-The Portrait of Sofia Imber- by Carlo Zanni

"The Portrait of Sofia Imber" is a NewNewPortrait . The "pixel-images" forming the Sofia's face (eyes, mouth and face's shape) are images taken from an online Google image searching process. The portrait charges images from Google chosing randomly one of 5 pre-programmed fixed queries. The portrait refreshes each 15 seconds displaying new face expressions due to the different number and type of images found during the "on the fly" google search. This gives the portrait a kind of new expressionist value. The "pixel-images" forming the Sofia's face are browseable. It means you can click on them exploring their content. The loading process needs at least 5-10 seconds. This portrait is formatted as a 32x32 pixel icon for desktop. You can drag and drop it around your screen. The "only" difference is that its pixels aren't simply static colors but dynamic pixel-images (read above).

This portrait is drawn with a new "tool" I created: Query Fill. "Query fill" is a conceptual tool based on php scripts and Google APIs searching and displaying images taken from search engine query results. "Query fill" is a way to paint with images instead of only with pixels. It is a "live paintbrush" a "magic wand" giving "life" to things. Instead of having lines of pixels generating the portrait, "Query Fill" allows users to "create" the work through images taken from search engine query results. In the end global community behaviours influence the form and the content of the drawing. Because of real time image finding process, these works tells us about our own life, and, in some ways, they become old as the famous Dorian Grey's Portrait by Oscar Wilde.

All Zanni's net projects are "portraits". His research around portraiture brought him to define a new genre he called: NewNewPortrait. NewNewportrait (that comes from "the new new thing", the well known book by Michael Lewis ) is a way to do portraits using temporary mental identities of the user and not only his physical aspect. In truth he uses "digital footsteps" as email accounts, web stats, desktop icons, workstation environment settings, cookies, wi-fi waves and search engines to create personal portraits.

Please follow these links to know more about the author and to read important notices in th project credits section.