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Pennyland II

Sarah Ridgley

Pixels constitute the building blocks for all our digital imagery, making “spaces” for us to explore. Drawing inspiration from the historical, cultivated landscape of a “pennyland,” where farmers paid a penny rent for each parcel, this work explores the importance of small units of measurement (like the pixel or the penny), illustrating how these small units might shape the way we see the world. Each pixel becomes a plot of land, which maps its own visual weight and social meaning. The chosen pixels are randomly lifted from colorful lines scattered across the canvas. These pixels are then sorted through multiple algorithms and redrawn as a single, continuous brushstroke composed of minute squares. When recombined, the individual pixels come together to form a composition greater than the sum of its parts.

Code written in JavaScript and p5.js.
PNG file | 4096 x 4096
Edition of 10

This artwork is part of Unit London’s online exhibition ‘The Pixel Generation’ in collaboration with Right Click Save, launched May 17th, 2023

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