Syracuse University Art Galleries Joe and Sims Hall, University '"'UT·"''',I1'''O New York 13210 March 31 May 3, 1977 Syracuse University Art Galleries I Computer Genesis: A Vision of the 70's was organized by the second year graduate students in Museology at Syracuse University as partial fulfillment for the Master of Fine Arts degree. Although the exhibit is a realization of effort, the following persons were re~:ponsible for the success and completion of specific assignments. S. Gail Fuller here is a curious mystique associated with computer-assisted J. Brad Benson Catalogue Production artwork. It is of as a static, two-dimensional print- Music Coordinator Registrar Exhibition Mailings James Ladd out conveying solely geometric, linear imagery. the Director artwork created in the 1950's and 1960's were of this E,XJrtlc>nICln Design Exhibition Design nature, but various artists, by on the computer as Finance Karen Loewengart an artistic instrument, have expanded the field to encompass a Technical Services Curator wealth of and inventive artforms. Douglas in Cathy Chubb Fund Raising Registrar Exhibition Design Art and the Future, says that "the computer has been called the Graphic Design Stanley Olkowski ultimate tool for the artist-scientist-engineer." 1 Georgia Coopersmith Registrar Genesis: A Vision of the '70's" was by the Catalogue Production Invitation Design Publicity Assistance Exhibition Design graduate students in Museology at University as an attempt Installation Madeline Reamy to illustrate the extent and of computer-assisted art, as Cynthia Cummings Educ. Programs Coordinator well as to provide a basis for its aesthetic evaluation. The selection Publicity Coordinator Graphic Design Reception Planning Installation of artwork appearing in this exhibition encompasses a wide range of media: painting, printmaking, Ol.;I...I.H.. 'lUl Louise Shaw Lynn A. Rebbeor Curatorial Assistance Registration Assistance and music. Cc)mpu.tel:-assistE~d art is a young movement. Its belongs in the 1970's, a decade of eXl:Jarlde:d The organizers of this exhibition wish to express their warmest gratitude to many and experimentation for many computer artists. The first elaborate who have assisted throughout the year with and computer was built in the 1940's for principally the formation and production of this show, with and scientific purposes. Successful utilization of information speCial thanks to Joseph Scala for providing the initial information and much encouragement; to processing systems for musical experimentation, as well as some Patsy Scala for offering source material and initial artistic applications during the the way for technical adVice; to Judson Rosebush for making further investigation along these lines. During the latter part of available supplementary inforrpation; to Barry Winiker, Cataloguer at the Museum of Modern Art the progressive collaboration between artists, scientists and for giving much practical adVice; to Michael engineers took place, resulting in a number of museum exhibitions, Recht, Assistant to the Dean, College of Visual Syracuse University Art Galleries at the Museum of Modern Art and the Jewish Museum and Performing Arts at Syracuse University, for offering funding advice; and especially to in New and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Stanton L. Catlin, Director of Exhibitions, and This was an era which afforded artists the opportunity to to Mary Takach, Curator, both of Joe and explore experimental technological media with full support from an Emily Lowe Art Gallery, for their support. We also thank the artists of this show for interested public. Computer-assisted art was given much exposure, their help and enthusiastic cooperation as notably the 1968 landmark exhibition at the Institute of well as Dick Sheaff for his labor and assistance Contemporary Arts entitled "Cybernetic Serendipity." This important in the production of the catalogue. We remain grateful to the follOWing for providing other exhibition art as a vital and necessary assistance. growing since then the field has received little Bell Telephone public attention. Dean Freundlich, College of Visual and Cc)mputer equipment has become more and better adapted Performing Arts to fulfilling the needs of artists in the past ten years. According Drumlins Banquet FaCility to Joseph computer artist and professor at Syracuse University, The Graduate Student Organization equipment did not take into account elements that artists would be concerned with, namely sensitivity of line, texture, The IBM Corporation of available paper, size, ease of execution and natural inter- The Learning Corporation of America action." 