Talk
WERC will be discussing their research on using thousands of microprocessors to emulate collective natural behaviors. We are constantly surrounded by dynamic natural processes, from large-scale events like cloud formation to intricate local systems such as how a tree forms its branches or how flocks of birds navigate without collision. Many of these processes can be distilled into simple rules. WERC is deeply fascinated by identifying these rules and translating them into the digital realm.
The biological processes within groups of organisms, such as flocks of starlings or groups of fireflies, create visual spectacles that have captivated humans for decades. Rather than merely recreating these visuals digitally, WERC seeks to uncover and program the underlying rules governing these behaviors.
This research led to the creation of the LUMO family, which includes three main artworks: PIXI, LILY, and TANE. Each piece is designed to thrive in a different environment, facing unique challenges and exhibiting distinct behaviors.
Olav Huizer from WERC will share his fascinations, detailing the origin of these artworks. He will provide insights into the research, production processes and underlying systems WERC has created to make these digital organisms.
Biography
Art collective WERC focuses on designing and developing new media art. Central in its works is the interaction between human, nature and technology. The result is the humanizing of technological processes. WERC explores the boundaries between the physical and the digital world: where does one world end, and the other begin? And should we even speak of two separate worlds?
WERC was formed by artists Olav Huizer, Joachim Rümke, and Jelle Valk, who met at Minerva Art Academy in Groningen. They bonded over a shared love for experimentation, digital art, and site-specific installations. WERC gained recognition through collaborative video mapping projects with well-known DJs and dance festivals. By projecting their work on both large screens and self-designed sculptures, WERC became known for transforming physical spaces.
Olav Huizer was raised by two biologist parents. As a result, Olav studied the structures and patterns of the nature surrounding him from a young age, driven by a desire to unveil and understand the process behind every natural phenomenon. His fascination for understanding processes later translated to the fields of electronics and programming languages. As a true autodidact, Olav educated himself in those fields. His desire to understand the workings of techniques and processes plays an important role in the innovative strength of WERC.