Harold Cohen & Leslie Mezei: Pioneering Times of Algorithmic Art.Two Book Projects

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Frieder Nake
• Subject Area: Art History ; Image and Language Processing, Computer Graphics and Visualisation, Human Computer Interaction, Ubiquitous and Wearable Computing
• Term: from 2014 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 242187768

The extraordinary work of British artist, Harold Cohen, as far as it is of algorithmic origin, will be registered, critically analyzed and presented from the perspective of visual appearance vs. algorithmic background. Cohen's unique position within the 50 years history of algorithmic art will be characterized.This (perhaps first) systematic investigation of the work of an artist who has almost exclusively worked algorithmically will start a new chapter of art history. We will use the experience gained from here for more and similar investigations (long-term orientation).Additionally, work done in the 1960s by Leslie Mezei in computer science at the University of Toronto will also be studied for a broader context. Thus we open up for the characteristic contradiction of aesthetics and algorithmics.Harold Cohen was an established artist (twice represented at documenta) before he settled in California (around 1970) and started into his second career by only working with computers. Like an erratic rock, his work has since then appeared in the domain of computer art (and art history in general), but also in Artificial Intelligence. We will investigate his work- in its inherent algorithmic as well as aesthetic structures,- in its connection to contemporary non-machinic art,- from the perspective of my theory of the algorithmic image,- and from a semiotic perspective.To this end we do these steps:- register Cohen's algorithmic visual works,- collect his publications,- thoroughly study the publications and selected works of art,- study his software and machines for drawing and painting,- develop a schema of phases of his work, combining algorithmics and aesthetics,- engage in a lasting personal discourse (in particular, two visits to San Diego).The results of this research will be made publicly accessible in the existing compArt database. The main contribution will be a scholarly book.In addition to researching Cohen's work, Leslie Mezei's archive will be analyzed and made available. At a time, when Cohen was still painting traditionally, Mezei discovered the potential of computing in the fine arts. As early as 1964, he began writing about and documenting algorithmic art. He also contributed himself to its development. His archive contains material about early events of the emerging movement, at least from North America. The work will focus on editing and extending an unpublished manuscript of Mezei's.This project provides the foundation for a serious interpretation of algorithmic art in the contexts of art history and art theory. Today, algorithmic (and digital) art is no longer in doubt. However, a thorough analysis is still missing. The project will bridge the gap between algorithmic-constructive and aesthetic-interpretative thinking.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants