THE ROLE OF GENERATIVE ALGORITHMS IN ABSTRACT SCULPTURE CREATION

Increasingly, the effects of computational exploration of form, structure and materiality are being felt even in the realms of contemporary abstract sculpture due to the availability of generative algorithms that allow exploration of form, structure and materiality to levels previously impossible in the realm of manual sculptural practice. In this paper, the authors explore the contribution of generative algorithms to the creation of abstract sculptures, and discuss how rule-based, evolutionary, learning-based, and hybrid computational methods assist in the creation of complex and emergent sculptural objects. The paper gives a coherent approach to the generative pipeline, including algorithmic form generation, computational representation, human-algorithm co-creation, and digital fabrication. To facilitate the systematic analysis and comparison, a common evaluation methodology is proposed that integrates aesthetic evaluation, assessment of novelty and diversity, structural feasibility, preparedness of fabrication, performance of materials, as well as usefulness of the process. The paper also contends on the implications of educational and studio practices, which explore system-based learning by integrating interdisciplinary practices alongside the importance of learning, which revolves around exploration, in sculpture learning. The problem of authorship, interpretability, bias in the dataset, and sustainability are addressed critically, and the directions of further research are described. In sum, the paper frames generative algorithms as collaborative generators of expressive and conceptual range of abstract sculpture with the primary emphasis on the human artistic will.