And art becomes a loop...

August 24, 2004 12:15 PM

Gridcosm is a collaborative, recursive art project.

From Gridcosm: how it works: each level of gridcosm is made up of nine(9) square images arranged into a 3x3 grid. the middle image is a size version of the previous level. artists add images around that center image until a new 3x3 grid is completed, then that level itself shrinks and becomes the seed for the next level. this process creates an ever expanding tunnel of images, the newest level a direct result of the previous level which is a result of the previous level... and so on.

Choose a random level, the top level currently in creation, or the very beginning bottom level out of nearly 2000 levels so far. Neat stuff. I love recursive and algorithmic art.
posted by loquacious (9 comments total)

[this is good]
posted by Joey Michaels at 1:14 PM on August 24, 2004

I was astounded when I found this. I'm surprised it hasn't been posted here. It probably has been, but all three search types indicated that it's not. I'm amazed that it has been online since 1997 and that I haven't seen it or heard of it until just a few days ago.

I found it via Stumble Upon, which is such a kickass browsing tool that I like it so much I would probably still use it even if I found out it was slowly eating my brain.

Thanks for the comment. My post was getting sad and lonely and stuff. It isn't as easy to start a positive, creative discussion/debate about something cool and fun, as opposed to how easy sociopolitical threads catch fire. I wish MeFi had a hitcount/ranking system along with the comments.
posted by loquacious at 1:47 PM on August 24, 2004

SITO's great. They also have artwork hosting (images) and other great points of interest, and if you donate at least thirty bucks you get a SITO t-shirt. I wear mine with pride to the bar.
posted by angry modem at 2:07 PM on August 24, 2004

I can't believe this is still going. I'm a proud participant of Level 361. (My ID is JAA.)
posted by hyperizer at 3:57 PM on August 24, 2004

very very cool. : >
posted by amberglow at 4:16 PM on August 24, 2004

Hi JAA, I collaborated with you on that square. Isn't that weird? Then again, I've done about 1000 squares on the Gridcosm over the last five years. It takes a certain type of mind to get sucked into something like this. Luckily, there aren't too many of us . . .

Don't miss the animated flythrough of the levels. (MPG Download) Or the relatively new Flash version .

I got hooked into the Gridcosm by it's precursor called Panic. One person uploads an image and then someone else adds to it. Another person then adds to *that* version, so on, so on. Back in the "day" we used to do this all via FTP and used CUSEEMEE to collaborate. That was in 1994. Holy Shit, do I feel old.
posted by jeremias at 8:18 PM on August 24, 2004

The animated flythrough is just plain overwhelming. Nice.
posted by loquacious at 8:55 PM on August 24, 2004

sweet.
posted by delmoi at 1:14 AM on August 25, 2004

Yeah, I did some Panicking too. Too bad none of it was archived.
posted by hyperizer at 10:39 AM on August 25, 2004