Swarm
Artist
Daniel Shiffman
(American, born 1973)
Date2003
MediumInteractive video installation software
DimensionsN/A
Credit LineGift of the artist.
Object number2008.3
On View
Not on view
2023
Copyright© Daniel Shiffman.
The images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextThis interactive video installation
applies the Boids program, an
artificial simulation developed in
the late 20th century that mim
ics a pattern of flocking birds to
moving brush strokes. Capturing
colors from the live video input,
Daniel Shiffman’s Swarm produces
a painterly, ever-evolving compo
sition in real time. The artist was inspired by Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings, explaining, “Rather than simply create a new image processing filter, I wanted the interactive system to emulate the techniques of American action painters, and make visible the generative process itself.”