Rotten world

This image is one of my own taken from the 'Decay' series. I will work this on a gesso sphere 10cms diameter.
More news shorly on the construction of the grid object.

Melted Metal.

The fusion of the upper and lower areas begins to interest me even more. This example of melted metal was submitted by 'anon' and hopefully does not contravene a copyright. Any body feel like using it as a texture on a 'melt' object that extends from the upper stave to the lower support?

Object Library. Explosion.

'Ray Trace' sent me this image some time ago. I am working out of Italy at the moment but hope to catch up with submissions shortly. This object will be difficult to realise but the colour and glass like make up suggest heavily dosed resin with cobalt napthanate. I have used this before with success. Whist the mold can be made with reheat rubber, the object could be made with polystyrene foam. Thanks Ray some job this will be!

Object Library. Coco de mer.

This Image was created by JCB.
The concept is described as:-
"The largest of seeds also evokes woman, both painfully
constrained and damaged.

Seed: food, survival, genetic manipulation, pesticides, taken into
ownership of global business, poverty and ruin of small farmers,
hunger, suicide epidemic of small scale Indian cotton growers,
wholesale destruction of botanical resources.

Woman: denial of education and human rights, trafficked, honour
killings, rape as deliberate part of military strategy, in modern
conflict more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier."

Upper and Lower Dynamics.

An idea has occurred to me to contrast the downward motion of impacts onto the stave with the upward growth of corrosion from the plinth. This mock up illustrates what I mean. Eventually there might be a point when downward impact and upper 'growth' merge.

Object Library. Virus Mine.

This complicated Hybrid is the latest submission from 'Nurby'. His/her e-mail -"...the basic spherical virus shape has been given 'blisters' and been rendered with a rust texture. It began to remind me of a under water mine so I put in some impact rods. I have modelled these more like heavy nails.I also embedded a type of daisy leaf bas relief - just for irony..."

Object Library. Knots and Stops.

This group of images was e-mailed by 'Ray Trace'." The hybrid starts as barbed wire. The concept is to start with the tubes of the stave as the central core. The tube is wrapped with bandages as a negative version of 'wish knots' ".
The knots could act as 'stops' to the motion of other objects which may slide or roll.

Impact Patterns.

The methodology of registering impacts is up for discussion. The positioning of these 10 impacts has been acheived by setting a random sequence of 180 numbers using Macromedia 'Director'.
The result was as follows:- Vertical column was selected and the first 10 numbers used. 180 positions have been allocated. For sculpture construction purposes this number should remain constant.
111, 90, 29, 91, 168, 31, 115, 32, 90 & 131

Palette Library. Update

This Palette is an amalgamation of those provided by JCB. The Lower Object Field is for the supporting plinth objects. The Upper Object Field is for the stave/mesh area.

Object Library. Update

This is the object library so far. More submissions are needed whilst the stave/mesh and support are being constructed. Submissions can be from 3D modelled wire frames or from images created in 2 dimensions. Submissions can be made clicking on the original glass bead image (top right) and selecting the 'contact artist section on the web site.

Corrosion Palette 2. Copper.

The Corrosion Palette for copper was also provided by J.Braham. Perhaps the copper palette could be used on the opposing side of the fulcrum on the plinth. Here, also, tranluscent coloured square slabs could be used. This is easily achieved by pouring resin into printed transparencies which impregnates the surface of the resin. This was tested successfully in the production of the 6 'Counterbalance and Stops' of the original game.

Corrosion Palette. 1. Iron and Steel.

It was originally thought that corrosion palette would be used on the upper stave area: upon reflection it is better used on the lower support (plinth) area to suggest an 'undermining' of fundamental structure. This palette has been developed by J.Braham. Perhaps a system of transluscent coloured and layered skins could be arranged on the plinth surface. In the original game pixelated images from skin tones were used.

Object Collisions and Sound

The animation illustrates how the positioning of upper objects will be assigned a musical note according to its position on the stave. You will need to have your sound turned on to hear. The animation is only an indication of the musical aspect of the game.
Music from the original Glass Bead Game (in piano format) is available for future possible orchestration.

