[spectre] Nature and early visual computer-generated art in the Netherlands (before 1980)

[Darko Fritz]

Nature and early visual computer-generated art in the Netherlands (before 1980)

contribution for the exhibition Coded Perception, organized by SETUP, Utrecht

curated by Darko Fritz
artists: Compos 68 (Jan Baptist Bedaux, Jeroen Clausman and Arthur Veen), Michael Fahres, Lambert Meertens and Leo Geurts, Samuel Meyering, herman de vries, Victor Wentink

exhibition: 27 / 10 - 18 / 11 . 2012
lecture: 31 / 10 / 2012
Oude Gracht 183, Utrecht
http://setup.nl/coded-perception



Nature and early visual computer-generated art in the Netherlands (before 1980)

Darko Fritz

preview:
http://setup.nl/expotool/preview.php?wall=1&expo=62
http://setup.nl/expotool/preview.php?wall=2&expo=62


Within the presentation with only six images in digital format, I try to capture several methodologies and processes that artworks of a time (before 1980) that have been utilized in artworks that dealt with nature, biological data and related models: translating data into analogue medium and vice versa, data visualization and working models of complex systems processed by computer, interactive real-time environmental data processing, interactive art computer game, interactive do-it-yourself variable art multiple.

Herman de Vries, biologist turned artist, who is programmed computer punch cards, creating random visual fields that contain no data but only visual appearance, translating (pseudo)random processes into the visual realm. The source of randomness is 'random numbers' from Fisher and Yates' handbook 'Statistical tables for biological, agricultural and medical research'.  Lambert Meertens and Leo Geurts carried out advanced research on the relationship between structure and randomness in their series Crystal Structures and produced models that follows the logic of cellular automata in the growth of crystals. The algorithms of computer models of growing trees have been utilized as aesthetic program in work of Compos 68, who created a system that could assign numerical values to the elements 'color' and 'form' in order to obtain numbers for mathematically formulated aesthetic theories.  Samuel Meyering made a series of pictures, installations, sculptures and interactive computer work based on the biological growth. Generative sound machine Eemnes Machine by Victor Wentink was conceived as a permanent installation powered by solar energy in a desert-like environment, a new polder in Flevoland. Environmental data (temperature, air pressure, speed of the wind etc) have been processed by computer in real-time and translated in sound in work Mobilodrom by Michael Fahres. 

--- Herman de Vries: random objectivations, 1965
Herman de Vries is an academically trained biologist, who after a short period of working in his primary profession, shifts his activities exclusively to art and becomes one of the most well-known Dutch artists. Since the 1950's, De Vries was deeply involved in the idea of merging art and science. In 1962, he starts to work with randomly organized visual structures. His interest in the new possibilities opened by computers led him to create one of the first computer-generated visual artworks in the Netherlands. 1964 - 1968 he made series of artworks from the random objectivations series on computer punch cards. The punch machines were programmed and used to make random punches in the computer punch cards, creating random visual fields. The source of randomness is Table XXXIII 'random numbers' from Fisher and Yates' handbook 'Statistical tables for biological, agricultural and medical research' (London, 1953). These works were made during lunch breaks, when Herman worked at the Institute for Research of Bird Migration.

--- Compos 68: Hobby Box, 1969
Hobby Box (1969) consists of a package with four colored cardboards, a pin, a variable pattern with stylus (created by the Electrologica X8 plotter) and an instruction manual, both printed as computer sheets. The variable pattern is a computer print that shows an outline of a composition that is to be copied (by pin) to each color cardboard, and such cut rectangles finally assembled at the black cardboard according to a unique computer-programmed composition. This is an early example of participative computer-generated work, with new notions of 'manual' and 'user' in the context of computer-generated art. The group Compos 68 was founded by Jan Baptist Bedaux, Jeroen Clausman and Arthur Veen in September 1968 in Utrecht. Then a student of art history, Jan Baptist Bedaux brings the idea of combining the aesthetics of modernist paintings (as Mondrian and Klee) and the computer simulation of growing trees.  Arthur Veen was programming in ALGOL in his biology research. Compos 68 created a system that could assign numerical values to the elements 'color' and 'form' in order to obtain numbers for mathematically formulated aesthetic theories. 

--- Lambert Meertens and Leo Geurts: Kristalstrukturen (Crystal Structures), 1970
Computer scientists Lambert Meertens and Leo Geurts carried out advanced research on the relationship between structure and randomness and Leo Geurts in their series of works Kristalstrukturen, (Crystal Structures, 1970) that follows the logic of cellular automata in the growth of crystals. They employed a family of algorithms which all use majority voting. Some of them use larger neighborhoods than the immediately adjacent cells. The update regime is incremental: cells are updated one by one. A selection of images was printed and exhibited internationally.

