RDG(o) –

‘random data generator’ (objects)’

RDG is a tool for making work created by artist Antonia Clare Grant FRSA

the origins of the idea –

In 2007 during my BA I became interested in analyzing the concepts of agency that people’s actions manifest in groups or collective situations, during my Masters in Narrative Environments I explored how James Joyce used inception and pregnancy researching medical sites to develop a narrative thread in The Oxen of the Sun (Ulysses,)

This idea how multiple actors with agency can manufacture a structure onto which a creative process can be graphed.

Using a tool I called ‘Reductive Analysis’ developed from mind maps I set out to test these ideas working with students in Greece for 6 months:

Collaborating with the BA design students at the University of the Aegean to create a site specific collaborative public installations – the students were given specific actions over a period of a month which enabled them to put themselves into the heart of an artwork process self generated via them mapping their day to day actions – these guides translated into photos of sites around the city and culminated in an installation and narrative about the wear and tear to ship yard workers –

The process had alot of hiccups and many of the ideas didn’t translate either because of language barriers or differences of opinions but some worked as they designed; I mapped their activity –

the outcome is a simplified user tool called RDG(o) – and is designed to allow an individual to input themselves their likes, views, ideals, aesthetics and then the program will generate a recipe for objects and process for object making.

In its most simplified its a tool for art making.

1st – ‘random data generator’ – its works like a slot machine – generating binary numbers materials shapes and actions eg:burn, distress, emotives

and then a second digital slot doing – locations -e.g: a.place: park, road, parking lot, river, house flat doorway…..b. space: (floor ceiling wall table)

this culminates to create a mathematical equation of actions and becomes the title of the work

2nd –2nd – ‘equation’ name of work->  hanging from ceiling  

 ‘equation’ name of work-> 4 x metal _circle >burn /emotion happy- hanging from ceiling

this becomes a guide to make work its materiality, scale, volume, pathology, process