ChipScape Bloom - Mostek 4027 Memory Chip - 8x8
About this Artwork
This is a mixed-media artwork exploring the art in computer chips. This artwork is inspired by the Mostek MK4027, an early memory chip introduced in 1976 (see chip on front side, bottom-right). This 4Kb memory chip was a silicon-gate Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) organized as 4096x1 bit. It was an improved version of the Mostek 4096, which used metal-gate technology Bits could be read or stored in as fast as 120 nanoseconds. DRAM memory cells were usually composed of one transistor and one capacitor, which had to be refreshed every 2 microseconds.
Intel was the first to introduce a DRAM chip, yet it was Mostek, under the guidance of co-founder Bob Proebsting, that significantly advanced memory technology. Mostek's 4-kilobit DRAM chip employed a novel technique known as address multiplexing. This method cleverly reused the same pins for selecting both the rows and columns of the memory matrix, alternating between row and column address signals, instead of sending them simultaneously as previous designs had. This innovation meant that as memory density grew, the chip didn't need additional pins, enabling it to be manufactured more cheaply.
The artwork is based on the address decoder logic. Once incorporated into a regular ChipScape artwork, this strip is wrapped into a circle to form the bloom.
ChipScape Blooms
ChipScape Blooms are among the most enjoyable pieces I make, partly because they let a hidden world open in an unexpected way. Each one begins with a traditional ChipScape—an image of a silicon computer chip photographed through a microscope, using carefully angled light to reveal patterns that normally stay buried inside the chip.
When I turn a ChipScape into a Bloom, I take that rectangular slice of technology and “bend” it into a perfect circle. The change is simple, but the effect is striking: the hard lines of the microchip suddenly arrange themselves into something soft and organic, like a cathedral’s Rose Window or the petals of a flower just beginning to open. It’s technology reshaped into something familiar and human, and people are often surprised by how warm and alive it feels.
Framing
This artwork is an 8"x8" in a black shadowbox frame. All framing materials are acid-free. The actual functional memory chip used as the basis for this artwork is attached to the lower-right corner of the artwork. A backstory about the artwork, including the artist’s signature, is placed on the back of the artwork.
Please note: The look of the artifacts in the artworks may vary; each piece is unique.