Pascal Dombis
Encyclopedia
Pascal Dombis is a digital artist who uses computers and algorithms to produce excessive repetition of simple processes.
. He earned an engineering
degree from the Insa University in Lyon
. In 1987, he spent one year at Tufts University
where he attended computer art classes at Boston Museum School and began to use computers and algorithms in his art. From 1994 to 2000, he participated in the fractalist exhibitions that were curated by the art critics Susan Conde and Henri-François Debailleux that used fractal
theory to project a new paradigm for art. The fractalist show gathered various artist under this concept, such as like Miguel Chevalier, Carlos Ginzburg
, Jean-Claude Meynard , Nabil Nahas and Joseph Nechvatal
. In 1993, Dombis was awarded an honorary mention from Ars Electronica
in Linz and in 2003 he received a Canon digital award.
Dombis is noted for his excessive use of simple algorithmic rules. When rules are input in an excessive process, new and unpredictable forms come to the fore and generate the unlikely; which is not dissimilar with the way the Surrealist exquisite corpse
operated. Dombis initially worked with simplistic rules: drawing a straight line for instance. But then he used digital
tools to reach the wildest proliferations possible. Visual forms appear (they are not intentionally programmed) out of the excessive enforcement of autonomous and simple rules. So Dombis does not consciously conceive a structure in advance. He lays down simple rules and lets them go through a series of interactions. Through this abuse of technological processes, Dombis tries to confront the human viewer with 'his/her' own forms of primitive irrationality
.
Frank Popper
wrote:
proliferations and realized several installations at Château de Linardié
in Senouillac
. In collaboration with the London
based sound artist Thanos Chrysakis, he developed BLINK an interactive digital video art installation based on the blinking experience. Blink was first displayed at the Slought Foundation
in Philadelphia in 2006. Recent exhibitions include the digital art
biennial of Sao Paolo where he realized a monumental outdoor digital print installation of 300 square meters. His work was included in the 2008 retrospective Imaging by numbers: a historical view of the computer print at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art
in Evanston, Illinois.
In 2010, Dombis realized Text(e)~Fil(e)s, a monumental 252 meter long floor ribbon commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture
for the Palais-Royal in Paris. Composed of thousands of written text lines borrowed from various authors who have written on the Palais Royal, this temporary installation invited visitors to a stroll while reading a single text or experiencing a non-linear reading.
Life and work
Dombis lives and works in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He earned an engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
degree from the Insa University in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. In 1987, he spent one year at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
where he attended computer art classes at Boston Museum School and began to use computers and algorithms in his art. From 1994 to 2000, he participated in the fractalist exhibitions that were curated by the art critics Susan Conde and Henri-François Debailleux that used fractal
Fractal
A fractal has been defined as "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is a reduced-size copy of the whole," a property called self-similarity...
theory to project a new paradigm for art. The fractalist show gathered various artist under this concept, such as like Miguel Chevalier, Carlos Ginzburg
Carlos Ginzburg
Carlos Ginzburg is a conceptual artist and theoretician born in 1946 in La Plata, Argentina. He studied philosophy and social theory.-Biography:Germano Celant, when writing about Arte Povera, invited Ginzburg by letter to join his movement....
, Jean-Claude Meynard , Nabil Nahas and Joseph Nechvatal
Joseph Nechvatal
Joseph Nechvatal is a post-conceptual art digital artist and art theoretician who creates computer-assisted paintings and computer animations, often using custom-created computer viruses.-Life and work:Joseph Nechvatal was born in Chicago...
. In 1993, Dombis was awarded an honorary mention from Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica
Ars Electronica is an organization based in Linz, Austria, founded in 1979 around a festival for art, technology and society that was part of the International Bruckner Festival. Herbert W. Franke is one of its founders. It became its own festival and a yearly event in 1986. Its director until 1995...
in Linz and in 2003 he received a Canon digital award.
Dombis is noted for his excessive use of simple algorithmic rules. When rules are input in an excessive process, new and unpredictable forms come to the fore and generate the unlikely; which is not dissimilar with the way the Surrealist exquisite corpse
Exquisite corpse
Exquisite corpse, also known as exquisite cadaver or rotating corpse, is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled. Each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence, either by following a rule Exquisite corpse, also known as exquisite cadaver (from the original...
operated. Dombis initially worked with simplistic rules: drawing a straight line for instance. But then he used digital
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
tools to reach the wildest proliferations possible. Visual forms appear (they are not intentionally programmed) out of the excessive enforcement of autonomous and simple rules. So Dombis does not consciously conceive a structure in advance. He lays down simple rules and lets them go through a series of interactions. Through this abuse of technological processes, Dombis tries to confront the human viewer with 'his/her' own forms of primitive irrationality
Irrationality
Irrationality is cognition, thinking, talking or acting without inclusion of rationality. It is more specifically described as an action or opinion given through inadequate reasoning, emotional distress, or cognitive deficiency...
.
Frank Popper
Frank Popper
Frank Popper is a historian of art and technology and Professor Emeritus of Aesthetics and the Science of Art at the University of Paris VIII. He has been decorated with the medal of the Légion d'honneur by the French Government...
wrote:
Selected exhibitions
Dombis’s work has been shown in numerous exhibitions around the world and is part of several public and private collections. In 2005 Dombis started to work on spamSpam (electronic)
Spam is the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately...
proliferations and realized several installations at Château de Linardié
Château de Linardié
Château de Linardié is the name for a once active cultural center located in the South West area of France seven kilometres from Gaillac in the Tarn, France...
in Senouillac
Senouillac
Senouillac is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France....
. In collaboration with the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
based sound artist Thanos Chrysakis, he developed BLINK an interactive digital video art installation based on the blinking experience. Blink was first displayed at the Slought Foundation
Slought Foundation
Slought Foundation is a not-for-profit organization in Philadelphia that broadly encourages new futures for contemporary life through public programs featuring international artists, architects, and theorists...
in Philadelphia in 2006. Recent exhibitions include the digital art
Digital art
Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process...
biennial of Sao Paolo where he realized a monumental outdoor digital print installation of 300 square meters. His work was included in the 2008 retrospective Imaging by numbers: a historical view of the computer print at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art
Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art
The Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art is an art museum located on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The Block Museum was established in 1980 by Chicago art collectors Mary and Leigh B. Block...
in Evanston, Illinois.
In 2010, Dombis realized Text(e)~Fil(e)s, a monumental 252 meter long floor ribbon commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture
Minister of Culture (France)
The Minister of Culture is, in the Government of France, the cabinet member in charge of national museums and monuments; promoting and protecting the arts in France and abroad; and managing the national archives and regional "maisons de culture"...
for the Palais-Royal in Paris. Composed of thousands of written text lines borrowed from various authors who have written on the Palais Royal, this temporary installation invited visitors to a stroll while reading a single text or experiencing a non-linear reading.
External links
- http://www.dombis.com/ Pascal Dombis website
- http://www.dombis.com/info/interview_eng.htm Danielle Delouche Interview with Pascal Dombis 2005