Datamoshing is a complex technique where the movement in one layer of video is applied to another layer of footage, combined with video compression to intentionally produce compression artefacts for artistic purposes, a style known as Glitch Art, Nicholas is creating unique visuals which portray an almost watercolour effect while exposing the inherent framework of the simple compressed video file which are so very abundant in our culture.

A compression artefact is a noticeable distortion of media caused by the application of lossy data compression.

Lossy data compression involves discarding some of the media's data so that it becomes simplified enough to be stored within the desired disk space or to be transmitted within the bandwidth limitations. If the compressor could not reproduce enough data in the compressed version to reproduce the original, the result is a diminishing of quality, or introduction of artifacts.

Data errors in the compressed bit-stream can lead to errors similar to large quantization errors which leads to the "break-up" of the picture. Where gross errors have occurred in the bit-stream, decoders continue to apply updates to the damaged picture, creating a "ghost image" effect.

With a lot of the imagery stripped from the data stream, while leaving the motion prediction information, Nicholas is able to create imagery that evolves over time and usually is never replicated.

While motion prediction is used compression artifacts remain on several generations of decompressed frames, and move with the optic flow of the image, leading to a peculiar effect, part way between a water colour painting effect and a colourful "grime" that moves with objects in the scene.

Looping the data packets together in random orders and repetitions can cause a crescendo of imagery as the information of the previous clips still exist but then manipulated by the new frames and clips. This creates unique visuals from the layering of pre-glitched data files.

SEQUENCE 07

A Tribute to Rocket Lab NZ

This video artwork was exhibited at Aftermath Gallery in 2017 celebrating the accomplishment of New Zealand completing a successful mission into space. Data Moshing a form of Glitch Art, where compression of video creates interesting artifacts that digital artists embrace, is part of the unique effect in the video artwork. The video was not glitched manually by the artist though, the data mosh effect was caused from the information being sent from the rocket back to earth, factors like the changing atmosphere and violent movement of the rocket caused the degradation of the information creating a story of the trip.