Digital Light: Code Makers

DIGITAL LIGHT Code Makers at Bletchley Park

DIGITAL LIGHT: CODE MAKERS It gives me great pleasure to highlight the importance of this artistic initiative, where collaboration between Bletchley Park and Milton Keynes Islamic Art and Culture (MKIAC) has resulted in this exciting project.

Art is a language through which we can all communicate, art holds no language barriers and no cultural barriers. All art forms tell a story. Art can be used to connect with other people when normal conversations fail to do so. And so with this Digital Light: Code Makers display we are looking at the ability of art to transcend barriers, and to engage with different groups.

Bletchley Park with its history as the centre for codebreaking during World War Two, is the perfect partner for this project. Working in tandem with MKIAC there are opportunities to bring a culturally diverse range of people to Bletchley Park to experience this exciting new digital art project.

Digital technology is a powerful tool which can excite and inspire artists to create work with its own cultural relevance. Bringing together two key cultures and histories this project will develop opportunities for digital education, and will provide community workshops for all to participate in.

The display gives us a unique opportunity to celebrate the theme of light and the use of digital projection in artistic work. We are indebted to all those who have worked with us to bring this project to fruition. This brochure gives a stunning overview of the creative work of many artists, and underlines the power of art to engage with all communities.

Countess Elizabeth Howe Patron, MKIAC

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THE DISPLAY Bletchley Park is opening late on selected dates in March to showcase a digital light projection on its iconic Mansion building and art installation in its atmospheric grounds.

Bletchley Park is delighted to be working with MKIAC, digital and calligraphy artists and a whole host of local community groups and schools on this Digital Light: Code Makers project, which celebrates the codes, patterns and symbols in mathematics and Islamic art.

This unique digital project continues Bletchley Park’s work to engage with community groups, and their mission to attract, engage and educate people from all over the world in order to inspire them with Bletchley Park’s crucial role in World War Two. In addition to hosting the special Digital Light: Code Makers display, Bletchley Park has hosted artists Sara Choudhrey and Maryam Smit for a special Light Geometry workshop, to draw mathematical patterns inspired by Islamic Art. Supported by the Arts Council, art pieces produced during this workshop will contribute towards a digitised showcase.

 Digital Mirror How would you like to see yourself made up of pixels? Interact with Pete Cleary’s Digital Mirror; you will be transformed into a million particles. You can move, dance, interact with yourself and be dazzled by Soraya Syed’s animated calligraphy.

 Mansion Projection A spectacular animation that charts the use of algorithms from Islamic artwork styles, through the computers of Bletchley Park, and to present day 3D animation. This stunning sequence, created by MBD, showcases the work of artists Sara Choudhrey and Soraya Syed.

 Between the Stars A projection of artwork from the community workshops conducted by Sara Choudhrey and Maryam Smit. These designs were embedded, animated and coded by Pete Cleary.

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ARTISTS Sara Choudhrey Sara Choudhrey is a London-based artist using an investigative process to explore themes of space and place through art and design.

Sara’s interests in the construction and application of patterns based on geometry and stylised botanical forms is informed by historical sites, considering human engagement and impact with spaces through material culture.

Through both her research and artworks, Sara raises the question of whether hybrid art presents an affinity to an ever-globalising and hybrid society, seeking inspiration through spaces where cultures intersect. The results are hybrid in both practice and media and include examples of light art, interactive installations, painting, sculpture and etching.

Sara embarked on her journey into creative and mixed media whilst studying Multimedia Technology & Design (BSc Hons) at Brunel University (2006). She further explored the contextual and reflective aspects of artistic practice through a research-led Masters in Digital Arts from Camberwell College of Arts (UAL, 2010) and completed a PhD in Digital Arts from the University of Kent in 2018.

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Sara has exhibited her work in various locations across the UK including the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, Digital Futures in association with the V&A in London and also internationally at the Sharjah Art Museum in the UAE. Website: www.sarachoudhrey.com Instagram: @sarachoudhrey

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Soraya Syed Soraya Syed is a classically trained calligrapher, artist and filmmaker of growing international renown. Born in London, Soraya studied at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design before going on to read Arabic and History of Art & Archaeology at SOAS. It was during her year abroad in Egypt that she discovered the art of Islamic calligraphy.

Her work has been exhibited and collected all over the world and she is the first Briton to receive the rarely bestowed icazetname or calligrapher’s license from Istanbul, Turkey.

