The Battle of Algiers

The Battle of Algiers is a computational art piece created by Marc Lafia and Fang-Yu Lin. Originally commissioned in 2006 by the Whitney Museum of American Art for its artport website and by Tate Online, its been updated and ported to iPad in 2012 by Fang-Yu Lin.

The artwork consists of a continual re-composition of scenes from the seminal 1965 film of the same name, by Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo. Algorithms are used to render the Algerian nationalists tactics and also the French authoritys actions along varied story trajectories. It breaks down cinemas linear structure and proposes an open-ended narrative. The viewers may intervene and set off new story progression by selecting a different trajectory or drawing their own.

Note: App speed may decrease at times on the first generation iPad.