Miriam Dym is a visual artist who likes to investigate systems and patterns of communication. Her inquiries range from the mildly lyrical (how can I make a fictitious map convincing?) to the problem-solving (how do I transform all my household trash into new raw material?), but her response always gives rise to nonsensical performances or uncertain objects. Over the last several years, while printing textiles, Dym has invented an analog system she calls “Decision Fields”; through the actions of conscious agents, Decision Fields fosters the emergence of infinitely variable patterns on a plane. Decision Fields incorporates—with neither judgement nor resistance—agent error, directional recalibrations, and unruly actions. It can also be used as a communication game (embodiedalgorithms.com).

 Dym’s work has been featured at galleries and museums in the United States and abroad, including the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which has one of her pieces in its permanent collection.

 Participants and topics are subject to change; visit Berkeley Arts + Design (artsdesign.berkeley.edu) for the most up-to-date series information.