title:
- Two Space
Artist(s) and People Involved:
Filmmaker, Video Artist, or Animator(s):
Symposium:
Venue(s):
Creation Year:
- 1979
Medium:
- 16 mm., b/w, optical sound
Duration:
- 8'
Artist Statement:
This special program introduces the rarely seen, yet widely acclaimed computer animated films by the American artist Larry Cuba. In his artwork Cuba is known for his painstaking strain after perfection. Because of this he has produced relatively few films which have, however, a quite unique esthetic quality. According to Gene Youngblood, “if there is a Bach of abstract animation it is Larry Cuba. Words like elegant, graceful, exhilarating spectacular works characterized by cascading designs, starling shifts of perspective and the ineffable beauty of precise, mathematic structure.” (Video/Arts, Winter 1986)
Two Space
Two-dimensional patterns, like the tile patterns of Islamic temples are generated by performing a set of symmetry operations (translations, rotations and reflections) upon a basic figure of tile. Two Space consists of twelve such patterns produced using each of nine different animating figures (12×9==108 total). Rendered in stark black and white, the patterns produce optical illusions of figure-ground reversal and afterimages of color. Gamelan music from the classical tradition of Java adds to the mesmerizing effect.
