Fehler vs. Kim Cascone | Dust Theories
HTML + GIF + JavaScript | F.0016.0001
'Dust Theories' was commissioned as a visual complement to an audio installation entitled 'Residualism' by sound designer and composer Kim Cascone.
Cascone defines residualism as "the process of removing a signal until all that's left is its ghost-signal or the artifacts thrown off by the original signal".
The 'Dust Theories' visuals utilised low-memory components within re-combinant works to create pages which loaded quickly and dynamically using a minimum of server-side memory. By combining client-side JavaScript programming with small, single colour animated GIFs - most weighing no greater than a few hundred bytes - the visuals created a rich experience which rewarded exploration and play.
Fewer than 100 lines of JavaScript were used to create the visuals included which, by using pseudo-random configurations, appeared more code heavy than they truly were. Utilising a JavaScript/Frames enabled web browser and an LCD projector the four-frame visuals accompanied an audio piece comprising four CDs mixed live by Cascone for the opening of his exhibition 'Dust Theories' showing at Chicago's DeadTech Gallery.
With developments in web-based technologies in general, and JavaScript in particular, the 'Dust Theories' visuals are no longer supported in standards-compliant browsers.
