Interview about Roses and Kaleidoscope NFT Digital Art , winner of the A' Digital Art Award 2023
This is a fascinating project that started in 2012 as a Facebook page where ASCII and Unicode patterns have been generated. In this abstract project, the generated patterns are adapted for digital art. Why ASCII and Unicode for digital design are so clever? This project shows how a straightforward system of 8-bit and 16-bit code and potentially any HTML text field can be utilised to generate intensely beautiful patterns through iteration and duration and collaboration it can produce sophisticated and vibrant results. This project aims to set up an interactive digital patterns bank on Facebook.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsMy use of ASCII and Unicode as primary visual material originated in long-term research conducted through the ASCII Digital Design Museum, which I founded as a public, born-digital archive. Beginning around 2012, I explored how text-based systems could function not as illustration, but as structural frameworks capable of generating spatial, rhythmic, and architectural compositions. Roses and Kaleidoscope represents a continuation of this research, translating established text-based pattern logic into high-resolution digital works while preserving the same constraint-driven methodology. The project reflects continuity rather than departure: the tools remain minimal, while the systems and outcomes have become increasingly refined.
The work operates through simple rule-based systems that mirror processes found in nature, such as repetition, symmetry, and proportional balance. By applying strict structural constraints—such as mirrored units and modular repetition—the compositions gain an organic quality through accumulation rather than expressive gesture. The visual language emerges from system behavior rather than manual styling, allowing mathematical order and natural form to coexist without hierarchy.
I am interested in how limitation sharpens perception. HTML text fields are not designed for visual complexity, yet they are universally accessible, lightweight, and persistent. By working within these constraints, I treat the digital environment as an architectural site rather than a neutral surface. This approach reframes common interfaces as spaces for visual research, demonstrating how structure, rather than software power, generates form.
Presenting the work in physical galleries reinforced the architectural qualities inherent in the patterns. The translation from screen to print highlighted scale, material presence, and spatial rhythm, confirming that the systems underlying the work are not medium-dependent. This transition validated the research premise that text-based digital systems can produce outcomes suitable for both digital and physical contexts without alteration to the core methodology.
The project is developed entirely within low-resource digital environments, eliminating the need for physical materials, transportation, storage, or waste. By relying on text-based systems rather than image-heavy or computationally intensive processes, the work minimizes energy consumption while allowing for long-term, scalable artistic research. Sustainability here is not an aesthetic theme but a structural condition of the practice.
The 2×2 structure provides a stable yet flexible framework that supports symmetry, reflection, and variation. It functions as a foundational unit that can expand infinitely while maintaining coherence. For the viewer, this creates a sense of visual equilibrium and continuity, allowing complexity to emerge without overwhelming the perceptual field.
Precision operates at the structural level, while fluidity emerges perceptually. The strict application of rules ensures consistency, but the density, rhythm, and interaction of characters introduce visual softness and motion. This balance allows the work to remain systematic without appearing mechanical, inviting sustained observation rather than immediate consumption.
Accessibility has remained central throughout. Beginning in public digital spaces ensured that the work was visible without institutional gatekeeping. Subsequent presentations in galleries and curated platforms expanded its contextual framing without altering its openness. This progression demonstrates that accessibility and institutional recognition are not mutually exclusive but can coexist within a research-driven practice.
My background in movement, music, and visual art informs how I understand rhythm, repetition, and spatial timing. These sensibilities translate directly into pattern construction, where balance and variation function similarly to musical structure or choreographic sequencing. The work is less about representation and more about embodied systems of order and flow.
The project contributes to ongoing conversations about authorship, materiality, and sustainability in digital practice. By demonstrating that minimal, text-based systems can generate complex visual outcomes, it challenges assumptions about technological dependency in contemporary art. The recognition affirms the value of long-term research, structural thinking, and alternative digital methodologies within the evolving landscape of art and design.
Dive into a world of design excellence with our curated highlights. Each feature showcases outstanding creativity, innovation, and impact from the design world. Discover inspiration and learn more about these incredible achievements.
