Artists are exploring ideas about pattern and complexity that draw on the latest scientific and mathematical theories. Guest curator Margot Osborne and RiAus have collaborated to present artists from across Australia whose paintings, installations and interactive artworks create mesmerising optical patterns and digitally-generated complex behaviour. The exhibition coincides with the launch of the March issue of Artlink magazine on Art, Pattern and Complexity. Complexity theory is a synergetic non-linear philosophy of meta-patterns emerging from apparent chaotic phenomena. Melanie Mitchell in her award-winning book, Complexity: A guided tour (2009) wrote that complexity theory is _x0018_ an inter-disciplinary field of research that seeks to explain how large numbers of relatively simple entities organise themselves, without the benefit of any central controller, into a collective whole that creates patterns, user information, and in some cases, evolves and learns._x0019_ In some cases artists are consciously alluding to this scientific interpretation of complexity. For instance, Melbourne architecture and design studio MESNE created an interactive pattern-generating artwork, Pricking, for the Powerhouse Museum exhibition, Lovelace. For Pattern and Complexity at RiAus, MESNE will develop a new version of Pricking, which will allow exhibition visitors to create complex patterns from the touch-sensitive table surface. Tracy Cornish, ex Adelaide, now a post doctoral fellow at the University of California San Diego, has created mesmerising digital patterns of pixellated glitches arising from the random computer mistakes within an ordered system. Other artists are primarily concerned with the immersive optical impact of complex repetitive and interwoven patterns. Melbourne artist and Monash University lecturer Caroline Durre combines pattern, mirroring and anamorphic perspectives in her intricate maze-like paintings. She will create a new site-specific optical wall painting for the exhibition. Former Adelaide artist (now Melbourne-based) Sam Songailo is known for his op paintings and environments featuring highly patterned surfaces and blinding colour combinations. He has been commissioned to create a densely patterned _x0018_ tunnel_x0019_ entrance to the exhibition. These high-impact intricate designs will appeal to a broad audience while opening up interesting avenues of debate concerning patterns, their mathematical complexity and how they act on the eye/mind. Further artists are in the process of being selected for the screen program of digital artworks.
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