Databending

Databending is a form of glitch art that involves intentionally corrupting digital data to create visual or auditory art. Artists achieve this by manipulating the raw data of a file, such as an image or audio file, using software not intended for that purpose. This can involve opening a file in a text editor and altering the hexadecimal code, or using audio editing software to process image data. The result is often unexpected and abstract, with distortions, color shifts, and unusual patterns in images, or static, digital artifacts, and altered timbres in audio.

The process of databending relies on the fact that different file formats have specific structures and encoding methods. When these structures are disrupted, the software that normally interprets the data to display an image or play audio can no longer do so correctly. Instead, it attempts to interpret the corrupted data in a new way, leading to the characteristic glitch effects. Databending can be seen as a way to explore the underlying structure of digital information and to find aesthetic possibilities within digital errors and imperfections. It is a technique used by digital artists, musicians, and experimental creators.