Nombres premiers, 2020
Print on canvas, computer, thermal printer
- 10 ×
- 10 ×
- 14 × cm
- 120 ×
- 120 ×
- 10 × cm
- framed
« Since Pythagoras, prime numbers have always fascinated humanity. How to compute them all? Can this computation force a machine to exceed its limits? This installation allows you to put your finger on the theoretical and exciting limits of algorithmics and complexity. »
Sylvie Cardon
Exhibitions
Creative Engineers 2020, Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie - Paris, 2020↓
Photo credit | Kathia Chlebek
In theory, this algorithm is infinite et can discover all the prime numbers. The reality is quite different: the computation time increases and also tends towards infinity. Furthermore, the programme is implicitly limited by the available memory and the computing power of the the computer.
While algorithmic theory allows us to touch upon mathematic infinity, its implementation in the real world is limited to the boundaries of physics.
Courtesy of the artist
Once an hour, the printer adds the largest prime number currently reported by the programme to a new line on the roll. This highlights the exponential slowdown of the naive algorithm used.
Courtesy of the artist