Peter Hardie Exhibition Opening
Stephen Bell

Summary

The Peter Hardie Exhibition Opening begins with a brief introduction before Stephen Bell presents an overview of Hardie’s computer-generated artworks, staged by the Computer Arts Society at the BCS Moorgate, London offices. Bell explains that, contrary to first impressions, every exhibited piece is digitally created using 3D animation software such as Softimage XSI rather than filmed video. The talk surveys work made between 2004 and 2019, including sequences exploring light on water, waterfalls such as Pecca Falls, leaves drifting on a river, willow branches touching the surface, and the final unfinished birch-tree studies. Bell describes one-man shows at Bridport Arts Centre and New Greenham Arts, alongside group exhibitions and SIGGRAPH presentations, and shows how Hardie photographed real locations, constructed virtual models, painted textures, applied procedural shaders and rendered scenes to produce quiet, contemplative abstractions influenced by Monet, Riley and Bonnard rather than photorealistic imitations. He notes Hardie’s wrestling with technology, Zen-like calm of results, his collaborations including the glimmer shader, his use of scripting and Python, and the poignant posthumous decision to display unfinished material from his hard drive. The exhibition runs until September, and the showreel, printed catalogue and further information are available online.

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