Stefan Arteni

The Art of Painting

X
Complexity 1

SolInvictus Press 2009

…the original Latin word complexus…signifies "entwined", "twisted
together"…
It thus can be said to be situated in between order and disorder, or, using a
recently fashionable expression, "on the edge of chaos"…

F. Heylighen
Principia Cybernetica Web
http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/CAS.html

Chaos Theory looks at how very simple things can generate very complex
outcomes that could not be predicted by just looking at the parts by
themselves…

Between order and chaos is found the Edge of Chaos, the point where
there is enough chaos for novelty and creativity, but also enough order for
consistency and patterns to endure. This point is a magic point, where new
and unimagined properties can emerge.

Victor MacGill
http://complexity.orconhosting.net.nz/intro.html
A Complex System is any system which involves a number of elements,
arranged in structure(s) which can exist on many scales. These go through
processes of change that are not describable by a single rule nor are reducible
to only one level of explanation, these levels often include features whose
emergence cannot be predicted from their current specifications. Complex
Systems Theory also includes the study of the interactions of the many parts
of the system… Scientists are finding that complexity itself is often
characterized by a number of important characteristics:
(II.1) Self-Organization
(II.2) Non-Linearity
(II.3) Order/Chaos Dynamic
(II.4) Emergent Properties…
…in non-linear analysis, researchers look at how everything in the sequence
has the possibility of affecting everything else in the sequence before and after
it. Thus often the result ends up being unproportional to the original input.

David Kirshbaum
http://www.calresco.org/intro.htm#def
Self-organization of visual communicative interactions plays a major
role in the emergence of symbolization. Complexity theory suggests
that the Edge of Chaos is more than a balance point - instability with
order - it is also a point of unpredictable emergence within the context
of a ludic cybernetic view of art. Simple rules, non-random events, act
on random events and can produce complex patterns. The details of
these applications have various connections to the ideas of
convergence toward eigenvalues seen as attractors. Eigenvalues or
perceptual regularities are stable self-produced values that result of
recursive operations and thus imply circularity. "Eigenvalues [stable
structures] represent the externally observable manifestations of the
introspectively accessible cognitive operations," writes Heinz von
Foerster.

…as Nobel laureate Murray Gell-Mann phrased it: “Surface complexity

arising out of deep simplicity.”
Roman fresco
Roman
mosaic
of
Orpheus
Taming
the
Animals,
204 CE
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic of Orpheus Taming
the Animals, 204 CE, detail
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic of Orpheus Taming the
Animals, 204 CE, detail
Roman mosaic
of Orpheus
Taming the
Animals, 204 CE,
detail
Roman mosaic,
Lullingstone Villa,
England
Roman mosaic,
Lullingstone Villa,
England, detail
Roman mosaic,
Lullingstone Villa,
England, detail
Roman mosaic,
Lullingstone Villa,
England. detail
Roman mosaic,
Lullingstone
Villa,
England, detail
Roman mosaic,
Lullingstone Villa,
England, detail
St Peter & St Paul's Church, Chaldon, Surrey, 12th century
St Peter & St Paul's Church, Chaldon, Surrey, 12th century, detail
Unknown
Italian
master,
1200
Unknown
Italian
master,
1200,
detail
Protaton Church,
fresco attributed to
Manuel Panselinos,
end of
13th century
Protaton Church, fresco attributed to Manuel Panselinos, end of 13th century, detail
Protaton Church, fresco attributed to Manuel Panselinos, end of 13th century, detail
Protaton Church,
fresco attributed
to Manuel
Panselinos,
end of 13th century,
detail
Protaton Church,
fresco attributed
to Manuel
Panselinos,
end of 13th century,
detail
Protaton Church,
fresco attributed
to Manuel
Panselinos,
end of 13th century,
detail
Anonymous German master, 13th century
Barna da Siena
Paolo Veneziano, Dormitio Virginis, San Francesco d’Assisi, Sant’Antonio da Padova,1333
Workshop of Paolo Veneziano, 1328-1330
Workshop of
Paolo Veneziano,
1328-1330,
detail
Workshop of
Paolo Veneziano,
1328-1330,
detail
Paolo Veneziano,
1360
Jacobello
del Fiore
Guariento di Arpo,
1345-1350
Anonymous Italian master, 1330
Andrea di Bonaiuto,
Cappellone degli Spagnoli,
Santa Maria Novella, Florence
Andrea di Bonaiuto, Cappellone degli Spagnoli,Santa Maria Novella, Florence
Andrea di Bonaiuto,
Cappellone degli Spagnoli,
Santa Maria Novella, Florence
Andrea di Bonaiuto, Cappellone degli Spagnoli,Santa Maria Novella, Florence
Andrea di Bonaiuto,
Cappellone
degli Spagnoli,
Santa Maria Novella,
Florence, detail
Andrea di Bonaiuto, Cappellone degli Spagnoli,Santa Maria Novella, Florence, detail
Andrea di Bonaiuto,
Cappellone degli Spagnoli,
Santa Maria Novella,
Florence, details
Andrea di Bonaiuto, Cappellone degli Spagnoli,Santa Maria Novella, Florence, detail
South Leigh, England
South Leigh, England
Matteo di Giovanni
Matteo di Giovanni
Soest, Westfalen, Hohnekirche
Soest, Westfalen, Hohnekirche
Soest, Westfalen, Hohnekirche
Soest,
Westfalen,
Hohnekirche
St Nicholas,Tolentino
St Nicholas,Tolentino
St Nicholas,Tolentino
St Nicholas,Tolentino
St Nicholas,Tolentino
St Nicholas,Tolentino
St Nicholas,Tolentino, detail
St Nicholas,Tolentino, detail
Giotto di
Bondone
Giotto di Bondone, detail
Giotto di
Bondone
Giotto
di
Bondone
Giotto di Bondone
Simone Martini
La Collegiata, San Gimignano, Italy, Lippo Memmi and/or Bartolo di Fredi?
La Collegiata,
San Gimignano, Italy,
Lippo Memmi
and/or Barna da Siena?
Filippo Lippi
Filippo Lippi, Spoleto cathedral
Filippo Lippi, Spoleto cathedral
Filippo Lippi, Spoleto cathedral
Filippo Lippi,
Spoleto
cathedral,
detail
Filippo Lippi, Spoleto cathedral, detail
Filippo Lippi
Filippo
Lippi
Masolino da Panicale, Masaccio, Filippino Lippi, Capella Brancacci
Masolino da Panicale, Masaccio, Filippino Lippi, Capella Brancacci
Masolino da Panicale, Masaccio,
Filippino Lippi, Capella Brancacci,
detail
Masolino da Panicale,
Masaccio,
Filippino Lippi,
Capella Brancacci,
detail
Masolino da Panicale, Masaccio, Filippino Lippi, Capella Brancacci, detail
Masolino
da Panicale,
Masaccio,
Filippino Lippi,
Capella Brancacci,
detail
Masolino da Panicale, Masaccio, Filippino Lippi, Capella Brancacci, detail
Masolino
da Panicale,
Masaccio,
Filippino Lippi,
Capella Brancacci,
detail
Fran Angelico, Convento di San Marco
Fra Angelico, Convento di San Marco, detail
Fra Angelico, Convento di San Marco, detail
Fra Angelico,
Convento
di San Marco
Fra Angelico,
Niccolina Chapel
Fra Angelico,
Niccolina Chapel,
fresco and detail
Fra Angelico, Niccolina Chapel
Fra Angelico, Niccolina Chapel,
fresco and detail
Fra Angelico,
Niccolina Chapel