Table Of ContentSpringer Series on Cultural Computing
Francesca Franco
The Algorithmic
Dimension
Five Artists in Conversation
Springer Series on Cultural Computing
FoundingEditor
ErnestEdmonds
SeriesEditor
CraigVear,DeMontfortUniversity,Leicester,UK
EditorialBoard
PaulBrown,UniversityofSussex,Brighton,UK
NickBryan-Kinns,QueenMaryUniversityofLondon,London,UK
DavidEngland,LiverpoolJohnMooresUniversity,Liverpool,UK
SamFerguson,UniversityofTechnology,Sydney,Australia
Bronac˙ Ferran,Birkbeck,UniversityofLondon,London,UK
AndrewHugill,UniversityofLeicester,Leicester,UK
NicholasLambert,Ravensbourne,London,UK
JonasLowgren,LinköpingUniversity,Malmo,Sweden
EllenYi-LuenDo ,UniversityofColoradoBoulder,Boulder,CO,USA
SeanClark,DeMontfortUniversity,Leicester,UK
Cultural Computing is an exciting, emerging field of Human Computer Interac-
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Francesca Franco
The Algorithmic Dimension
Five Artists in Conversation
FrancescaFranco
CollegeofHumanities
UniversityofExeter
Devon,UK
ISSN 2195-9056 ISSN 2195-9064 (electronic)
SpringerSeriesonCulturalComputing
ISBN 978-3-319-61166-2 ISBN 978-3-319-61167-9 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61167-9
©SpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG2022
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ToVera,Ernest,Manfred,FriederandRoman
Acknowledgements
IammostindebtedtoErnestEdmonds,ManfredMohr,VeraMolnár,FriederNake
and Roman Verostko, who have inspired my research in the history of pioneering
computationalartandkindlyacceptedmyinvitationtotakepartinthevariousevents
documentedinthisbook.Theprivilegeofhavingbeenabletospendsomuchprecious
timesharingthoughts,laughsandlifestorieswiththemwasformeacherishedand
humbling experience. Curating an exhibition focussed on their work and bringing
their art to my own hometown against one of the most beautiful backdrops one
could ever imagine was an even greater dream come true. For these reasons, and
onaccountofthepersonalaffectionIfeelfortheseincrediblybraveandprofound
artists,Idedicatethisbooktothem.
I would like to express my gratitude to the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa
and the Comune di Venezia, in particular Michele Casarin, Bruno Bernardi and
StefanoColetto,forgivingmetheopportunitytoworkwiththemandforhostingand
producing Algorithmic Signs. I am particularly indebted to Stefano Coletto for his
sincereguidance,thetimeandefforthededicatedtotheproductionoftheexhibition,
andthecuratorialexpertisehesogenerouslysharedwithme.Hisinsightsintoevery
step of the curatorial process gave me an invaluable lesson that I will treasure. I
wouldliketoextendmygratitudetotheentirestaffoftheFondazioneBevilacqua
LaMasafortheirhelpduringthevariousstagesinthesettingupoftheexhibition,in
particularEnricaSbrogiòandClaudioDonadelfortheirsupportandcheerfulcama-
raderiethatmadesomeofthemostchallengingstagesoftheexhibitionorganisation
muchlighterandmorejoyful.
IamextremelygratefultoAnneandMichaelSpalterfortheirgenerosityinlending
key and rare works from their extraordinary Digital Art Collection. Without their
support and patronage the exhibition would not have been complete. I would also
liketoextendmygratitudetoDouglasDodds,attheVictoriaandAlbertMuseum,
whohasbeeninstrumentalinfacilitatingthelendingofanumberofworksforthe
exhibitionandkindlyhelpedbymakingresearchmaterialavailable.
Specialthanksareduetothosewhogavetheirtimetoreadoreditmymanuscript
or parts of it, including Sandra Denby and Sylvia Hochfield. I would also like to
thankVincentBaby,ClaudiaHermes,FlorentPaumelleandKeikoYoshidafortheir
vii
viii Acknowledgements
precious help during the final stages of my writing. I am particularly grateful to
Steven Holt for his meticulous copyediting skills and the care and accuracy of his
work.