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Soraya’s practice is a process of disciplined freedom; she enjoys the constant tension between remaining true to her classical training while exploring new possibilities. She seeks to push the boundaries of traditional Arabic calligraphy through a range of media from animation and dance to 3D holographic experimentations. She has been commissioned by the likes of Google, the British Museum and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Website: www.artofthepen.com Social media: @artofthepen

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Maryam Smit Maryam Smit is an experienced traditional artist based in Milton Keynes. Dedicated to the revival of historical crafts from the Islamic world, Maryam works with a wide range of materials including ceramics, natural pigments, and textile inspired by centuries of historical Islamic geometry and patterns.

Maryam was born and educated in Holland, where she studied fashion design.

Maryam later attended the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, where her passion for Islamic art really blossomed. She received her degree there.

“It was there that I was exposed to a completely new way of viewing and creating ‘art’. I became completely obsessed with what I learned there, and in turn developed a deep respect for the principles of traditional arts. My work changed quite drastically, both the mediums I used and the concepts that I discuss in my work. I focus predominantly on depicting the hidden meanings in Islamic art through the use of symbolism in patterns and colours and I combine traditional techniques and concepts to create pieces with a slight modern feel to them.”

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Maryam’s passion to share the beauty of Islamic geometric art has led to her work with MKIAC. Here, Maryam is the resident artist, developing new areas of design and expression through art. Maryam also leads the MKIAC outreach programme including schools, and her work has been exhibited within Buckinghamshire.

Instagram: @maryam_smit

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Pete Cleary Pi & Mash is the experimental studio of creative technologist Pete Cleary.

He set up the studio to experiment, play and express his creativity through the merging of art and technology.

Through the studio he is looking to expand relationships with other creatives with cross pollination of ideas, techniques and projects.

The technical knowledge and passion he has for user interactivity through technology is something he wishes to pass on to other creatives empowering them to expand their own artistic practices and projects.

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Personal History Pete has over 20 years of experience in programming, having set up and run successful companies with global clients.

Over this time he has create web systems, mobile apps, managed big data and delivered countless marketing solutions.

He graduated from Bournemouth University with a degree in design which grounded him in the understanding of delivering to a brief whilst balancing the age old question of form over function.

Website: www.piandmash.com

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MBD MBD is an award winning Leicester based arts organisation that specialises in creating incredible arts experiences using immersive media. With over 20 years experience at the intersection between arts and technology, MBD has crafted storytelling experiences across theatres, galleries, outdoor festivals and site specific locations. The company increasingly uses 3D design and animation techniques to create Projection Mapping, Virtual and Augmented Reality experiences that push the boundaries of digital art, and make experiences that are truly immersive.

MBD is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation with a mission to expand its specialism as Digital Storytellers.

Its aim is to combine artistic interpretation, creativity and technical innovation to create high-end visual experiences that engage audiences on a meaningful and emotional level. The company often focuses on the lesser known aspects of a story, or art forms and artists that are under-represented. MBD actively seeks out collaborations with a broad range of artists and individuals, as well as encouraging creativity through a range of outreach activities.

Website: www.mbd.limited

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BLETCHLEY PARK

Home of the World War Two Codebreakers Bletchley Park is a vibrant heritage attraction and museum, open daily to visitors.

It was the home of British World War Two codebreaking; a place where technological innovation and human endeavour came together to make ground-breaking achievements that provided vital intelligence to Allied forces and its legacy has helped shape the world we live in today.

This unique site was previously a vast Victorian estate, where parts including the Mansion still survive, expanding during wartime to accommodate Codebreakers Huts and Blocks.

During World War Two, the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS), now known as the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), was based at Bletchley Park. It grew from a small team of specialists to a vast intelligence factory of thousands of dedicated women and men.

This extraordinary combination of brilliant and determined people and pioneering technological innovation came together, against all the odds and in tough conditions, to provide vital intelligence that had a direct 14

and profound influence on the outcome of the war. The site continues to reveal secrets and tell fascinating stories of our national legacy.

Digital Light: Code Makers draws on Bletchley Park’s unique wartime legacy, when a diverse group of women and men used real-world application of maths to solve real-world problems, valuing excellence, resilience, understanding and collaboration. Intricate mathematical patterns used in codes and cyphers were unlocked at Bletchley Park by brilliant minds like Alan Turing, Dilly Knox, John Tiltman and Bill Tutte.

