Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Computing the Spatial Explorations of Roberto Matta

  • Research
  • Published:
Nexus Network Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Generative design tools are occasionally employed in architecture to produce shapes. They can also provide researchers with different analysis capabilities by enabling new approaches and interpretations of case studies. This contribution presents the research on some artworks of the Chilean surrealist artist Roberto Matta Echaurren (1911–2002) using software applications coded with the Processing creative programming language. The selected works belong to Matta’s spatial exploration dating between 1936 and 1938 and consist of six architectural illustrations and the essay ‘Mathématique sensible—Architecture du temps’ (1938). The methodology employed in developing these applications entails digitally analyzing the artist’s work by extracting computable elements and subjecting them to computing mechanisms (sorting, combinations, randomization, etc.) that produce configurations similar to those designed by Matta.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Not applicable.

References

  • Astaiza, Luis Gerardo. 1983. Los números aleatorios y la ingeniería. Ingeniería e investigación: 55–60. https://doi.org/10.15446/ing.investig.n7.28891

  • Bellido, María Luisa. 2003. Roberto Matta: El Creador de Mundos Personales. Norba-Arte XXII-XXIII:207–222.

  • Brandel, Jono, and Lullatone. 2014. Patatap project website. https://patatap.com/#. Accessed 28 May 2023.

  • Breton, André. 2001. Manifiestos del Surrealismo. Translated by Aldo Pellegrini. Buenos Aires: Argonauta.

  • Carrasco, Eduardo. 2011. Conversaciones con Matta. Santiago: UDP.

  • Chevrier, Jean-François. 2013. Le grand écart. Episode 4: Vitalite du Negatif. Dá 220. https://www.darchitectures.com/le-grand-ecart-episode-4-vitalite-du-negatif-a1390.html Accessed 28 May 2023.

  • Ewald, François. 1995. El surrealismo: una ética del azar (V. Florián, Trans.). Ensayos. Historia y teoría del arte 2: 272-277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrari, Germana. 1987. Entretiens Morphologiques - Notebook No.1 1936–1944. London: Sistan Limited.

  • Glassner, Andrew. 2010. Processing for visual artists: How to create expressive images and interactive art. Natick: A.K. Peters.

  • Goodman, Nelson. 1990. Maneras de hacer mundos. Madrid: Visor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Internationale Situationniste. 2001. Internacional situacionista: textos completos en castellano de la revista Internationale Situationniste (1958-1969). Madrid: Literatura Gris.

    Google Scholar 

  • Itten, Johannes. 1992. El arte del color. México D.F.: Lumusa.

  • Joyanes, Luis. 2008. Fundamentos de programacion: Algoritmos, estructuras de datos y objetos. 4th. Madrid: McGraw-Hill.

  • Knuth, Donald Ervin. 1997. The art of computer programming. Volume 2, seminumerical algorithms. Boston: Addison–Wesley.

  • Kuchina, Svetlana Anatolevna. 2018. On Generative Poetry: Structural, Stylistic and Lexical Features. MatLit (Centro De Literatura Portuguesa Da Universidade De Coimbra) 1: 73–83. https://doi.org/10.14195/2182-8830_6-1_5

  • Lagnado, Lisette (ed.). 2010. Desvíos de la deriva. Experiencias, travesías y morfologías. Madrid: MNCARS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Layuno, Ángeles. 2016. Concept and representation of exhibition space in modern architecture. EGA Expresión Gráfica Arquitectónica 21: 156–167. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4995/ega.2016.6325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liaño, Ignacio Gómez de. 2012. Sintaxis informática de la arquitectura plateresca (lógica de la arquitectura) / Ignacio Gómez de Liaño y Guillermo Searle Hernández. [Special material from the repository of the library of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía MNCARS, symbol SP 4092].

  • Lopes, Gonçalo M. Furtado C. 2008. Cedric Price's Generator and the Frazers' systems research. Technoetic Arts: a Journal of Speculative Research, 6(1): 55–72. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1386/tear.6.1.55_1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martín, Carla, Urquía, Alfonso and Rubio, Miguel Ángel. 2011. Lenguajes de programación. Madrid: UNED.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matar, Roula. 2022. Lárchitecture selon Gordon Matta-Clark. Dijon: Le Presses du Réel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matta, Roberto. 1938. Mathématique sensible – Architecture du temps. Minotaure, 11.

  • Matta, Roberto. (1-04-2003). Resistor: surrealist Roberto Matta interviewed before his death. (H.-U. Obrist, interviewer)

  • Millares, Selena. 2017. Diálogo de las artes en las vanguardias hispánicas. Frankfurt: Editorial Iberoamericana / Vervuert.

  • Mitchell, William J., and George Stiny. 1978. The palladian grammar. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design 5: 5-18. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1068/b050005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Negroponte, Nicholas. 1970. The architecture machine. Cambridge: MIT Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ortiz de Rozas, M. (ed.) 2011. Matta: cartas a Ramuntcho. Santiago de Chile: Aguilar Chilena de Ediciones.

  • Pearson, Matt. 2011. Generative art: a practical guide using Processing. New York: Manning Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Processing Foundation (a). s.d. Official website of the project. https://processing.org/. Accessed 28 May 2023.

  • Processing Foundation (b). s.d. GitHub repository. https://github.com/processing. Accessed 28 May 2023.

  • Reas, Casey, and Ben Fry. 2007. Processing. A programming handbook for visual designers and artists. Cambridge: MIT Press.

  • Sarovic, Marcelo. 2013. Roberto Matta Echaurren. Arquitecto. Revista AOA (Asociación de Oficinas de Arquitectos Chile) 22: 22-41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shiffman, Daniel. 2015. Learning Processing: A Beginner's Guide to Programming Images, Animation, and Interaction. San Francisco: Elsevier Science & Technology.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is a result of the research project ‘Digital housing design and construction system based on Roberto Matta’s residential proposals’ funded by ANID (Chile’s National Agency of Research and Development) FONDECYT 1221730.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Escuela de Arquitectura, Universidad de Alcalá, C/ Santa Úrsula 8, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain

    Patricia Domínguez Gómez & Flavio Celis D’Amico

  2. Facultad de Arquitectura, Construcción y Diseño, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Avenida Collao 1202, 4051381, Concepción, Chile

    Rodrigo García Alvarado

Authors
  1. Patricia Domínguez Gómez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Flavio Celis D’Amico
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rodrigo García Alvarado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patricia Domínguez Gómez.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Domínguez Gómez, P., Celis D’Amico, F. & García Alvarado, R. Computing the Spatial Explorations of Roberto Matta. Nexus Netw J 26, 7–26 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00004-023-00748-7

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00004-023-00748-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation