Report on the 2nd International Conference on Computers and the Humanities, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.A.

Leonardo, Vol. 9, pp. 43-45. Pergamon Press 1976. Printed in Great Britain REPORT ON THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTERS AND THE HUMANITIES, LOS ANGELES, CALIF., U.S.A. Grace C. Hertlein* 1 This is a brief report on the 2nd International Conference of Computers and the Humanities (ICCH/2), held at the University of Southern California on April 3-6,‘1975, in Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.A. The Arts Program consisted of exhibitions that included a showing of animated films, continuous showings of computer art with computer music accompaniment and the ICCH/2 exhibition of computer art. The computer art exhibition was the largest of its kind thus far held in the U.S.A. Western Europe has led the way in accepting computer art but a large number of computer artists are in the U.S.A. The ICCH/2 exhibition is now being organized into a touring show. (Museums and other institutions interested in having this exhibition in 1976 should write to the author for further information.) arranged sequentially to present variations of images (Manuel Barbadillo [l], Vera Molnar [2], H. Kawano). 3. Compositions with curvilinear rather than rectilinear structures appear more frequently than before and in color (Sture Johannesson and Sten Kallin (Fig. l), Gerard0 Delgado). Spirographs and mathematical functions are now seldom used by professional artists. 4. CRT graphics are photographed and in development coarse-grained screens are used, resulting in images having a textured look. Positive and negative versions of identical graphics are sometimes presented (H. W. Franke). 5. A series of varying designs is prepared by a computer and the series is stacked to serve as a model for a manually made sculpture (Jos6 L. Alexanco (Fig. 2) ). 2 A significant change has been noted in computer art. Few artists in the exhibition are using the output directly from plotters or cathode ray tubes. Most (90%) reproduce their computer output in a variety of media, the majority using serigraphy. Cybernetic Serendipity (London: Stirdio International, 1968) by Jasia Reichardt and subsequent books on computer art now seem overly preoccupied with mathematics and line. Often the resultant works might be categorized as computer ‘visualizations’ from science or mathematics , rather than as art. In earlier exhibitions, physicists, systems analysts and programmers dominated this field. Today’s computer artists are sculptors, painters and architects who use the computerprimarily as a designing aid. Among them are those who were in the Cybernetic Serendipity show: Frieder Nake, G. Nees, Herbert W. Franke, Manfred Mohr and Hiroshi Kawano. Some examples of this new approach are: 1. Paintings are silkscreened on canvas, frequently in a series along with related works. Often viewers are unaware that the images are based on computergenerated designs (Jean-Claude Marquette). 2. Paintings are executed manually but are based on computer-generated designs. Often canvases are * Artist, art editor and bibliographer, Dept. of Computer Science, California State University, Chico, CA 95926, U.S.A. (Received 21 June 1975.) Fig. 1. Strrre Johartnessonand Steri Kallin. ‘Bois’,serigraph of cornprtter drawing, paper, 36 x 24 in. (approx.), 1975. 43 44 Grace C.Hertleiri Fig. 2. Josi L. Alexarico. Mociel riinde froiii coiiipriierdesigrieci sections for a iiiaiiiially ~iiodescrrlptrrrc, 1975. 6. Distortion algorithms are applied to staticlooking designs, resulting in feelings of energy and tension (Ruth Leavitt (Fig. 3) ). 7. Modular transparent Plexiglas sculptures (transformables ) are made with interior computer graphics Fig. 3. RiitA Leaviii. ‘Liihograplr’,serigraph of a coiriprrier drawing, paper., 24 x 20 in. (approx.), 1975. Fig. 4. Grace C. Hertlein. ‘Strrdyfor ( 1 Texiile’, photograph from N iiricrofilni of a coiripri1er (/rowing,paper, 20 x 16 in., 1975. on acetates (Grace C. Hertlein). Graphics are silkscreened onto Plexiglas to give a 3-dimensional quality (Katherine Nash). 8. Designs made by computers are used for rugs and stitchery (Elizabeth Milojevic). 9. CRT graphics are photographed and printed in fluorescent colors (Herve Huitric, Monique Nahas). 10. Editions of lithographs and serigraphs are made based on computer-generated designs (G. Delgado, M. Mohr, H. W. Franke [3], S. Johannesson and S.Kallin, Tomislav Mikulic). 11. Photography is applied in diverse ways. For example, images are made on a cathode ray tube or a microfilm plotter. Images are photographed. Reversals or...