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Coalescence is a project based on metaballs, a computer graphics technique that renders a set of bodies capable of merging when nearby. Jim Blinn developed the original algorithm in the 80s for Carl Sagan's TV series Cosmos. It was further popularized in the demoscene during the 90s and later expanded to numerous applications.

Given our common interests and desire to do art together as a collective, we chose this technique as a symbolic first step. In Coalescence, we explore the divergence and convergence of abstract entities. Diverse arrangements of metaballs create harmonic compositions. We carefully chose color palettes that fuse well with the idea of merging topologies. The pieces are animated. Collectors can pause and explore them with various camera controls, which allows them to export different versions of the work.

We show a selection of pieces that we consider work well. We are currently working on steering the algorithm in this direction:

http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0xa40112c910e0c48d02b0c3a510087534587ca6c53ed0e72dde59dcf61d7a46fe http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0xddec3c03bdb4a690a4e191d224773e23a257a8b9530a055e85b995cbfa5a8516 http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0x5c35a78b63d8c8258f8c662987a4218ec0b8e49b55316391d09c69e5381b1748 http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0xde13ba74367e1b87bee4f6a09d0e4b979b4e1865b5c1cdf5090f343f47e018b0 http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0x03634ea25eeb497a813ba1a8c3d9cdf074df6ff35c532a2bde8e0fef04417108 http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0x2affca3eb55b8e2063676503dcae704b0e437eb42686209057726e2cc2dbb976 http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0xa1d493e083747c78751419abbb5081f45829825094d5965bd46019c37f4e1205 http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0x864ce4e2a3fcf2cef33558cd471e0a820150629b57fa3ef13ce58be5b8cf4d66 http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0x33ecd89829018218c3c4f36a8ea494a494875675b4ec5154536389a3cd9dfac2 http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/#hash=0xa0fcf45d82a90cd99f1c6bdf9c2068d4d3e3767c22b7fb7a4aae9bb1c4574789

To generate a random hash, go to http://dev.hyphencollective.io/coalescence/

Coalescence controls:
- rotating: dragging the mouse left and right
- zooming: dragging the mouse back and forward
- pause animation: spacebar
- save image: '1': 1280x1920, '2': 2560x3840, '3': 3840x5760

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