Andrew WYSOTSKI - Statement

Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, 1991

When I originally began using the computer, it was only to further develop my oil paintings. This was accomplished by digitizing the paintings into a computer and then reinterpreting them. It allowed me to reassess my paintings and create several new versions of each piece. But what was most important to me was the new quality that could be achieved which was unlike any previously pigmented media. All of the paintings that were used as a starting point had a highly personal, humanistic quality about them. However, after being translated through the computer, an interesting contrast and statement was made. The computer images appeared organized, mechanical and untouched by human hands, while just beneath the pixeled surface were the highly romanticized images of the original oil paintings. Presently I am most interested in using the computer to help in the actual creation and execution of a work of art. Hopefully, the computer, for me will become a collaborator in the artistic decision making process. Some artists collaborate with other artists or assistants. In the past, master painters would sign and take credit for the work of their students. I am developing a personal program that is capable of making random choices in the basic manipulation of an image. The interpreting process would be entirely based on the indigenous elements of my personal painting style that have commonly linked the majority of my artworks. The purpose of this would be to increase the quality of my art (in the same way a writer may use a program's thesaurus to thoroughly research the creative possibilities that may exist). It would also free my time from any laborious or repetitive tasks of the art making process and allow me to concentrate on other things. Never before has any media been able to be so instrumental in the actual decision making process. In my opinion, the "artificial intelligence" aspect of a computer will prove to be the most historically significant in art. And it is in this area that I am working to make a significant contribution.