Computer Fine Art

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http://www.bitforms.com/artist_reas8.html

A field is not a field of study w/o a history. What is the history of computers in the fine arts? Who were the important people?

Where do we stand today? And what looks likely for the future?

•Some good books and increasing attentions paid to these questions

•But history often not known or ignored, even by curators at major museums

•Also, ironically, hard to view these work in reproduction

•Many plotter pieces use fine, delicate lines

•Small jpg’s on web give little sense of feeling of real work

•No high-quality posters available (as with Impressionism) since not big enough audience

•Few coffee-table type book with really good reproductions, in color

•This is why today’s class will be based on examination of real pieces

•Other missing info: stories of the artist’s lives. History books very factual/unemotional—don’t’ give a sense of the struggle, the drama of creating new types of art that many people don’t like or even fine offensive.

•This just starting to come out… (Grant Taylor thesis)

Ben Laposky, Oscillon #4 (1954-1956 ) [photo of screen]

Computer art history often begins with these pieces, although an oscilloscope is not digital and not a computer… Does have phosphor screen image controlled by mathematical equations, though.

Michael A. Noll, Gaussian Quadratic (1965)

Bell Labs. Dr. A. Michael Noll is a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. He was dean of the Annenberg School for an interim period from 1992 to 1994. He has published over eighty professional papers, was granted six patents, and is the author of nine books on various aspects of telecommunications. http://www.citi.columbia.edu/amnoll/

Ken Knowlton, Nude (1957) [originally mural-sized, this is reproduction]

http://www.knowltonmosaics.com/

Vera Molnar, seria: interruptions (1968-69/1983)

Manfred Mohr, P-159 (1973-74)

Started in Jazz. Traditional painter… uses computers but always part of art world discourse and European art scene. Also part of computer art world.

Cynthia Beth Rubin, doorways piece (1990s)

successful computer artist. Began in “paintbox era”. Paintbox setups still expensive but not like before—and still needed access, training etc.

Roman Verostko, Diamond Lake Apocalypse (1994)

A former monk, interest in and knowledge of art, but mostly in computer art discourse. Taught for many years.

Jean-Pierre Hebert, Minotaure: detail, date?

See more images online—including sand piece. Now has artist in residence at Physics Inst at UCSB

James Faure Walker –piece from office—

traditional painter, founder and long-time editor of artscribe in UK.