--- Michael Fahres: Mobilodrom, 1979
first performed at the MBZ Music Biennale Zagreb, 1979, Urbofest (artistic director Nikša Gligo)
excerpt from the TV broadcast MBZ Urbofest, editor Sedeta Midžić, HRT Croatian Radio Television, 1979
Mobilodrom - "a vehicle producing sounds in reaction to its environment" by Michael Fahres performed first time at the Music Biennale Zagreb, at the streets of Zagreb. An electric car drove through the city and collected information like volume and pitch of environmental sounds, movement, wind, air pressure and others. Those data from sensor devices were translated in real time into sounds by a computer. The software for translation of an environmental input is written by the physicist Desmond Darby (New Zealand, at a moment working in Utrecht's University). Program for computer output and the computer controls the analog STEIM synthesizer is written by Johan den Biggelaar, using Heathkit h 11 computer. Biggelaar built some parts of the synthesizer. Work is produced in STEIM, Amsterdam. STEIM's analogue Blackbox system produced sounds. Volume, pitch and filtering is controlled by computer. Work was performed 26th May 1979 in Monchengladbach, at the multimedia festival Ensemblia 79 (Muzik, Theater, Tanz, Pantomime...) and 6 days at the Holland festival in June 1979 Amsterdam. At the Amsterdam's performance the collaboration with (two months) newly founded Dutch department of Greenpeace was established. The link was the sounds of the wails (as extinct spices) used in the work. The other sound was bell sound, recalling alarm and immediate attention. All equipment was carried by authors, only electric cars were rented at the respective city where performance took place. Documentation of working process was exhibited during the performances. Sound is published by Edition Modern, 60 minutes. 

--- Victor Wentink: Eemnes Machine,1975 - 1979
Eemnes Machine (1975 – 1979) is long-term project with several developing phases is an interactive hardware-programmed self-composing sound machine. It was designed by Victor Wentink and implemented by the author in collaboration with Johan den Biggelaar at STEIM in Amsterdam. All electronic circuits were built from scratch. Inputs were sound and light (and in concept wind and human movement), and real-time data processed by the machine resulted in unpredictable electronic sound output. The piece was intended as a permanent installation powered by solar energy in a desert-like environment, a new polder in Flevoland. Variable analog and digital voltage generators were employed in the design. In STEIM in 1975 the first print of a personal computer's motherboard  was available. The idea to make machine with digital equipment was put into consideration, but it was deemed to be not flexible enough and therefore rejected. The work was inspired by the social circuitry of Hewitt Crane. The ‘Eemnes Machine’ was built in 1978 - 1979, (250 x 43 x 43 cm), and first presented at Tektonik solo-exhibition in het Haags Gemeentemuseum, March 1979. It was used in several music performances by the music group Het Nieuwe Leven (1980 - 1985) and exhibited in Zeeland by STEIM in 1985 for the last time. A completely digital version of the machine under the name Waterloo-Machine was designed in concept in 1983 but never built (the Apple II, owned by STEIM, was not suitable). Some ideas of this work were later developed into the Waterpaviljoen in Zeeland, 1997 (in collaboration with Edwin van der Heide). The theoretical and technical background of Schakelkunst (Circuitry Art) employed in this work are elaborated Wentink's book De Vrolijke Techniek (Happy Technology) (1975, not published).
‘Eemnes Machine’ took part int he project  the Quadraat Stelling II (De Windmachine II) 1973 - 1976. Project was made and performed as an audio-visual live performance / installation with an interactive hardware-programmed man-machine network. Four people performed a preprogrammed audiovisual score, composed for four audio and of three visual channels. Six paintings  by Wentink were displayed in the space, one showing the figure of Karl Marx in a bourgeois interior taken from a Vermeer painting. Participants via switches control and perform a preprogrammed 6-part audiovisual score of 90 minutes, that is based on Das Manifest by Bertold Brecht. The third part of the score is a recording of the Eemnes Machine. Visuals consists of approximately one thousand slides. the score was the software. Quadraat Stelling II was premiered in the Shaffy Theatre, Amsterdam, in May 1976, and toured different festivals; it was alos shown in gallery and museum environments.

--- Samuel Meyering: Growing Structures, 1976,  and other works
The principle of the Growing Structures series is a growing process that is effected by splitting lines. The maximum lenght of the line segments is changed while minimum remains the same.
installation view at untitled group exhibition curated by gallery owner Bob de Wit, at the gallery Multi Art Points, Amsterdam, 1977 - 1980 (?).
left wall: Electric wire by Jean le Noble, photo and burn wood by Franz Immoos, 
floor: Samuel Meyering: installation from Random diagonal series, 1976; 
computer installation (Atari computer, monitor and label printer) with three software works: 1. Interactive art program Growing Structures, 1976;  2: Bouw uw eigen Grachtenhuis, (Build your own house at Amsterdam's canal) an interactive game, 3: do-it-yourself business card design software, with option of immediate printing on printer, 
Growing Structures, 1976, wooden sculpture, 7 cubes, wood, each 25 x 25 cm; 
wall: series SCF 20.4.01.


Presented information, digital images and video are coming form my long-term and going-on research ‘Mapping the Beginnings of the Computer-generated Art in the Netherlands 1955-1980' supported by the Fonds BKVB / Mondriaan Fonds, Amsterdam. Photo of the installation view with works of Samuel Meyering is publicly presented here first time ever. For more info on the subject, an Interview with me by Twan Eikelenboom is published (in Dutch) at the Virtueel Platform website. It including first publishing of the Mapping the Beginnings of Computer-generated Art in The Netherlands (initial release, visual art only) - PDF, English, 51 pages, 2011
http://virtueelplatform.nl/kennis/terug-naar-de-begindagen-van-computergegenereerde-kunst

Darko Fritz

http://darkofritz.net