The Hive

258 Leonardo Gallery Fernando Orellana, The Hive, aluminum, steel, wood, glass, paper, ink, motor, electronics, Basic Stamp 1 and 2, 200 × 20 × 15 in, 1999. (© Fernando Orellana. Photo: Tom Van Endye.) In this piece, nine drawing machines simultaneously drew while communicating to each other via a network. The server of this network mediated commands to each individual machine, allowing for The Hive’s behavior to change while time passes. Connected in parallel with the piece’s network was a malfunctioning pager unit that turned on chaotically throughout the work’s “ON” time. This random event was used as a seed to generate behavioral patterns unattainable in The Hive’s closed network. In addition to the pager’s random injection of information, the pager allowed for incoming pages. The number of the pager was available for viewers to call, thus allowing The Hive yet another means of achieving independent behavioral patterns. These undetermined patterns were reflected in the motion of each individual machine and in the drawings that the installation produced. Periodically, throughout the exhibition’s duration, the drawings were removed and new drawings begun. (Fernando Orellana, 2526 N. Kedizie Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60657, U.S.A. E-mail: .) FERNANDO ORELLANA: THE HIVE ...