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Max Bense As a Visionary, a Dialectic of Programmed Images

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Max Bense As a Visionary, a Dialectic of Programmed Images XXII Generative Art Conference - GA2019 A Vision without a Sight: From Max Bense's Theory to the Dialectic of Programmed Images Gaëtan Robillard, PhD student, visiting professor INREV, AIAC Université Paris 8 LDI ENSAD TALM-Tours Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée e-mail: [email protected] Prof. Alain Lioret INREV, AIAC Université Paris 8 e-mail: [email protected] __________________________________________________ Abstract inaugurates the Generative Aesthetics by a statement written by Bense, together with a set of computer drawings by the Based on semiology (Pierce) and mathematician and artist Georg Nees. Information Theory (Shannon & Weaver, From a historical perspective, these Carnap), Max Bense's philosophy is drawings are among the first programmed essential for understanding the beginning artistic images ever made public. Looking of Computer Art in Germany in the sixties. closer at Elisabeth Walther and Max However, Bense's programmed aesthetics Bense Estate archive at the Center for is primarily concerned with literature and text (Textheorie und Textästhetik). Discussing numerical methods that are capable of "describing a text by means Art and Media Karlsruhe (ZKM), and that are nearly the same as those used by focusing especially on the documentation thermodynamics to describe a gas", of the Edition Rot – including its drafts – Bense, a poet and a philosopher, one discovers diagrams and notes which envisions the idea of a programmable text traces back editor’s views. Studying this synthesis. A critical reading of volume IV material notably enables us to understand of Aesthetica reveals that his approach, how the philosopher becomes an influenced by various experiments in instigator of Generative Aesthetics in the Europe, creates a parallel between visual arts. statistical science, programming and literature theory. But although referring to For pioneers of Computer Art, including the work of art, the philosopher does not Frieder Nake and Georg Nees – both yet relate the term programming to image. attending lectures of Max Bense – programming plays a role of formal In 1960 alongside Aesthetica IV, in description that precedes the Stuttgart, and together with his wife materialization of the image. In the Elisabeth Walther, Max Bense starts the discussion of these images, a problem Edition Rot, an experimental publication opens. While the generative work has that will progressively bring together already been described in the form of an concrete poetry, semiology, typography algorithm, how does one analyze the and cybernetics. In the famous nineteenth resulting image? What happens in the issue dating February 1965, Rot page 1 XXII Generative Art Conference - GA2019 dialectic between the programmed concrete poetry whose editors are Max synthesis and the visual analysis of the Bense and his wife Elisabeth Walther. It is image? A possible answer is that it is in studied here, especially to point out this dialectic that a new thinking and a Bense's relation with the world of images. new mode of existence of the image occur. The hypothesis is that the The issue n° 19 [3] and its archived discussion of algorithmic image entails the material at ZKM is specifically analyzed reconsideration of how description and for it is the famous issue in which Georg analysis are articulated in the image Nees premiered his computer graphics. process. We will test this hypothesis by This issue also contains Bense’s studying the editorial engagement of Generative Aesthetics Projects. The study Bense, but also by studying the work of of the archive material reveals more Georg Nees and the theory of Frieder details about Bense's intentions while Nake. Here, Max Bense’s vision is editing programmed images. Nees's discussed from concrete poetry to the graphics are accompanied by the world of programmed images. presentation of the algorithm in plain text. Prior to the image, this description adds a Introduction new discursive dimension away from the sense of sight. Although it is text, the program already contains the image. On 28th of October 1960 the art magazine Kunstgespräch published a review of Max The main thesis – the dialectic of the Bense’s new book Programmierung des algorithmic image – is finally discussed by Schönen [1][2]. On the page succeeding observing on the one side the synthetical the editor’s note, Bense was theory of Max Bense and on the other controversially called the Muse Killer side the algorithmic thinking of Computer because of his emphasis on Art pioneer Frieder Nake. rationalization of aesthetics. Max Bense's philosophy vividly nourished Programming the Beautiful the beginning of Computer Art in Germany during the sixties. At the crossing of Max Bense (1910-1990) studied Information Theory and semiotics, his mathematics, physics, geology and founding of Information Aesthetics and philosophy at the Bonn University where more specifically of Generative Aesthetics he gained his Ph.D. and Sc. in December connects him with what is now broadly 1937 [4]. Based