UNCOVERING AMERICA 
Artemis Moroni 
Fundacäo CTI - Centro Tecnológico para Informática 
Campinas - SP - Brazil - CP 6162 
José Augusto Mannis 
UNICAMP 
Campinas - SP - Brazil 
Severiano Rodrigues Jr. 
EMBRAPA 
Campinas - SP - Brazil - CP 5010 
Paulo Gomide Cohn 
Las Ventanas Computacio 
Campinas - SP - Brazil 
Abstract 
Since 1989, the *.*- Group 
develops 
interdisciplinary works, using 
technological results applied to artistic purposes. For this event, the group 
proposes the production of a computer animation using 
informations from 
satellite images for sound track composition and transformations over the 
images suggesting the simulation of natural phenomenons for the animation. 
Key words: computer graphics, 
music composition, 
1. THE MOTIVATION 
… While a lieu of acting, Art approaches 
Pcience in ite neseanch fon new equipment and 
Languages,  expbloning 
Wonld and Man, enlarging penception, 
and practices. 3t nepecto, thue, the echooyotem 
between the World and Man himself. dnt chases aften 
a new type of poetu suitable fon the new 
conditions, nesonting to an i Lacipli wonk 
and finding in othen anem of knowledge the 
foundations to build its projects of neseanch...” 
n 
Paulo £awventiy [Laurentiz, 1991] 
1.1 Ihe *.* Group 
An abbreviature that in Computer Science stands for 
"all dot all”, -or merely "all", or "anything", 
adopted by a group of diverse profile people that 
play specific roles in the execution of complex 
projects. The group is dynamical, the people are 
joined according to the project and their moment 
and  affinities. But the group always join people 
from Art and Technology, and the interdisciplinary 
projects emerge from the environments where the 
people live [Franke, 1987]. 
For this event, the group offers a graphics 
animation using satellite images, whose informations 
Will be used both for the movement as to the music 
generation. The proposal of the *.* Group is always 
of working with the means of its time. Because 
throughout the times, Art has resorted to whatever 
media were available in the diverse eras to be 
shaped anew. Their time is now, technology their 
media. 
2. PREVIOUS WORKS 
The *.* Group emerged in 1989 with the Fractal Art 
project developed for the 20th. Sáo Paulo 
International Biennial. In 1991, it appeared again 
in that event with the Foreseen Variations Projects. 
For a better understanding of its interdisciplinary 
way of working within Science and Art, we believe 
that a brief explanation of those two projects is 
computer animation, particle systems, 
image processing. 
252 
automatic 
convenient; more so since the Uncovering America 
project evolved from those previous proposals. 
2.1 Fractal Art 
The Fractal Art project was an installation 
consisting of panels with computer generated images 
of fractals  (hardcopies), music composed from 
fractal generation algorithms, a video animation 
using fractal music and images, a sculpture made of 
neon lamps distributed in space according to a 
certain fractal pattern and photo-electric sensors 
which were placed in the base of the sculpture and 
connected to a personal computer. The music was 
composed in real time. By means of the sensors, the 
amount of light in the room was transformed in 
parameters for the composition. Thus, the presence 
of people in the room, altering the amount of light 
interfered in the music that was being composed. 
2.2 Foreseen Variations 
In 1991, after a few appearances in local shows and 
events, the *.* Group presented, in the 21st. Sàáo 
Paulo International Biennial, the Foreseen 
Variations project. The group was not the same. 
People join according to the project and its needs. 
The Foreseen Variations project was an installation 
in which a Puma robot would move according to the 
music composed with the aid of a computer. Beside 
it, a set of televisions (Photo 1) showed a video in 
which a (human) dancer made an "electronic 
performance" with the robot, thus invoking the 
automation of man and the humanization of machine. 
A TV camera, placed in a corner, captured the images 
and movements of the people and the robot in the 
room. This way, people were electronically inserted 
in the piece. 
3, UNCOVERING AMERICA 
Continuing with their experiences and 
interdisciplinary projects, the *.* Group proposes 
for this event the production of an animation based 
on satellite images. This proposal evolved from a 
previous one, the Four Seasons project of Paulo