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Springer 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- tion, which covers the cultural impact of computing and the technological influ- encesandrequirementsforthesupportofculturalinnovation.Usingsupporttech- nologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, location-based systems, mixed/virtual/augmented reality, cloud computing, pervasive technologies and human-data interaction, researchers can explore the differences across avariety of cultures and cultural production to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to overcomeculturalissuesandexpandhumancreativity. Thisseriespresentsmonographs,editedcollectionsandadvancedtextbooksonthe currentresearchandknowledgeofabroadrangeoftopicsincludingcreativitysupport systems, creative computing, digital communities, the interactive arts, cultural heritage,digitalcultureandinterculturalcollaboration. ThisSeriesisabstracted/indexedinScopus. 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 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpartof thematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsoftranslation,reprinting,reuseofillustrations,recitation, broadcasting,reproductiononmicrofilmsorinanyotherphysicalway,andtransmissionorinformation storageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilarmethodology nowknownorhereafterdeveloped. Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthispublication doesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfromtherelevant protectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. Thepublisher,theauthors,andtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformationinthisbook arebelievedtobetrueandaccurateatthedateofpublication.Neitherthepublishernortheauthorsor theeditorsgiveawarranty,expressedorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinorforany errorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade.Thepublisherremainsneutralwithregardtojurisdictional claimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations. ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbytheregisteredcompanySpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:Gewerbestrasse11,6330Cham,Switzerland 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