on semiology and known as the digital arts. However, Information Theory, his philosophy is Bense's major contribution to Information essential for the understanding of the Aesthetics in Programmierung des beginning of Computer Art in Germany in Schönen is primarily concerned with the sixties. Not only Bense is significantly literature and text (Textheorie und inspired by Norbert Wiener's Cybernetics Textästhetik). but he also founds his philosophy of aesthetics on the relation between This paper looks at how his philosophy mathematics and the arts [5]. introduced the term programming into aesthetics and art. In order to understand In 1960, while being a senior lecturer at his vision, his role as the leader of the the University of Stuttgart, Max bense intellectual circle of Stuttgart school and publishes Aesthetica IV: Programming of particularly his relation with publishing the Beautiful. Aesthetica represents a must be investigated. Rot is an body of four books that Bense started in experimental publication in semiotics and 1954. Aesthtica I deals with the page 2 XXII Generative Art Conference - GA2019 Metaphysical Observations on Beauty, In his introduction, Bense seems Aesthetica II is already concerned with impressed by various experiments in Information Aesthetics (1956), and Europe. In 1960, his theory in aesthetics Aesthetica III: Aesthetics and civilization is not unique. While discussing numerical (1958). Later, in 1965, the four books of methods that are capable of “describing a Aesthetica were reedited together in a text by means that are nearly the same as single book with few images under the those used by thermodynamics to general title Aesthetica. Introduction to the describe a gas”, Bense is conscious of the New Aesthetics [6]. In this last book, a fifth efforts of others in the information theory chapter was added. It comprises a discipline (in music with Abraham A. foundational text titled “The Project of Moles, also in journalism at Centre Generative Aesthetics” (originally International d'Enseignement Supérieur published in February 1965). du Journalisme in Strasbourg, …). Although it is mentioned that “at the Max Bense as a philosopher has Technical University in Stuttgart one tries established influential theory for the early (...) to achieve an aesthetic programming Computer Art scene of the sixties. His of texts and visual character complexes”, publications are found in the main it remains a question how familiar Bense international art events concerned with the was with the practical aspects of such Computer's Arrival in Art [7]. Together experiments at the time. In fact, in 1959, with Abraham Moles and Umberto Eco, Bense already published Stochastic Max Bense is staged in international Poems of Theo Lutz in his literary events in London and Zagreb as a magazine Augenblick [8]. In 1958, Bense forerunner of early Computer Art. hears about the attemps of Theo Lutz, a However Programmierung des Schönen is student, who uses a computer, model firstly concerned with literature and text Zuse 22 to compose texts. Bense theory: suggests him to program the computer with a selection of words from Franz “Max Bense's Informational Kafka as well as a simple grammar, which Aesthetics concludes with a General Text he will then publish. Theory, which, on the basis of statistical research by Fucks, Herdan, Mandelbrot, For Bense, the activity of programming is et al., can be understood as a model of dependent on literary theory. the new statistical aesthetics of sign. The Programming literature finds its general text theory refers to any kind of justification in the fact that there is a text, including the aesthetic theory of theory of literature. By extension, poetry and prose, but also of scientific programming becomes in itself a form a languages, advertising languages and literary theory. abstract languages, etc.” Translated from German. Reinhard Döhl, Aesthetica IV “It is not possible to explain, (jacket), 1960. understand, interpret, or program literature without the presuppositions of Through the book, Bense refers to certain theories, the task of which is to programming in different ways. What explain, understand, interpret, or follows is a critical reading focused on the program.” Translated from German. Max use of the word programming and its Bense, Aesthetica IV, 1960 derivatives. It will then discuss the notion of programming in Bense's perspective. In this perspective, it is the task of theory By extension, it will also enable a view on to program literature. The computer is not what is the relation of the philosopher with a tool for literary analysis, but for literary visual art and visual programming. and text synthesis (i.e. production) [Ibid.]. page 3 XXII Generative Art Conference - GA2019 Furthering his views on literature theory, achievable”. By principle of combination, Bense enlarges the category to text this system of text bears 8 Q properties theory. This theory has to embrace a (In fact two at the power of three). broader spectrum of texts including reportages, features, series, news, Later in the text, and by using the exact advertising, announcements and visual terms “logical programming”, Bense communication.
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