Organiverse - FETTU 2.0 wrapped up last night

With the second "From Earth to the Universe" (FETTU) exhibit wrapping up last night following a month-long show at Mayfair, we're posting my note from earlier this year, written at the beginning of the first FETTU exhibit appeared in February.

“To infinity and beyond, in both directions,
The micro and macro cosmos.” Henri van Bentum

In the previous post (Jan 31), we promised to elaborate some more on the contents and philosophy of Organiverse. Organiverse is a series of 100 paintings which I created in 1972, all done dot by dot, in pointillism. Each painting is a sphere or mandala, 8 ½ cm in diameter.

Not long ago the original images were digitally scanned and they are part of the upcoming “From Earth to the Universe” (FETTU) exhibit here in Victoria. FETTU is one of the projects marking the International Year of Astronomy 2009 http://astronomy2009.org.

Why pointillism? For one thing, because there is nothing solid in the Universe. Everything is separated. The planets, stars, even the Sun appear as a “dot” in space.

I coined the word “Organiverse” back in the 1970’s from two words “Organi/c” and “Un/iverse”. In the beginning there was darkness. Darkness became light. And light is colour. Organiverse embraces the evolution of colour, born from the three primaries of Red, Yellow and Blue.

From the un-formed comes form. There are no words or explanations necessary, really. What is needed is time and patience to let it all sink in, by contemplation or meditation.

Each viewer will experience the work differently according to their individual life experience and total sum of awareness. You could say Organiverse embraces the macrocosm within a microscopic frame of reference.

With this work we explore organic processes on the cosmic and microscopic levels, with here and there, a pause - - - linked to the noumena (as opposed to phenomena). But always maintaining its spirit of metamorphosis and evolution.
Now, thirty-seven years after its creation, and thanks to contemporary digital scanning technology, Organiverse is being shared with a wider audience in 21st century fashion on large flat-screens provided courtesy of SONY Style.
It’s not what I originally intended, back in 1972, but as Natasha observed:

“Organiverse will grow on the viewer,
Like friendship and music.
Observe it without distraction,
Quietly in solitude.
You will discover this contemplative Opus
Brings a welcome antidote to our stress-laden times.”
Natasha van Bentum

Here are a couple of others quotes about Organiverse:

“Organiverse is a glimpse into the multilayered beauty of all that is Life. As a physician and healer, I feel that these mandalas offer an immense opportunity for healing, and for a heart-based understanding of who we are physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Peering into each mandala, one witnesses the microcosms and macrocosms of Life, and penetrates to the very depths of that which is Truth. A dance of color, form, and contemplation, Organiverse is a meditation on selflessness.”
Dr.Mark Sherman MDCM, CCFP

“The dots are amazingly clear. Aside from their stunning pristine beauty, there is also a subtle intelligence in the progression. It seems the artist retained each image which he developed day by day --- an amazing visual memory and disciplined craftsmanship." Sonam Gyatso.

"I am extremely pleased with the beauty and depth of the Organiverse Folio. It is a garland of flowers in my daily experience. It is a wormhole entrance into both the depths of of the starry night and the inner life process of the biosphere we inhabit. A tour de force that will reverberate down the annals of human cultural history. A unique and magical work of true and lasting significance. Thank You!" Brian W. Johnson, MSW.

Alaska in August, 2009

Back from memorable and refreshing voyage. Here's a foto, more coming soon.

Back from Alaska

A few photos coming soon from our recent journey to the land of glaciers.

Blogging

Greetings - now the Tour de France is over, an update. We began the Blog September 2008. Today there are a few hundred posts (please see Archive at end of page). So I'm giving people time to digest what's here already, before writing more posts, at least for the time being. Lots more material to add.

Mandelbrot speaks

Yesterday we devoted our post to Fractals as seen from my point of view as an artist. Today we share a quote sent by a friend, from the pioneer mathematician Benoit B. Mandelbrot in his seminal book “The Fractal Geometry of Nature”:
"Clearly, competing with artists is not at all a purpose of this essay. Nevertheless, one must address this issue. The question is not whether the illustrations are neatly drawn and printed, and the originals being drawn by computer is not essential either, except in terms of economics.
But we do deal with a new form of the controversial but ancient theme that all graphical representations of mathematical concepts are a form of art, one that is best when it is simplest, when (to borrow a painter's term) it can be called "minimal art".
It is widely held that minimal art is restricted to limited combinations of standard shapes: lines, circles, spirals, and the like. But such need not be the case.
The fractal used in scientific models are also very simple (because science puts a premium on simplicity). And I agree that many may be viewed as a new form of minimal geometric art...
The fractal "new geometric art" shows surprising kinship to Grand Masters paintings or Beaux Arts Architecture.
An obvious reason is that classical visual arts, like fractals, involve very many scales of length and favor self-similarity.
For all these reasons, and also because it came in through an effort to imitate Nature in order to guess its laws, it may well be that fractal art is readily accepted because it is not truly unfamiliar. . ." (Benoit Mandelbrot)

