Curiosity Blocks Digitala Arto by Yuko Suzuki

Curiosity Blocks Digitala Arto by Yuko Suzuki is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Arĝenta A' Design Award in Genera, Algoritma, Parametra kaj AI-Helpata Dezajno Competition Category.

ArĝentoGenera· 2025

Curiosity Blocks Digitala Arto

by Yuko Suzuki

Client: NTT InterCommunication Center (ICC)

Arĝenta A' Design Award Winner in Genera Category

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Verified Award Winner
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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Curiosity Blocks Digitala Arto

Ĉi tiu verko estis kreita por ekspozicio celanta enkonduki infanojn al la amuzo de kodumado. Ĝi estas animacio uzanta teknikon nomatan anamorfoso, kie bildoj estas antaŭe distorditaj por ŝajni ĝuste kiam reflektitaj en cilindra spegulo; esence, movanta anamorfoso. Multoblaj animaciaj partoj estas kombinitaj por reprezenti la ideon ke novaj malkovroj naskiĝas kiam scivolemo konektas kaj interkovras. La artisto, kiu ankaŭ estas presartisto, surmetis la rilaton inter presŝtipo kaj presaĵo sur la rilaton inter la bildo sur la ekrano kaj la bildo en la spegulo.

The Recognition

About the Arĝenta A' Design Award

Curiosity Blocks Digitala Arto estas gajninto de la Arĝenta A' Design Award, grandege prestiĝa rekono donata al plejklasaj, belegaj kaj impresaj dezajnoj. La Arĝentaj gajnintoj estas treege brilaj kaj treege kreemaj verkoj, kiuj ilustras la elstaran sperton, talenton kaj sagacon de siaj dezajnistoj. Oni atendas, ke Curiosity Blocks Digitala Arto estu mirinda, montrinda verko, kiu estas rimarkinde profesia kaj profunde nova. Ĉi tiu dezajno gajninta la Arĝentan A' Design Award estas tre rimarkinda, admirata inventaĵo, kiu profitigas kaj antaŭenigas la limojn de arto, scienco, dezajno kaj teknologio. Curiosity Blocks Digitala Arto estas vaste enviata kreaĵo, kiu vekas dezirojn, alportas pozitivajn sentojn kaj ekbrilas miron kaj mirigon.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This work is an animation that uses a technique called anamorphosis, in which images are drawn that are distorted in advance so that they will look correct when reflected in a cylindrical mirror.
The artist used a technique of combining multiple animation parts to imagine how curiosity connects and overlaps to create new knowledge and discoveries.
Dimensions & Packaging: 1920 × 1920 pixel, 5 minutes 42 seconds, 2 pieces
Tags: Generative Art, Coding, Trick Art
Production Technology: This work was created using a programming language called Processing. The animation is designed with a structure that combines multiple parts like blocks, and has a layered structure for each color like a print. 16 different animation parts and their variations were created, and the program transformed them from a flat surface to a circular shape.
Design Challenge: The most difficult part was converting the flat animation into a circular animation using a program, and then experimenting to see if the design would look visually interesting when projected onto the mirror.
We projected a number of patterns onto the mirror and adjusted the overall balance to determine the optimal shape. This process involved trial and error to get a visually appealing and consistent result, and it took a lot of time and effort, especially adjusting the design when reflected in the mirror.
Research: In this study, we used a program to distort an image and observed how it changed when projected onto a cylindrical mirror. Through various observations and feedback, we were able to gain a deeper understanding of how the distorted image was shaped by the mirror, and we confirmed that it was possible to create visually appealing and innovative designs. In addition, the animation incorporated mathematical elements (such as trigonometric functions and vectors) that students will learn in junior high and high school, allowing them to visually experience concepts they will learn in the future.
Inspiration: The artist, who is also a printmaker, has overlaid the relationship between a block and a print with the relationship between an image reflected on a display and an image reflected in a mirror, incorporating into the animation the way that, like a multi-colored print, each color has its own unique layer and overlaps to form a layered structure.
The title "Blocks" contains connotations such as "a mass," "a section divided into grids," "a series of commands in a program," and "a woodblock print."
Project Duration: This work was exhibited at "ICC Kids Program 2024 you().code().world()." held at NTT InterCommunication Center in Tokyo from July 23rd to August 25th, 2024.
Operation Flow: In this animation, pre-distorted images are used so that they appear in the correct form when reflected in a cylindrical mirror. The interaction occurs primarily as the user observes in front of the mirror, with the deformation of the animation changing based on the angle and viewpoint of the mirror. The interaction is visual and depends on how the user perceives the image. To achieve better results, it is crucial to carefully adjust the patterns of distortion and the timing of the animation. The performance stands out due to its consistent visual deformation and movement, providing a strong visual impact through the mirror.
Image Credits: Image #1: Photo courtesy NTT InterCommunication Center, Curiosity Blocks, 2024.
Image #2: Photo courtesy NTT InterCommunication Center, Curiosity Blocks, 2024.
Image #3: Photo courtesy NTT InterCommunication Center, Curiosity Blocks, 2024.
Image #4: Photo courtesy NTT InterCommunication Center, Curiosity Blocks, 2024.