John F. Simon, Jr. is one of very few artists for whom the writing of computer code is a central part of the creative process. Programmed to run indefinitely in never-repeating patterns, Simon’s software screen works such as Color Panel v1.5 reflect the formal ideals of modernist abstraction. “My heroes are Mondrian and Paul Klee,” Simon explained. “Klee was describing lines in motion and forces that influenced the way shapes form. His idea of a line was a point that sets itself in motion… His writings were like starting conditions for software. But once you write a piece of software and run it on the computer, then it is a very fluid language. Every variable that you choose in the software becomes subject to abstraction.”
Of Color Panel v1.5, Simon says:
I am writing about certain classic Bauhaus color theory problems. The fact that the software evolves over time allows me to see a variety of solutions—to continually explore a solution space and work with color problems involving motion and time… My writing considers the evolution of the colors in each section of the screen but does not script each color. It allows for the introduction of new colors from probable sets but does not specify the color exactly. Each section is independent so the overall palette can vary quite dramatically.
John F Simon, Jr. and Sandra Gering Gallery
C.P.U. 1.5, 2001. PDP screen installation, software, Apple powerbook G3, Pioneer gas plasma screen. dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist
