Ron Eglash + African Fractals

"Ron Eglash is an ethno-mathematician: he studies the way math and cultures intersect. He has shown that many aspects of African design -- in architecture, art, even hair braiding -- are based on perfect fractal patterns."

Remote Satellite Imagery of Forest Cover

These satellite images (each 50x50 km) include one in European Russia, one in east Siberia and two in the Russian Far East.  The Sikhote-Alin image (upper left) shows fire scars (light blue) and logging roads in the Primorsky Kray (RFE).  The Previdinsk image (upper right) shows intense clear-cutting of only Spruce/Fir forest (dark red) region in central Siberia.  The Vanimo image (middle-left) shows intense clearcutting of coniferous forests (light blue).  The Lesino image (above) shows encroachment by the city of St. Petersburg, clearings for agriculture, and bogs (brown).

My friend Karen Schleeweiss has spent the last few years studying remote satellite imagery of forest cover while working toward her doctorate in Geography at University of Maryland, College Park. Dialogue with her has sparked my interest in new technologies in mapping.

Continuing with the themes of mapping and geography, my new co-residents at MoKs, Kaspar Wimberley and Susanne Kudielka, have clued me in on a psychogeography fesitval that's happening in New York City this September called Conflux.  Taken from the website: "Conflux is the annual New York festival for contemporary psychogeography, the investigation of everyday urban life through emerging artistic, technological and social practice." Incidentally the deadline is extended to August 15.

-Sandy

Data is Nature blog- by "Paul"

My (L) new favorite blog. I keep wanting to repost everything from this blog because the projects are so fascinating, but I won't, that is pointless. . .  take a long look yourself. And at the author's own work.

dataisnature.com

Survival Skills

INTHECOMPLEX will begin work next month in residence at Raumars in Rauma, Finland.  We will collaborate with two groups of elementary school children.  The project will encompass a range of media culminating with a video.  The work will investigate future evolutionary options for plants and animals through the creation of new environments, new sounds, and new bodies. One group of students will create the environments, and the other group will create the reactions. The work will be edited and mediated by INTHECOMPLEX members in New York and Finland. The project will be completed September 2009.

Rhizome

Went to great performances at benefit for Rhizome.org last night the the NEWmuseum. Artist Kevin Bewersdorf performed (interview here) as well as musicians Tanlines and Glasser. The 'meat tower' catering was an interesting touch!

Oblique Strategies Deck

The Oblique strategies is a deck of cards created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt. The original deck, created in 1975 has been followed by many subsequent variations. Each card contains a phrase or cryptic remark which can be used to break a deadlock or dilemma situation. I first read about these decks on Designer Stefan Sagmeister's website- as a creativity tool in the advice section to students. Above is a photo of the 5th edition set.

Eno says in an interview with Charles Amirkhanian about the cards (Berkeley 1980):

The function of the Oblique Strategies was, initially, to serve as a series of prompts which said, "Don't forget that you could adopt *this* attitude," or "Don't forget you could adopt *that* attitude."

Dig IT! at the Smithsonian

Dig It! The Secrets of Soil is an exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History on view from July 19 2008 – the corresponding website has copious interactive tools and links. 

Above is one of the many charts from the website- showing 8 of the 12 basic types of soil orders. 

(Soil orders reflect the environment in which they form, their age, and the ecosystems they support. Some soil scientists also propose to name a thirteenth order. Anthrosols would include soils formed or influenced by human activities. Scientists outside the United States use many other soil-naming systems.)