For providing the images, I would like to thank the artists, Anne and Michael
Spalter,theVictoriaandAlbertMuseum,andGVArtLondon.Specialthanksaredue
tothephotographersGiorgioBombieri,ThalesLeite,JulesListerandPierParimbelli,
whokindlygrantedpermissiontopublishtheirimages.IalsothankCamuffoLabin
Venice and everyone who contributed todesigning the exhibition’s poster froman
originalideaofStefanoColettoandwiththevaluableadviceofDavidBates,Sean
Clark,PieroCornice,ChristianHarrisandThomasPircher.
IammostgratefultomyeditorHelenDesmondatSpringerforherhelpfulsupport
andassistance.AbigthankyougoestoMichelaCastricaforhersupportduringthe
finalstagesofpublication,andtoeveryoneatSpringerfortheireditorialsupport.
Finally, and most importantly, I wish to thank my parents for their love and
constantencouragementovertheyears,andmyhusbandforhislove,patienceand
themanyconversationswehavethatgivemenewperspectivesandinspirationthat
enrichmylife.
Contents
1 Introduction ................................................... 1
1.1 Background ............................................... 2
1.2 AlgorithmicSigns .......................................... 5
References ..................................................... 20
2 InterviewwithErnestEdmonds ................................. 23
References ..................................................... 51
3 InterviewwithManfredMohr ................................... 53
FurtherReading ................................................. 81
4 InterviewwithVeraMolnar ..................................... 83
FurtherReading ................................................. 100
5 InterviewwithFriederNake .................................... 101
References ..................................................... 125
6 InterviewwithRomanVerostko ................................. 127
FurtherReading ................................................. 148
7 VisualDocumentation .......................................... 149
ix
Chapter 1
Introduction
This book examines Algorithmic Signs, an exhibition conceived, researched and
curated by the author. The exhibition was held at the Fondazione Bevilacqua La
Masa’s historical gallery in St Mark’s Square, Venice, from 19 October until 3
December 2017. The book also aims at documenting the author’s research on the
history of computational art at the core of Algorithmic Signs that developed out of
a series of meetings, collectively named The Algorithmic Dimension, that she co-
organised and led in Leicester and Sheffield in 2012. They included an all-day event
celebrating early computer art with international pioneers in the world of digital arts,
Ernest Edmonds, Manfred Mohr, Frieder Nake and Roman Verostko discussing the
role of programming in their art with the author, Douglas Dodds, Leila Johnston,
Alex May, Richard Sides and Laura Sillars in Sheffield on 17 November; and the
Algorithmic Dimension masterclass, an event organised and chaired by the author in
partnership with De Montfort University and Phoenix, Leicester, on 19 November
2012, where Edmonds, Nake and Verostko explored the role of programming in
their work, looking at how their practice has kept pace with the rapid advance of
technology in recent decades. This was followed by a series of artist interviews
conducted in London, Paris, Bremen, Venice and New York over the past six years.
The research morphed into Algorithmic Signs, a curatorial project that began to take
shape on a foggy afternoon in Venice in December 2015 and became a reality in
October 2017 at the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, one of the most ancient and
respected institutions devoted to supporting the development of contemporary art in
Venice. This exhibition explored the history of pioneering computational art and its
contribution to the broader field of contemporary art from the 1960s to the present.
The history was exemplified by the creative work of Ernest Edmonds, Manfred Mohr,
Vera Molnár, Frieder Nake and Roman Verostko. The author presents the historical
context and main concepts that led to the creation of this exhibition. In addition,
the author demonstrates how Algorithmic Signs provided new interpretations of the
history of computer art.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022 1
F. Franco, The Algorithmic Dimension, Springer Series on Cultural Computing,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61167-9_1
