JASMIN's Cybernetics Serendipity Redux discussion - my reading notes from the archived discussion

continuing on from magic squares - video project? blog post - my summary of urls & excerpts to follow from the YASMIN Cybernetics Serendipity Redux discussion in 2008

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Nicolas Schoffer - one of the first artist to talk in public about Cybernetics and art. Nicolas Schoffer wikipedia page (english) -- via jnm - jean noel montagne

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from the work of Vladimir Bonacic, shown in Zagreb in 1968 "Vladimir Bonacic - the early works, Zagreb 1968-197" by darko fritz :

Bonacic was a member of Zagreb's New Tendencies Network (1961-1973) which "had been presenting different aspects of lumino-kinetic and neo-constructivist art since 1961."

From the start, Bonacic had a critical view on the use of the computer in art for the simulation of reality. For example, regarding Michael Noll’s Mondrian-like drawing generated by a computer simulation, in 1969 he proposed that:

"The computer must not remain simply as a tool for the simulation of what exists in a new form. It should not be used to paint in the way Mondrian did or to compose music as Beethoven did. The computer gives us a new substance, it uncovers a new world before our eyes. In that world after so long a time scientists and artists will meet again on common ground stimulated by their common desire for knowledge". [5]

[4] Radoslav Putar, no title, tendencies 4 , 1968 - 1969, exhib. cat., Gallery of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, 1970, n.p.

[5] Vladimir Bonacic , “Possibilities for computer applications in visual research”, paper read at the colloquium “Computers and visual research’, August 4-5 th , 1968, Zagreb, published in Bit international no. 3 , Gallery of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, 1971, p 45 - 58.

one project, G.F.E (16,4) used multiple Galois field generators : The front panel shows a relief structure made of 1,024 light fields in 16 colors. Three Galois field generators are in operation to light the grid in different patterns. Those generators interact with other generators controlling the sound played out through four loudspeakers. The viewer can influence both sound and image either manually or by remote control. Sound can be manipulated by the exclusion of some tones. The speed of the visual can be adjusted as well, by looping the selected sequences. The observer cannot change the logic. The entire "composition" of this audio-visual spectacle, which consists of 1,048,576 different visual patterns and 64 sound oscillators, can be played within 6 seconds, or with a duration of 24 days [18]

[ 17] In the article “Kinetic art: Application of abstract algebra to objects with computer-controlled flashing lights and sound” Bonacic elaborates those different kinds of interaction from a practical and theoretical point of view and also considers the use of the brain waves in artistic practice. Published in Leonardo, Vol. 7 , Oxford / New York: Pergamon Press 1974, pp 195 and 196.

[ 18] ibid and Herbert W. Franke and Gottfried Jäger, Apparative Kuns t, Köln: M.DuMont 1973, p. 214 - 217; IBM, Computerkunst , IBM France 1975 (German edition 1978), p. 54

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