Bletchley Park is open daily, with a busy programme of events, displays and immersive exhibitions running throughout the year.

This includes special activities later this year to mark the 75th anniversaries of Victory in Europe Day (8th May) and Victory in Japan Day (15th August). A general admission ticket includes free unlimited entry to Bletchley Park for a year. Don’t forget under 12s go free!

For full details on all upcoming events and activities, visit: bletchleypark.org.uk

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MKIAC

Conversation with Anouar Kassim MBE What is the MKIAC? My name is Anouar Kassim, Founder and Director of the Milton Keynes Islamic Arts and Culture organisation. We started in 2002, when Milton Keynes was going through some challenges. We thought it would be a wonderful idea to share all the arts, culture and colours that Islamic civilisation has.

We work successfully with people of all communities.

In 2018 we received the Queen’s Awards - the first Islamic arts and culture organisation to receive this type of award.

Tell us about the the collaboration with Bletchley Park?

The relationship with Bletchley Park has been encouraging and fruitful, especially exploring and understanding how Islamic art and culture can play a part, and we can see how there is not only a shared foundation in maths, but also a shared vision and values in terms of cultures coming together. The origin of the project was exploring how Islamic arts, and particularly mathematics, played a part in this.

Islamic art, whether it is geometry, arabesque, or calligraphy at it’s origin is full of maths.

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Tell us more about the Digital Light: Code Makers project?

The project came about as a result of our relationship with Bletchley Park. Creatively, we saw an overlap with the codebreakers at Bletchley Park. However, we called it Code Makers this time, as we are developing new ideas, and wanted the younger generation to take an interest in coding and creativity. We named the project Digital Light to capture the projection of art, as well as to reflect the concept of nūr (light), which has physical and metaphorical meanings.

What is the legacy of this project?

The legacy of Digital Light: Code Makers will be to continue this collaboration, to share with other towns and cities. We aim, through education to have more people take part in the creative industries from BAME communities. Hopefully this will open doors for all communities in the creative sector.

Anouar Kassim MBE Founder & Director, MKIAC www.mkiac.org

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DIGITAL LIGHT & CODEBREAKERS Digital Light: Ibn al-Haytham (965-1040), the Father of Optics The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light (IYL2015), recognising the importance of light-based technologies in meeting the needs of humankind. A number of worldwide celebrations was organised to commemorate important milestones in the history of the science of light. The year 2015 was recognised to represent a millennium since This drawing is an artist’s idea of what Ibn al-Haytham might the publication of the great Book of Optics have looked like. In some places, Ibn al-Haytham is also known as by the Basra born scholar Ibn al-Haytham. He Alhazen, which is the Latin form of his first name, al-Hasan. lived at a time of incredible blossoming of creativity and innovation, called the An artistic impression of Ibn al-Haytham demonstrating Islamic Golden Age. Ibn althe principle of the camera Haytham was sometimes obscura in Cairo, Egypt. referred to as the “father of optics and father of the scientific (experimental) method”.

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For mathematics, that remarkable period in the history began with Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (ca 780–850), a member of the Baghdad House of Wisdom (Bait al-Hikma) whose book Kitab al-Jabr wa‘l-Muqabala (Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing) gave a new momentum to algebra.

The word “algebra” is derived from the title of the book and the word “algorithm” is a

corruption of his name. This new algebra was essentially performing arithmetic calculations carrying the unknown, which is given a name, shay, meaning a “thing.” In English we use “x” to represent shay. This opened the door to a broad development that allowed mathematics to be applied in ways that were not possible earlier.

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The numbers from 1 to 9 are now known as Arabic numerals used with slight modification in Europe and North Africa today, as distinct from the Indian numerals that are still found in some eastern parts of the Muslim world.

The arrival of these numerals resolved the problems caused by Roman numerals and the abacus, which had been in use until then.

Zero, as a concept, was known by ancient Mesopotamian and Indian civilisations. As a number or a space holder it was used by the Indians, then it reached Baghdad where it became part of the Arabic numeral system. It was al-Khwarizmi who suggested that a little circle be used in calculations if no number appeared in the tens place. The Arabs called this circle “sifr”, or “empty.” The word zero came from French zéro or Italian zero, via Old Spanish from Arabic sifr ‘cipher’.

