Monday, July 12, 2010

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)