Self-Referential Face

This is a metaphorical visualization of the process of self-discovery. It depicts the feature-by-feature formation of a face, where each facial feature is constructed from the letters that spell it... each eye spells "EYE", the nose spells "NOSE", etc. Thus it is titled Self-Referential Face because each feature refers to itself. When the face starts forming, it looks disoriented and bewildered, as if thinking "What is going on here?!" However once all the facial features have formed, and it is complete, it smiles and winks playfully, signifying how, when the various parts of a person are acknowledged, an integrated personality emerges. Eventually the face disappears back into the shimmering cosmos from which it arose.

HISTORY OF THE PROJECT
When I was fourteen I was faced with an unusual art class assignment: draw something such that the picture is composed of the letters that spell out whatever it is. I drew a face in which each facial feature as well as the face itself was composed of the letters that spell it, producing a static version of the enclosed animation. At that time I remember imagining what a thrill it would be to create an animated version where the facial features appeared one by one, accompanied by a voice that said the name of each facial feature out loud. It was another 20 years before that opportunity came along, working after hours for Warner Brothers on the movie Space Jam. In the meantime I had become fascinated with self-reference and its relationship to complex systems. It turns out that self-reference plays an important role in the emergence of complex structure such as a living being or an integrated personality. I currently work on a mathematical model of how an integrated mind emerges through a process of 'conceptual closure' in the Pyschology Department at UC Berkeley and the Center Leo Apostel for Interdisciplinary Studies in Belgium. I show this video when I speak on this subject from time to time at conferences and lectures.

ANIMATION SOFTWARE
The animation was done using Animo software by Cambridge Animation Systems.

MUSIC AND SOUND EFFECTS
The music in the background was done by Ryan Ulyate of Organized Noise, Topanga, California. The voices are Ryan and myself.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• intellectual
• self-reference
• self-discovery
• face
• integrated
• psyche

[kantont]

amazing, a beautiful piece i find. and i can only wonder how fascinating eventually.. still struck by it ;o

[headbangerjonte]

Dude, that was hella trippy! pretty cool nonetheless :)