Roman Verostko began his life in Pennsylvania in 1929. He grew up through many wars and even lost his brother to battle when his battalion was attacked during the end of WWII. Thus he was pushed towards peace found in the form of the Monastic life for almost 18 years. During that time period Verostko went through a series of change and developments both intellectually and spiritually but all of which eventually pushed him away from the vows of the monastic life. He could no longer tolerate the "creeds" as Verostko put it and was interested in exploring other walks of life. The experience, however, had a profound effect on the man and did grant him a better understanding of meditative practices which I believe he tries to emphasize through his art today. Since before he joined the Monastery Roman was a painter and expressed his challenges and aspirations through painting. After the Monastery he joined a movement of artists who used computers in ways no one else did. By using algorithms in combination with a multi-pen plotter he created art.
The piece above is an example of one of his most famous works. The brush stroke on the left is created using an algorithm and a japanese styled brush while the scribbles on the right are the same form of algorithm only tweaked and are drawn with pens. Verostko wanted to emphasize the differences between these two creations considering that they are made from the same algorithm. This approach to demonstrating the duality of reality is actually something that some current digital artists still try to replicate. The idea that one thing can always be two makes "reality" seem like a pointless word. Truly what Verostko tries to achieve through the use of computers and machinery is the creation of reality. He writes "In its purest form such art does not re-present other reality. Rather "it is" the reality" (Roman Verostko). I am inclined to agree with him particularly because of the manner in which he creates the images. By actually plugging in the algorithm in to the computer and having the algorithm create itself through the machines Verostko simply facilitates this reality.
Diamond Lake Apocalypse, Pathway, 24" by 18", 1991
Verotsko's style has a strong emphasis on the purity of form. These algorithms he writes and creates and in turn create themselves are almost like little lifeforms. Artists who use algorithms may appear similar or equally uninvolved in the actual creation of the piece but I have found that each algorist modifies the algorithms to reach their standards. One handicap I have encountered is that I really do not understand algorithms and so it is very difficult to understand how these beautiful forms are changed or modified to the artists desires. However, this only makes his creations more fascinating and by using such an objective process Roman allows the art to represent itself. The piece below is a recreation of a passage from the Tao de Ching in the form of an algorithm. It is similar to his other pieces except that it mirrors a reality that we know. That is not to say that it is not its own reality but instead it is almost like the passages form in another dimension. Very trippy.
Pearl Park Scripture, O, Lao Tzu, 2004
The actual text the algorithmic glyphs are based off of is as follows:
"So it is that existence and non-existence give birth the one to (the idea of) the other; that difficulty and ease produce the one (the idea of) the other; that length and shortness fashion out the one the figure of the other; that (the ideas of) height and lowness arise from the contrast of the one with the other; that the musical notes and tones become harmonious through the relation of one with another; and that being before and behind give the idea of one following another." - Lao Tzu
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