2 The contemporary data processor is suited for New York State Council on the Arts use as an artistic tool for a number of reasons. As a memory SU Audio Visual Services device, computers possess the capability of storing information. The Syracuse University Art Collections 1/ A digital picture, by its very nature, can be transferred and 3 restored without any loss of information. II Dick Sheaf{, Designer Production Assistants: instruments; this factor eliminates the po>ssi.biJlitv Georgia Coopersmith, Editor Cathy Chubb S. Gail Fuller. Editorial Assist. Karen Loewengart Printing: Trident Printing Stanley Olkowski Corporation Lynn A. Rebbeor Copyright, 1977, by Joe and Emily Lowe Art Gallery College of Visual and Performing Arts, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York I They maintain a remarkable speed which gives the artist were the most that could be achieved by the artist who chose to more time to use The random chance factor allows the =.,.",,,,,11"\" the computer in his/her this was the kind of effort computer to make unpredictable numerical selections arbitrarily and which established a critical aesthetic for computer art. This without prior an not possible. Computers aesthetic does not apply to "Computer Genesis." It does not can show immediate results, an important determinant for responsive encompass the variety of adaptation to which the computer has editing. Conceptualizing the final the computer artist can been put by contemporary artists involved in an assortment of I""" ~.,..", ...... a data processor the planning stage. This enables media, from the computer-generated printout to the traditional artforms. him/her to graphically visualize the piece and make changes in Because it incorporates a of imagery and media, there is perspective, and size where to remove, distort or no way to standardize computer-assisted art nor to define it alter parts of a almost instantaneously and thereby avoiding some narrow aesthetic. The Grassland painting series Colette numerous hand-drawn revisions. Artwork done without the computer S. must be judged by a different set of criteria consumes far more time, sometimes unnecessarily, "in a fashion than that of Ed Starburst lightbox or the photographs of analogous to carving marble with a sponge.,,4 In addition to basic Lou Katz. There is an inherent in computer artists are able to obtain results to a painting and printmaking together; we have done variety of media. Some artists use a computer to do intricate so in this exhibition in order to awareness of the scope mathematical calculations in order to acquire certain precise infor­ and of computer-assistance to the field of fine art. mation. Jesse Kalfel uses the computer to obtain tOI)OC;rrapl1lici;JJ A rich variety of artwork appears in this vAl.LU.J!Ll'UH, dimensions and then translates them into sculpture. Sculptors can in media, artistic content and computer usage. view their from all thus eliminating need for for its aesthetic appeal, the body of artwork also illustrates the three-dimensional models. for printmakers and painters successful union of information processing systems with creative are on the artist's concept. Ruth human sensitivity, bringing art and technology a step closer. The LeaVitt, for example, employs the computer to reform her initial to combine art and technology is of radical importance; it imagery in order to imply a of The COmlJu·ter' requires an artist to see the field of art to our entire tech- of random chance factor and ease of editing are nological age. Computerization is prevalent in the fields of science, of great value. Computer-aided effects are of tremendous medicine, military, space architecture, textiles, journalism, importance to filmmakers and artists. The computer can education, and others; it is a reflection of our time. be extremely useful when Syracuseas animator; the artist initiates University Art GalleriesIt is only natural that the artist of our time will make use of tech­ the predominant design and utilizes the computer to simulate motion noloQPCi:ll innovation to assist in the realization of visions. and then records the details on film or videotape. Karen Critics of computer-assisted art have, in the past, attempted to Curator define a based upon the March 1977 experimentation by scientists and engineers. Until several years coml::mrer'-allQEla artwork did to a great extent on Footnotes and geometric for content. The Computerized 1. Douglas Davis, Art and the Future, A History/Prophecy of the Collaboration L.D. Harmon and K.G Knowlton Telephone Between Science, Technology and Art (New York: Praeger Publishers, Inc., Laboratori.es, Inc. in this aspect of the medium. 5 1973), p. 97. A computer-generated image derived from a photograph of a nude 2. Joseph Scala, Artist and Computer, ed. Ruth Leavitt (New York: Crown re(::liI1ina woman imitated the artistic theme of the Publishers, 1976), p. 72. classic nude female depicted by such artists as Manet and 3. Duane Palyka, Artist and Computer, sup., p. 62. Modigliani. 6 In generating this image, a 4. Aldo Giorgini, Artist and Computer, sup., p.12. a and a computer the design by incorporating 5. This computer-generated print has also been called Studies in Perception 1, a program which used symbols to produce the appearance of shading. (see Douglas Davis, Art and the Future, A History/Prophecy of the Collabora- tion Between Science, Technology and Art, p. 99). Also entitled Mural In 1967, A.