Project Space: The Creatomatic

“Creatomatic” is a piece of software designed to accelerate the imagination and prompt new inventions. It works by randomly juxtaposing diagrams of two everyday objects from a selection of hundreds. Through free association, the two objects can prompt the invention of an entirely new object, which can be practical or nonsensical. Inspired by the accidental nature of creativity, the “Creatomatic” uses the technique of surprise to overcome habitual ways of thinking and short circuit rational control.

A collection of artworks generated using the “Creatomatic” software will be on display in the Eyebeam project space. They include: “Candelier” by Takeshi Miyakawa, a chandelier cast entirely out of wax, which will eventually disappear if lit; “Tea Bag Catapult” by Jacob Tonski with Austin Wieland, a teacup and spoon catapult system to get rid of used teabags; “Tape Dispenser Particle” by Greg Witt, a mechanical sculpture interpreting particle physics using tape dispensers; Other artists in the show include participants from the Creatomatic Workshop Katie Koepfinger and Amritha Michelle Berger. The Creatomatic is designed by Nova Jiang, with software by Leonard Tirulnikov.