Object and Palette Library .

This is the first bacteria image from a 3D model . The palette below the image is taken from Chromogenic Bacteria samples selected by and made up into a 'scale' format J.Braham . The colour on the model is the 7th on the scale. RGB values of the colours can be provided to 3D modellers for texture mapping. Currently the object library contains 1 virus, 1 cell and 1 bacteria. The positioning of these objects on the stave will (as in the 1st Glass Bead Game) reflect musical notes. Whilst objects in the original game were placed on the pivoted stave with the intention of reaching harmony and balance, the dynamic of Glass Bead War may log 'impacts' rather than 'placements'.

Object Library . Cell

This distorted cell image will join the object library for the upper game area. It is likely that this object will be made flexible using latex with a liquid fill; allowing it to change shape according to its position.

Game Play Areas

This model clarifies the 3 main areas of activity.

1. Upper object area. Submitted objects will be placed on the Stave/Mesh according to instructions. Some may break the mesh and fall through. At a later stage a form will be set up to register place and impact of force.
2. Stave/Mesh which will be changed dynamically from impacts upon it.
3. Lower Object Area. Submitted objects here should be coloured according to Chromogenic bacteria palette (under construction).
   

Object Library submission 'Razor DNA'

This object has been modelled in 3D by GS from comments made by J Braham in 'Visual Metaphors'. The suggestion was for broken DNA strand and a 'Hook' like structure. This 'corrosion' of DNA resembles razor wire. The object satisfies various metaphors. The size, position and complex construction method have yet to be decided.

First Virus

First virus is posted. This was modelled in 3dStudio Max. And has been logged for construction.
Please supply other models or images for the object library.

Visual Metaphors

The theme of the work is Toxicity the following catagories:

1. Dynamic: Bend. Explode. Twist. Break.Squash. Cascade.

2. Time Based: Corrode. Melt. Burn. Infect.

There are three areas of activity:

1. Support.
2. Stave/mesh.
3. Objects.

Please suggest objects and areas of activity.
Objects can be in the following formats:
JPEG . 3DSudio Max, dxf and obj ( for 3D modellers).

‘The Glass Bead Game Has Started’ represents five years of collaborative internet work.
The original concept of the sculpture was based loosely on the novel “The Glass Bead Game” by Hermann Hesse in which subjects are debated from universal aspects of culture and science with a view to reaching harmonious outcomes. Geoff Sansbury chose a basic three dimensional five bar musical stave pivoted at its centre as the ‘board’ of play of the game; this was constructed both in real terms and as a computer generated model. The two areas either side of the conical pivot were allocated the fields of ‘linear’ and ‘non linear’ interpretations of artistic, scientific, mathematical and philosophical ideas. The first five moves and objects were performed and produced by the artist in both real and ‘virtual’ terms.

The game, in the form of a web site, was posted on the internet in 1996 and was due to terminate in 2000. Players were asked to either move current objects or to create and place objects on the virtual model. The artist endeavoured to reproduce these objects as real sculptural pieces that slid, rolled or acted as blocks to movement. Each movement and position of the objects was required to end in the balancing of the five bar stave before the next move could be made or the subsequent object brought into play. The positions of the objects on or between the five rods could then suggest raw musical notes which were logged in sequential fashion. The variations of this musical ‘theme’ were recorded alongside the logs of the movements and logs of created objects and their meanings.

All players were anonymous and some moves and objects were bizarre and even aggresive. The game was finally brought to a standstill by a deliberate virus invasion. The artist is currently working on a secondary game which documents and explores the more aggressive side of human nature which runs parallel to the creative act.
“Our dreams are lovely and our game is bright,
So finely tuned, with many artful turns,
But deep beneath the tranquil surface burns
Longing for blood, barbarity, and night.”
Glass Bead Game. Hermann Hesse. Translated by Richard and Clara Winston. 1987. Pan Books. P 431.