People Pixels

People Pixels is about exploring an inversion of the popular metaphor of computer as an assistant to the artist. A computer (more specifically a purpose-built software application) will direct participants in the creation of unique artworks representing scenes of the city of Minneapolis. The computer will choreograph a precise series of movements designed to create a stylized artwork based on photographs of each scene. Participants will each be visually guided by the computer to create marks on the canvas using one of 64 color crayons. After all of the participants have completed their tasks, the final composition will be revealed. The goal of the performance is to create as many original artworks as possible over the course of the night. This work was inspired by the documentary film Tim’s Vermeer and influenced by the field of computational creativity.

Aaron Westre creates works that fuse together art, design, science and technology. He is a software developer, artist and educator working at the intersection of creativity and computation. Currently he is a research fellow and instructor at the University of Minnesota College of Design. His work has been exhibited at the Soap Factory and the Bell Museum of Natural History.