Synopsis
Programming languages are logic systems: sets of rules that make up a way of
thinking a programmer has to internalize to use. Esolangs take advantage of this
to provide strange rule sets that play on meaning and nonsense, or otherwise
construct an unusual point of view. It’s in using these weird tools to solve
ordinary problems that their perspectives are exposed. Brainfuck, probably the
best-known esolang, is simple, clear, and functional in its definition, but
requires the programmer to construct long rants of gibberish to use, recalling
work like Sol LeWitt’s Incomplete Open Cubes (1974), that similarly uses logic
to take us on a ludicrous journey.
Bio
Daniel Temkin lives and works in Queens. He makes images, programming languages,
and interactive pieces exploring our inherently broken patterns of thought. He
holds an MFA in photography from the International Center of Photography / Bard
College and is currently serving as artist-in-residence at Harvestworks for
their one-year New Works residency. His work is included in Rhizome at the New
Museum’s ArtBase collection, and his work was recently featured on PBS’s OffBook
series. He has presented at conferences such as Media Art History (Rewire) at
FACT, GLI.TC/H at School of the Art Institute, and CAA’s New Media Caucus at
School of the Visual Arts.
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