In playing, the child manipulates external phenomena in the service of the dream, and invests chosen external phenomena with dream meaning and feeling. - D.W Winnicott.
In playing, the child manipulates external phenomena in the service of the dream, and invests chosen external phenomena with dream meaning and feeling. - D.W Winnicott.
Introducing Netta, my five-year-old niece and the co-creator of this collection. Netta's artistic journey began with the delight in realising that she could approximate the shape of a circle as she drew. As I watched her, it dawned on me that within this child’s psychology we can recognise a wider primal inclination- that when we create, we are inclined to choose those acts which instill confidence. After this watershed in her young life, Netta’s canvas became a playground within which countless circles could interact together, each varying in size and style.
Embracing this concept, I employed a simple algorithm for overlapping circles initially, which brought satisfaction to Netta. As a programmer, I couldn't end here and settle for simplicity: the innate desire to continually challenge myself and elevate the creative process led me to confront what I saw as an intersection problem. Determining the most effective method for detecting intersections, and introducing a distinct color or pattern for each intersecting segment, became my focus. This led to a technical struggle: particularly considering the intricate level of chaos I aspired to create.
After successfully addressing this basic intersection detection challenge, I resolved to take it a step further. If I could detect intersections involving circles, why not extend that capability to include quads, blobs, and essentially every layer present on the canvas? This aspiration drove me to broaden the scope of my intersection detection algorithm, aiming to encompass a diverse array of shapes and structures within the creative realm. This was a breakthrough moment in which I began to see that Netta could represent the next special chapter of my artistic expression.
Over these six months, my focus had become more and more fixated on perfecting the algorithm rather than manifesting the spirit of the original creative concept. I reflected that- regardless of the coding effort invested- a project devoid of meaningful emotional substance would leave me unsatisfied. I turned again to my niece, set on watching her rapt in a state of carefree play. I printed the algorithm’s initial non-overlapping circles onto an A4 page, and handed it to Netta, encouraging her to unleash her imagination. What followed was delightful chaos—she adorned the circles with an array of colors, scribbled lines with varying stroke weights, and crafted shapes I couldn't identify. Her artwork became a canvas for pouring out emotions—anger, love, stress, and happiness. As I observed, I recognized the genuine purity of Netta’s expression; a five-year-old who cared little about the complexity of the algorithm. It was authentic, and precisely what I had been missing. I began to codify these wild glyphs of innocent emotion into the project, arriving full-circle back to the creative impulse to instill positivity and confidence through the act of art.
The colors within the collection are thoughtfully chosen by both Netta and me, representing various emotions and stages of a child's development. Our journey commenced with Netta's preference for using only primary colors, reflecting her early years. As she progressed and transformed into a little girl, her love for rainbow colors emerged. Interestingly, when she desires to embody a more mature persona, she opts for monochromatic simplicity in black. Each color palette is complemented by different backgrounds—ranging from light and gray to dark and yellow. At times in life though, the decision of what looks best eludes us, prompting a choice to embrace both options. Why limit our selection, when the amalgamation of different backgrounds adds a unique and dynamic dimension to the collection?
The Palette titles each hold a significant meaning for me, whereas for you, they may simply be numbers. There will come a day when I choose to unveil the true significance behind each one…
