DCT:SYPHONING. The 1000000th (64th) Interval

»DCT:SYPHONING« is a modern translation of Edwin Abbott's 1884 novella »Flatland«, which explains some of the algorithms and complexities at work in digital image compression. The story is told from the perspective of the DCT algorithm. In »DCT:SYPHONING«, an anthropomorphized DCT Senior narrates its first SYPHON (data transfer) together with DCT Junior, as they translate data from one image compression to the next (aka the »realms of complexity«).

While Senior introduces Junior to the different levels of image complexity, they move from the macroblocks (the realm in which they normally resonate), to dithering, lines, and the more complex realms of wavelets and vectors. Junior reacts to old compression technologies, and also to the newer, more complex ones, which »scare« Junior, because of their »illegibility«.

The Discreet Cosine Transform (DCT) compression technique has been used since 1973, but was only in widespread use from 1992 as part of JPEG image compression. Image compression is a set of rules for image data saving and transmission. With »DCT:SYPHONING« Rosa Menkman provides insights into the workings of the most popular image compression algorithm and its inherent, hidden biases and flaws.

»DCT:SYPHONING. The 1000000th (64th) Interval« is dedicated to Nasir Ahmed and Lena JPEG Soderberg.