802.11 planar antennae paintings

is a project in non-optimal aesthetic design. the straightforward premise is to use fractal/self-similar lines as a formal pictorial element and as a planar antennae packaged as the form of a painting. the 'dragon curve' is the drawing element that represents this merged idea. each segment is tuned to a quarter wavelength of a particular channel of the 802.11 standard and allows the work to merge with the local network and become part of the delivery of the network.

i continue to make new associations between all the concepts of this project. the latest are the implicit connection between circuit design and drawing. the linear form is integral in this and an any circuit trace. the trace could be directly thought of as an art making process. such as etching; leaving a trace or to make a printmaking plate. etching is also reductive process of removing material to reveal something else largely akin to carving as a sculptural process. the technique in these pieces is a direct (additive method) application of the conductive material to establish mark-making or a drawing.


circuit design is a field concerned with optimization spatial and electrical relationships of the formal plane. the pictorial space of these planar antennae paintings is less concerned with optimization of the engineered space and is an attempt to create an aesthetic experience through self similarity algorithms and in the transmission of the network. certainly, there are specifications that are peculiar to the design which must be maintained in order to serve some functionality (such as the segment length/channel ratio) but, this design in decidedly non-engineered as to the optimal utility of the spectrum. these device-object-tool-fetishes seek an optimization of aesthetics and functionality in engineering.

i maintain a ustream channel in which you may see me constructing these devices. there is documentary footage available for 'off-air' periods. please follow this link to the channel. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/painting-happy-fractals