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CRASH Computer Assisted Hardcopy, BOOK/Catalog, Computer Art Exhibit: Patric D. Prince, Beloit College Museums, WI 1988

Co-Curators, Ted Pope and George Cramer, Essay by Patric D. Prince

ARTISTS USING COMPUTERS: THE THIRD DECADE

Patric D. Prince

excerpts

"The curators of this exhibition, Computer-Assisted Hardcopy, (CRASH), were concerned that a broader critical body of work be presented. The pieces were chosen for their archival and aesthetic qualities rather than for any quick thrill approach to appreciation. These pieces are timely in an historical context rather than limiting the focus of the work to any one category. 

...

This exhibition intends to demonstrate the realization of computer aesthetics as found in concrete properties. Each of the artists represented in CRASH has chosen to relate computer-oriented concepts to tangible attributes.

...

...  there is a real possibility of a future harmony and a true collaboration between science and art and between viewer, art and artist."

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18. Orchid, 1986, 10 1/2" x 14" (above)

19. Orchid 3, 1986, 10 3/4" x 14" (Left)

Jo Ann Gillerman (U.S.A.)

 

Statement: A background in the fine arts of drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture has contributed to forming my personal aesthetics in the electronic media. I consider video and computer graphics animation to be structurally similar to the audio medium; and still individual images share many concerns of the painting medium. Complex imagery and specifically controlled color palettes are important aspects of my work. I frequently will start a series of work by using live source images from a video camera.  These images are then input to the computer graphic system where they are extensively manipulated, drawn on, colored, etc. Often I will show computer graphics in several different media simultaneously: installations with video and/or slides. performances with live video, music, performer and slides.

Selected Exhibitions:

'88 Winter Olympics Arts Festival, Lecture/Demo on "Dance and Technology" for DANSCENE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1988; Computer Graphic Slide Dissolve Installation, Siggraph '87, Anaheim, California 1987; "Orchid" Installation, Siggraph '86, Dallas, Texas, 1986.

Digital Visions Computers and Art, BOOK Author: Cynthia Goodman, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, New York,

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse  (Distribution)

Excerpts:

on Video/Synthesis

(p. 168-171)

The artist recognized for the development of video as an art form is Nam June Paik, who began experimenting with the medium in 1955 — a full decade before the introduction of the portapak (a portable video recorder) made the video camera a viable tool.  Because of the newness of the medium itself, video artists have not shared the reticence and hostility of the counterparts in painting and sculpture toward the new technology. Artists interested in video have more than willingly explored whatever equipment was available to them. The idea of experimentation was intrinsic to the medium.

... 

In contrast to the world of computer imaging, many of the processing devices in video were actually developed and built by artists themselves rather than by technicians.

 

Bill Etra ... built the Rutt/Etra synthesizer ... ... Etra was far from unique: Nam June Paik collaborated with Abe to build the Paik/Abe synthesizer; Dan Sandin built the Sandin Image Processor; Erich Siegle built a color synthesizer capable of adding color to black-and-whilte video signals; and Stephen Beck completed his DIrect Video Synthesizer in 1971.  In 1974, the Electronic Music Studio in London introduced the first digital video effects device, engineered by artist Richard Monkhouse, a machine specifically for musicians and artists.  Vibeke Sorensen and Thomas DeWitt were amonf the first to experiment on this system. Another major deveopemtnt in 1974 was the interface of Thomas Defanti's GRASS language with Sandin's Image Processor. The resulting GRASS/Image Processor introduced many video artist ot computer graphics. Among the first of many users of this low-cost, easy-to-use interactive system were Phil Morton, Jane Veeder, JoAnn Gillerman, and Barbara Sykes. ...

JoAnn Gillerman Personal Note:

on building her Sandin Image Processor

  • I built my Sandin Image Processor in 1975. (very shortly after the GRASS/Image Processor was  introduced  as noted above.)  I was the first woman to build one. I own the 6th one ever built.

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Minds, Machines, & Electronic Culture

BOOK, The Seventh Biennial Symposium on Arts and Technology at Connecticut College, 1999 

Center for Arts and Technology (C@T), Connecticut College, New London, CT

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Excerpts and paraphrasing:

THE "INNOVATION FORUM" EXHIBIT at THE TECH:

The "Innovation Forum" is an interactive multimedia exhibit that solicits and includes real-time recording and playback of video/audio comments form its viewers. TO encourage interaction, the"Innovation Forum" provides discourse and dialog by varied "experts" talking on a wide range of issues concerning innovation and technology. It is important that the educational content of this exhibit be diversified,provocative, informative and inspirational to encourage museum visitors to comment on issues of innovations in technologies. ... providing a wide range of perspectives and dialog on technological innovations that have affected our lives, our work and our global culture/society.

