Bjørn Staal

Bjørn Staal is an artist and software developer based in Oslo, Norway.

His work explores the dynamic interactions between computational systems, human perception & behavior. With more than a decade of experience in multidisciplinary design and software development, Staal co-founded the experimental art and design studio Void in 2015. Focused mainly on the development of large-scale interactive installations, Void has gained international recognition for its work at the intersection of design, architecture, technology, and art.

Since leaving the studio in 2023, Bjørn has focused on his own artistic practice, exploring how algorithms can enrich our understanding of what it means to be human in an age where more and more of our agency is being outsourced. Staal’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, as part of online and physical exhibitions as well as installations in public spaces. In September 2024, Staal had his first solo exhibition at Wintercircus in Ghent, Belgium.

Fragile Systems

2023

generative art

JavaScript, GLSL

Algorythms, Oslo

Fragile Systems is an ongoing generative art project that explores the perpetual tension between human aspirations for order and the inherent chaos of natural systems. First exhibited at Algorythms in Oslo in 2023 as a monumental 15 x 5 meter curved projection, the work investigates how algorithmic processes can visualize the delicate balance between structure and dissolution that characterizes both constructed and organic environments.

The series employs algorithms that simulate the dynamics of systems under stress, where carefully constructed patterns gradually succumb to forces of entropy and decay. These digital processes mirror the ways natural phenomena—erosion, weather, biological decomposition—continuously work against human efforts to impose lasting order on the physical world. The curved projection format at Algorythms created an immersive environment where viewers could observe these competing forces playing out across architectural scale, emphasizing the vulnerability of even our most ambitious organizational systems.

Fragile Systems at Algorythms, Oslo 2023

© Bjørn Staal

Following the initial installation, the project expanded into a series of prints that translate the temporal dynamics of the digital work into static forms. These printed editions capture specific moments within the algorithmic progression, freezing instances where order and chaos achieve temporary equilibrium before continuing their eternal dance. The transition from large-scale projection to intimate print format reflects the project's central theme—the fragility of systems across all scales, from the monumental to the personal.