textiles made from computer binary data by phillip stearns

fragmented memory: textiles made from a computer’s physical memory by phillip stearns
all images courtesy phillip stearns

‘fragmented memory’, the triptych of large woven tapestries by brooklyn-based media artist phillip stearns uses digital practices to render invisible processes into tangible objects, a method operating as tactile and lo-fi digital storage media that can capture, record, and transmit data. the project draws a snapshot of stearns’ computer’s physical memory extracted from a core system dump; three selections of the binary data converted into images using custom software which groups 6 bits into RGB pixel color values (2 bits per channel).

the resulting 64 hues in the images are then mapped to a custom woven color palette created by mixing 8 colors of yarn using variations on a satin weave. the patterns are then woven on a computerized industrial jacquard loom. because of the direct mappings from binary data to image, and from image to woven pattern, it’s actually possible to decode the original binary information sourced from the computer’s physical memory.

fragmented memory process
video courtesy phillip stearns

the process operates as tactile and lo-fi digital storage media that can capture, record, and transmit data

a snapshot of stearns’ computer’s physical memory extracted from a core system dump, translated into patterns

binary data is converted to images using custom software which groups 6 bits into RGB pixel color values

the resulting patterns are woven on a computerized industrial jacquard loom

 it’s actually possible to decode the original binary data because of the direct mappings

pattern variations from binary data

[h/t] creative applications