The aesthetic value of the chaos theory

I've been learning about the chaos theory recently, put forth by a scientist named Edward Lorenze, who coined the term "butterfly effect" and became identified with a phrase which described his theory:

"Can the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?"

This theory basically states that our world is an unpredictable place,with the tiniest changes in its environment setting off chain reactions that we cannot plan or predict. Patterns can be determined by the smallest irregularities.

This video I found illustrates this theory. It is the flight patterns of Starlings as they fly home to roost for the night. The beautiful, elegant patterns they form are an example of the complexities of our universe being determined by the smallest facets.

Catherine Ulitsky is an artist who has used this pattern in her artwork. Her paintings of birds, with colorful lines connecting them to each other is a fascinating glance into the interconnectedness of this enigmatic display.

Catherine Ulitsky
Hadley Starlings (Flock #10)

The Interconnectedness of Everything

In my academic and personal pursuits, I have become aware of a phenomenon that astounds and excites me. By watching nature documentaries, films about the universe (thank you, Carl Sagan), and skimming through the Internet I have found that there are several forms in our universe that echo each other. These forms are repeated regardless of scale- for example, Jupiter’s storm patterns remarkably mimic the cross section of a tilia plant. This repetition of forms throughout our environment- from a tiny atom to an inconceivably large galaxy, create a network that connects everything we are aware of. Artistically, this understanding motivates me to find forms and patterns that are part of our world- the Fibonacci sequence (or Golden Mean) is an example that several master painters have used as a structure for their paintings. Even in music, patterns are repeated throughout cultures, such as “Pachelbel’s Canon” also known as “Canon in D Major” which is mimicked in rock and even rap songs!

This astounding interconnectedness leads into my personal artwork, because even before I started thinking about these repeating forms, I was trying to connect people with my work. I frequently utilize emotion, personal experiences and memories as subject matter, in order to connect with my viewers. John Dewey, in his book Art as Experience says this: “That art weds man and nature is a familiar fact. Art also renders men aware of their union with one another in origin and destiny.” By creating aesthetic experiences through my work, I strive to connect my viewers to myself and to each other. It is similar to the universal concept of repeated forms: if we recognize the similarities within each of us, instead of focusing our energy inward and seeing everyone else as “others” or “different”, we can push forward as a progressive society, or even species.

In the same vein

Repetition in nature