Laszlo von Dohnanyi

I think of painting as a technology; I am fascinated by the digital aesthetics of technologically-generated images. In my work, I explore the reciprocal influence between these technological images and painting. My process starts in the digital format; sourcing virtual 3D models from the Internet and using architectural modelling softwares to distil the data down to forms and shapes that resonate with me.

Central to my practice is the notion of remediation; the concept that new media transform and refashion prior media forms. Remediation is a defining characteristic of new digital media because it is constantly remediating its predecessors. When an older media in turn adopts features of a more recent media, it is referred to as retrograde remediation.

I explore retrograde remediation by incorporating characteristics and features of CGI (computer-generated imagery) back into my paintings. I think of the CAD file selection process as a form of ‘digital cannibalism’ - digesting the virtual world - consuming these digital objects by retrograde remediating VR, with its artificial realism, hypermediated interfaces, ultra-sharp edges and aesthetic over stimulation back into painting.

By mixing references to an older pictorial tradition with those of cutting-edge 3D digital-modelling tools, my paintings operate at the intersection between digital and analogue image creation. I think of my painting process as a technological mimesis. When painting, I follow rules and algorithms that mimic the idiosyncratic characteristics associated with the technological creation of images. I am interested in how technology can be utilized as a crutch for the mind; informing and assisting the different decision-making processes. This systemization of the painting process aims to inject elements of unpredictability and complexity into the paintings.