Breaking Code “One way to solve an encrypted message, if we know its language, is to find a different plain text of the same language long enough to fill one sheet or so, and then we count the occurrences of each letter. We call the most frequently occurring letter the ‘first,’ the next most occurring letter the ‘second,’ the following most occurring the ‘third,’ and so on, until we account for all the different letters in the plain text sample… Then we look at the cipher text we want to solve and we also classify its symbols.

We find the most occurring symbol and change it to the form of the ‘first’ letter of the plaintext sample, the next most common symbol is changed to the form of the ‘second’ letter, and so on, until we account for all symbols of the cryptogram we want to solve.”

Al-Kindi in his ninth-century A Manuscript on Deciphering Cryptographic Messages

0 .14 0 .1 2 Rel at i ve freq ue n c y

Al-Khwarizmi was followed by numerous mathematicians making huge advances that preceded European mathematicians such as Ruffini-Horner, René Descartes (1596–1650), Pierre Fermat (1601–1665), Leonhard Euler (1707–1783), John Wilson (1741–1793) and Joseph Lagrange (1736–1813).

0 .1 0 0 .0 8 0 .0 6 0 .0 4 0 .0 2 0

y Sifr y Cipher y Ze’ro y Zero

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a b c d e f g h i j k l mn o p q r s t u v w x y z Letter

A chart shows the frequency of letters in a passage of text.

Codebreakers: Al-Kindi (d. 874), the father of Cryptanalysis To avoid vital secrets falling into the wrong hands, messages are scrambled (encrypted) so that only someone with the right code can unscramble them. Bletchley Park is famed as the place where encryption and decryption were carried out during World War Two. Al-Kindi was a scientist known as ‘the philosopher of the Arabs’. He authored 290 books on medicine, astronomy, mathematics, linguistics and music.

Al-Kindi’s frequency analysis was followed by cryptographers from the Muslim world for centuries until it reached Europe long before the codebreakers of Bletchley Park. Al-Kindi rightfully deserves the title of the “Father of Cryptanalysis”.

“Cryptology was born among the Arabs. They were the first to discover and write down the methods of cryptanalysis.”

David Kahn The Codebreakers: The Story of Secret Writing

“The birth of cryptanalysis required a society which has reached a high standard of development in three disciplines, namely linguistics, statistics and mathematics. These conditions became available at the time of al-Kindi who had command of these three disciplines and more… Al-Kindi’s technique, known as frequency analysis, shows that it is unnecessary to check each of the billions of potential keys. Instead, it is possible to reveal the contents of a scrambled message simply by analysing the frequency of the characters in the ciphertext” Simon Singh The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography

Salim Al-Hassani The first page of al-Kindi’s manuscript On Deciphering Cryptographic messages, containing the oldest known description of cryptanalysis by frequency analysis.

Emeritus Professor University of Manchester President: Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation, UK.

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ART IN THE COMMUNITY Part of the Digital Light: Code Makers project involved workshops in the community contributing towards the Between the Stars projection.

Bletchley Park: Light Geometry workshops were led by artists Sara Choudhrey and Maryam Smit on Thursday 20th February to draw mathematical patterns inspired by Islamic art.

Supported by the Arts Council, art pieces produced during this workshop will contribute towards a digitised showcase.

Digital Light: Code Makers continues Bletchley Park’s work to engage with community groups.

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Shenley Brook End School: Artist Maryam Smit was at Shenley Brook End School, leading an arts workshop.

Students from Milton Keynes College also took part in this project.

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supporters “We are delighted and privileged to be hosting this very special event at Bletchley Park, celebrating the connection between mathematics, coding and Islamic art with a beautiful digital light projection. It is a fantastic project between Bletchley Park and MKIAC to also connect diverse communities to their local cultural heritage sites.”

Rebecca Foy

“The Alan Turing Institute is pleased to see the emergence of this project which links future digital skills to historic codebreakers such as Alan Turing and sheds light on the intriguing relationship between maths, arts and creativity.”

Adrian Smith Director and Chief Executive of The Alan Turing Institute

Director of Public Engagement, Bletchley Park Trust

sponsors

MKIAC would like to thank the MKIAC team and ambassadors, and the MKIAC Board for the support of this project.

Project delivery: MKIAC and Bletchley Park Artists: Soraya Syed, Sara Choudhrey, Maryam Smit, Pete Cleary, MBD Brochure design: Inspiral Design Brochure editorial: Musab Bora

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