The Mind Creative
In the 60’s computers were still quite hard to access and
experiment with. They were expensive and the technology was
cumbersome. The creative usage of the computer was therefore
limited to scientists and mathematicians who were attached to
large organisations. These scientists had to write their own
computer programs in order to fully exploit the creative abilities
of computers and due to restrictive output devices (plotters and
impact printers), the primary focus was on the creation of
geometric structures and not creative content. Computer pioneer
Frieder Nake was able to produce interesting works that were
mostly black and white creations on plotters. His work 'Hommage
à Paul Klee 13/9/65 Nr.2' (shown below) in 1965 was one of the
most complex algorithmic work of its day. It was inspired by an
oil-painting ‘Highroads and Byroads’ by Paul Klee.
During this era, Bell Labs had
the biggest influence in the
field of technology-based arts
in America. It sponsored a
project called ‘Experiments in
Art and Technology’ (EAT) that
brought together artists,
scientists and technicians. It
resulted in a series of
performances
called
'9
Evenings:
Theatre
and
Engineering' in 1966 that
brought
together
10
Hommage à Paul Klee 13/9/65 Nr.2
contemporary artists and 30
engineers and scientists from
Bell Labs. The events showcased performances that used new
technologies. Bell Labs was also instrumental in initiating early
steps into animation. One of the most famous works to come out
of Bell Labs was Leon Harmon and Ken Knowlton's ‘Studies in
Perception’ in 1967, also known as Nude. This was a large print
made up of small electronic symbols that replaced the grey scale
in a scanned photograph. Only by stepping back from the image
(which was 12 feet wide), did the symbols merge to form the
figure of a reclining nude.
9