»The Meaning of Life as Expressed in Seven Lines of Code« 
Light Box
Light Box
© Maciej Wisniewski
Keywords
Information
Technology
Software
Java applet
Descriptions & Essays
enter project here:
Scroll down to the bottom of the code to launch its results.
Please adjust your Java Security Settings for Whitney Museum Artport in order to launch the Programme.
Commissioned by the Whitney Museum.
ADA Editor 16-06-2015
Comment by John Klima:
I was hoping someone would do ASCII art with the code and sure enough, Maciej did. His "main" is indeed only seven lines but in his "library," where all the work gets done, the code becomes a form of concrete poetry. It also serves to make the code completely unreadable. Sheesh Maciej, you just won't give anything away for free!
ADA Editor: The Meaning of Life as Expressed in Seven Lines of Code, 16-06-2015, in: Archive of Digital Art Comment by John Klima:
I was hoping someone would do ASCII art with the code and sure enough, Maciej did. His "main" is indeed only seven lines but in his "library," where all the work gets done, the code becomes a form of concrete poetry. It also serves to make the code completely unreadable. Sheesh Maciej, you just won't give anything away for free!
ADA Editor 16-06-2015
Comment by Scott Snibbe:
"Maciej's piece -- a time distorting rectilinear, digital sundial -- is a surrealist connection of time, place and code. The geometric simplicity of the work overlays the rich mental associations of the text -- time and space travelling over the short stretch of the screen. On its surface, the work feels like Thomas Pynchon -- a mental tease that pulls your mind from place to place without quite touching down. Behind the execution of his work, the code richly amplifies the piece. The server-code is a complex abstraction, like the messy physical body that lies beneath our thoughts and actions. The client-side code is an elegant joke and conversation -- a deep question from the client being answered with riddles from the server. Like Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide, the answer to the meaning of life then begs the further question -- "What is the question for the answer to the meaning of life?""
ADA Editor: The Meaning of Life as Expressed in Seven Lines of Code, 16-06-2015, in: Archive of Digital Art Comment by Scott Snibbe:
"Maciej's piece -- a time distorting rectilinear, digital sundial -- is a surrealist connection of time, place and code. The geometric simplicity of the work overlays the rich mental associations of the text -- time and space travelling over the short stretch of the screen. On its surface, the work feels like Thomas Pynchon -- a mental tease that pulls your mind from place to place without quite touching down. Behind the execution of his work, the code richly amplifies the piece. The server-code is a complex abstraction, like the messy physical body that lies beneath our thoughts and actions. The client-side code is an elegant joke and conversation -- a deep question from the client being answered with riddles from the server. Like Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide, the answer to the meaning of life then begs the further question -- "What is the question for the answer to the meaning of life?""
maciej wisniewski 19-01-2015
'The Meaning of Life as Expressed in Seven Lines of Code' is a living ‘clock/sundial’ where time elapses, geography stretches and history digresses.
The three connecting points are: destination, origin and its external
context.
The destination is a non-interactive sundial that reflects changes in daylight. The origin computes time and history based on its geographical location, and its own understanding of the Gregorian calendar and astronomy. It then links the results to the physical world.
The first two points are contained within the network's own topology.
The third point is a metaphorical link to the external world.
While the program has no inherent understanding of celestial body
movements or physical laws, the code relocation to another geographical
site will properly reflect the amount of daylight as expressed through
the varying grays of the interface.
'The Meaning of Life as Expressed in Seven Lines of Code' depicts a
skewed view of geography, time and history, where space and time elapses
during the day and at night and stretches itself at sunrise and sunset.
maciej wisniewski: The Meaning of Life as Expressed in Seven Lines of Code, 19-01-2015, in: Archive of Digital Art 'The Meaning of Life as Expressed in Seven Lines of Code' is a living ‘clock/sundial’ where time elapses, geography stretches and history digresses.
The three connecting points are: destination, origin and its external
context.
The destination is a non-interactive sundial that reflects changes in daylight. The origin computes time and history based on its geographical location, and its own understanding of the Gregorian calendar and astronomy. It then links the results to the physical world.
The first two points are contained within the network's own topology.
The third point is a metaphorical link to the external world.
While the program has no inherent understanding of celestial body
movements or physical laws, the code relocation to another geographical
site will properly reflect the amount of daylight as expressed through
the varying grays of the interface.
'The Meaning of Life as Expressed in Seven Lines of Code' depicts a
skewed view of geography, time and history, where space and time elapses
during the day and at night and stretches itself at sunrise and sunset.
Literature
Paul, Christiane. »CODeDOC II: curator's statement.« http://www.aec.at/CODeDOCII.
Exhibitions & Events
2003
Festival :