Computer Art Born from Nature

A friend who is very interested in Fractals and creates them wondered about similarity between fractal imagery and abstract art, which gave me the idea to write this post which topic might be of interest,
Mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot
http://www.math.yale.edu/mandelbrot/
was the fractal pioneer, created with Intelligent Electricity, my name for computers or anything electronic. (Back in the late 1960’s, I was offered by a professor of computer science at University of Toronto to have carte blanche, as an artist, with their computer equipment, to experiment with new forms of expression, but declined.) This new art of fractals is now taking its place amongst 21st Century artforms.
When seeing these images in 1999 aboard “Ocean Explorer I” on the world cruise (shown by a passenger from New York who had a disc of them), I was spellbound.
He was a student in our creative exploration art class in the ‘floating studio’ and we’d given an assignment to do abstractions with the primary and secondary colours.
After this he invited us to his cabin where he had his computer.
I had heard earlier about Fractals, and seen still photographs, but this fellow showed the images moving and he could also stop them as “paintings”.
I immediately realized we were dealing here with a new art form, albeit one only possible to create with electricity input or batteries. (Intelligent Electricity)
During the 1960’s in times of Psychedelic art and Flower people, some beings were doing fine drawings, spirals, wheels within wheels, which may give the impression of a similar spiritual-climate as Fractals.
Then there are the intricate early drawings by Escher, which I’d seen originals as a boy in Holland. Although he belongs more to Optical Illusion style and category - - while Fractals are a reality in Nature.
Mandelbrot tried to find a way of expression that followed Natural laws. One only needs to look at ferns, broccoli, kale, trees (with or without leaves), clouds, bronchia (lungs), and coastlines as seen from space.
That he succeeded in finding the ever-never land imagery from such a ‘simple’ formula now has its own language.
On the one hand there are strong similarities with abstract art, while on the other, you recognize ancient symbols already interpreted by the Tibetan monks and thangkha artists, (especially their depictions of clouds). But of course those were and are still done by hand.
It is not that Fractals are a continuum or have that potential within the design, but each frame could be an image by itself, such as we can see for example with Fractal calendars. Visually then, to look at them without movement they give the impression of modern art.
The greatest art is knowing When and Where to stop, not add. Such simplicity gives it strength. Fractals could be called a never-ending variation on the same theme, like the music of J.S. Bach.
Computer art it certainly is, and an art form that is unique and which stands entirely in its own realm. Signing off, Henri

Wildlife, and flower counting on the Island

Many of you have no doubt viewed in 2007 the Eagle webcam at Hornby Island, waiting for the Bald Eagles’ eggs to hatch. They never did. However our determined Eagle watcher says the Eagles are back in the nest and he has a gut feeling this year they might succeed at having chicks.
We were privileged to meet the fellow, Doug Carrick, at his home on Hornby (the eagle nest is beside his property), courtesy of a friend, Beverly, who also lives on Hornby Island. Doug also keeps a record of the whales that come by.
He showed us a video of the nest, very high up in the tree.
Now why do we bring up the topic of Bald Eagles? First, they’re not bald! They have lots of white plumage on their heads and necks; whoever named them first, I guess from a distance they looked bald.
We mentioned in an earlier post about those two Baldies turning “Rambo” and who destroyed many nests and chased the herons, making over 100 homeless, Thank You, out of the treetops here at beautiful Beacon Hill Park. So now they have that realm all for themselves. But, hold on! They also refuse to let other Baldies build a nest next to theirs.
This brings us to our local wildlife story. For on the rooftop of our ten-storey apartment building (we’re on the 7th floor), right here on the Pacific coast at Juan de Fuca Strait, we have a happy pair of Bald Eagles which have made this spot their base.
We often watch them going for breakfast at dawn, returning with a good catch. To the consternation of the seagulls and crows. How about that? Having a pair of Baldies right above our heads!
Another happening to tell you about is the annual spring blossom count here in Victoria. With the unusual cold spell we’ve had, there’s a bit of a raincheck (or should I say snow check) on this activity for now. My contribution is complete. This morning I counted 73 crocuses along the way to the grocery store. Those tiny fellows show us they survive the cold and snow. Brave and strong they are, besides being little beauties.
Signing off, Henri