Remarks on pattern recognition

Sami Serola

Patterns as repetition within space 

Patterns can be understood as a repetition within the space, which then becomes recorded or constructed for example on an image. Probably most creative masters on this sort of patterns are Arabic architects and artists who have decorated Mosques and other Arabic buildings with incredibly detailed mosaics. I have read somewhere the Arabic art went to this path of illustration because in Islamic religion and culture iconolatry (or idolatry) is strongly forbidden. Therefore artists could not decorate the buildings (or any other items) with anything that could be recognized as an any sort of a symbol. As a consequence they invented actually very imaginative form of abstract art: almost painstakingly detailed patterns and ornaments.

Arabs of course were not the only ones making mosaics for decoration. But they certainly took it to the totally new level. Then later on these master pieces of art have inspired many modern and contemporary artists. Good examples on this are relatively modern western artists M.C. Esher and Antoni Gaudi.

Patterns as repetition within time

Another way to see patterns is what could be called as pattern recognition. It is a learned ability to recognize familiar symbols, sounds, melodies, smells, tastes and textures. Through everyday repetition of stimuli, we learn to recognize familiar things and then call them as patterns. One example is pareidolia, where we recognize some pattern formed from dots and lines, which then looks like a face of some creature.

Pattern recognition can be also programmed into a software, and then used on number of applications. For example on camera software it can be used to recognize faces as well, and then help camera automatically focus on those subjects.

Using patterns as subjects in photographic art

Mr Nobody making a statement

In my example I use patterns in number of ways. First of all I have taken shot of a brick wall to show the repetitive pattern of that colorful and beautiful wall. Then I  have chosen someone else's work of art to illustrate how those bricks could be used to create a mosaic, or as pixel art, as we would also say today. Except in this case the mosaic is used to create some icons that we can recognize, thanks to continuous cultural repetition.

Then, finally I have made this work as mine by adding there my shadow. But not just any shadow. The idea is to show there Mr Nobody, which I have intentionally taken to represent myself as an imaginary amateur photographer. The shadow holding hand and camera up is supposed to bring several possible "patterns" into one's mind.

First of all, one can see there a person just rising the hand in order to salute the viewer. Second purpose is to directly show the new way to use modern cameras. We no longer need to hold the camera in front of the face, and that way we are able to extent our reach much further. Thirdly the idea is to show how the shadow actually looks more complete than a torso. If the hand would be held in front of the body or head, it could be much more difficult to recognize it as a pattern of human figure. Then the fourth reason is to add there so called inter-textual references.

The inter-textual references can be of course many; depending on what of them are familiar to the viewer. But what I have intentionally "hidden" there are Michelangelo's famous sculpture David, and Ignatz the cartoon mouse from Krazy Kat by George Herriman. So, there is a character holding either a sling or a brick, in order to hit somebody with it. Depending on the point of view, it is either David or Ignatz, but they both are more or less trying to make a statement.

What the statement then is, it fully depends on the person who views the image. The final message can be either obvious or complex. One possible message could be hidden on those icons or symbols. The picture can for example say: "Look at those symbols! Do you accept them as icons of human kind? Do you see there a woman wearing a skirt and a man with a hat, or what do you see? A symbol for unisex perhaps?"