The Value of R. 2024

The Value of R is a series of algorithmically derived paintings based upon the Covid 19 pandemic. They're a visualisation of viral growth and its personal, social and economic consequences. The series refers to a specific event, but acknowledges the ripple effect of pivotal moments in everybody's lives.

The “R (reproduction) value” of a virus is the average number of secondary infections produced by a single person. At the beginning of the pandemic, the Covid “R value” was 2 to 3. Meaning that each infected person, on average, transmitted the virus to 2 to 3 others. This series of paintings implements an algorithm based on that “R Value”.

Each artwork has a unique algorithm defining line length and angle. They share the same rule for growth (reproduction). A single point at the centre of the canvas connects to 3 points. Those points connect to 2 or 3 more, which connect to 2 or 3 more, repeating. Such growth is considered exponential.

The title of each artwork is a word or phrase that entered the English lexicon during the pandemic. 

Material and colour selection relate to various aspects of the pandemic. The blue ground is a tint of ultramarine. This hue of blue was historically valuable because it was derived from a rare gemstone - lapis lazuli. Its scarcity and vibrancy has made it a symbol of wealth and luxury since the renaissance. Here, it reflects the constant push and pull between public health and economics. This played out on a macro (governmental) and micro (personal) scale.

The concentric rings are gilded with silver leaf. They represent medical science - silver has antibacterial properties. They also reflect the viewer, placing them within the painting and the context of the pandemic. 

Red lines surround the silver rings and create a web from the centre of the painting outwards. The lines represent the spread of the virus, made possible by human interaction. The colour of blood, they represent human life and our vulnerability. The red and blue hues are not direct compliments, but the lines do exhibit afterimage. This gives the painting a shimmer as the eye roams around the canvas. The concentric rings draw the viewer's eye out of the canvas. It’s drawn back in by the blue ground that is darker in the centre. 

Each artwork is derived from a unique algorithm. Adhering to its rules creates a recognisable pattern. Changing line quantity, length or direction alters the composition. To explore this phenomena, the series will total 49 paintings - 7 iterations of 7 algorithms. The images shown here are the first iteration. Why 7? Because 7 is a lucky number and superstition was rife during the pandemic.