THE INTERVIEWS:

Gillerman interviewed on video an impressive list of invited distinguished speakers ("experts") each of whom are included in the virtual panels in each topic area.  The experts were asked the same basic questions concerning innovations in technologies, how technology has affected our personal and global lives, and ethical implications that may accompany these innovations.  She did extensive research on specifics for each expert to ask specific and different questions related to their area.  Questions included thoughts on:

cloning, genetic engineering, patenting of life forms, ethical implications of these adn other new technologies, global access, job creation/loss, nanotech, cryonics, intelligent computers, cyborgs, ubiquitous computers, limits of silicon technology and others.

FUNCTIONALITY of THE INNOVAATION FORUM EXHIBIT:

...richly textured collage of imagery ...layered visuals punctuated by real video images ... 250 well articulated short video clips of the interviewed experts ... and visitors can leave 30 sec. comments that become part of the exhibit - for others to listen to.

Topics Forum: Exploring, Quality of Life, Community, Technologies, Communicating, Ethics and Forcasting.

Visitors Forum: Listen to others comments

Recording Forum: Record your comment

CLICK 1: The Brightest in Computer-Generated Design and Illustration, BOOK

© 1990 North Light Books, Cincinnati, Ohio, First Edition, Ellen Gerken, 149 pages (Distribution)

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Page 63

EXPERIMENTAL AND FINE ART  (chapter) p. 47- 73

CLICK 1

(inside Front Book Jacket)

Computer Graphics in the visual arts seems to be one of the most controversial topics since the discovery of movable  type. In spite of this controversy, computer are being used in all sorts of design applications — the obvious (...) and the non-obvious (...). Not surprisingly, the most exciting art is being created in the experimental and fine arts areas.  You'll see this for yourself in the chapter dedicated to these works.  J. Ellen Gerken

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Artist

Jo Ann Gillerman

Viper Optics

Oakland, CA

Tantra, fine artwork.

•  Amiga Computer and A-Squared Digitizer; Deluxe Paint II

and A-Squared Live Software; shot off screen with camera. A color video camera was used to input a photographic image, which was then manipulated in both form and color.

Information Arts - Intersections of Art, Science and Technology

by Stephen Wilson © 2002

BOOK - MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England  (Distribution)

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Fig. 3.3.4. JoAnn Gillerman and Rob Terry, Sun Drops Its Torch, An Interactive environment exploring volcanic flows and solar eclipses. (top)

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JoAnn Gillerman and Rob Terry

JoAnn Gillerman and Rob Terry created a cooperative interactive event called The Sun Drops its Torch in which viewers could explore the sounds and images associated with a Hawaiian day in 1991, when a solar eclipse and lava flow happened simultaneously recreated via a coordinated ring of video monitors.

Natural Phenomena — Erosion and Geologic Action, P.241-242

information

             arts

intersections

        of art science and technology

     stephen wilson

Front inside Jacket cover:

A new breed of contemporary artist engages science and technology — not just to adopt the vocabulary and gizmos, but to explore and comment on the content, agendas, and possibilities. Indeed, proposes Stephen Wilson, the role of the artist is not only to interpret and to spread scientific knowledge, but to be an active partner in determining the direction of research.  ...

In this rich volume, Wilson offers the first comprehensive survey of international artists who incorporate concepts and research from mathematics, the physical sciences, biology, kinetics, telecommunications, and experimental digital systems such as artificial intelligence and ubiquitous computing.

Forward: by Joel Slayton

Stephen Wilson's Information Arts: Intersections of Art, Science and Technology is the first comprehensive international survey of artists working at the frontiers of scientific inquiry and emerging technologies. The scope of information Arts is encyclopedic: 

Information Arts helps us understand on a deeper level that experimental research is culturally necessary and serves to transform how to simulate, interact with, and experience the world.  Information Arts is about the unfolding of this conceptual frontier, a frontier in which art informs research and research informs informs art.

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Personal Note:

Book signed by Steve:

(author of this book)

To Jody

One of my fellow pioneers

Best,

Steve

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