International Science—Art News

Leomdo, Vol. 6, pp. 165-167. Pergamon Press 1973. Printedin Great Britain INTERNATIONAL SCIENCEART NEWS John H. Holloway, Co-Editor Readers are invited to send advanced notice o f forthcoming events andpublications , and information about their own activities in thejeld o f the relationships between the sciences and the visual arts to: John H. Holloway, 26 Sherborne Avenue, Wigston Magna, Leicester LE8-2GP, England. I. EXHIBITIONS AND MEETINGS 1.1-In 1972, for the first time in Germany, a team of computer specialists and artists were brought together to make experiments with free computer graphics. The initiator was Winfried Fischer from Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm. The results were shown in an exhibition held during the Olympic Games at the f i r m in Ottobrunn near Munich. In addition to the exhibition, the group edited a series of silk-screen prints and a book, Computer Graphics(price 158DM), which contains a brief text, some computer poetry and a wealth of pictorial material, which includes moir6e effects, random patterns, geometricpictures, stochasticline configurationsetc. 1.2-A ‘Music-Film-Dia-Light Festival’ was organized by Josef A. Riedl and exhibited in several studios of the Bayerischer Rundfunk in Germany during 1972. These exhibitions included presentations of electronic music, in some cases simultaneously with slides (e.g. electronic music by Riedl was combined with computer pictures by Mohr and the Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohmteam), Audioscope presentations, ‘PolychromaticCrystaloptics ’ by M. Kage and laser applications by C. F. Reuterswald. 1.3-Art exhibitions are continuingat the University o f Surrey, England, which is a technological university(cf.Leonardo 2, 214 (1969)). Exhibitions in 1972 included ‘Space Structures’ by Stephane du Chateau (15-26 May) and ‘Relating Art and Technology’ by Robert Preusser (24 Jan.-1 1 Feb.). 1.4-The Faculty o f the Materials Research Laboratory atPennsylvaniaState University,University Park, Pa., U.S.A. held their second annual event entitled ‘Kaleidoscope’on the general theme of ‘Beauty in Science: Science in Art’ on 12 July 1972. The event consisted of music by Gustav Holst, readings from the works of well known authors about science and the scientist, a short f i l montwosensoryillusionsmadeby BellTelephone Laboratories, the presentation to the University of a new Max Bill sculpture, ‘The Hard Side of a Sphere’, by the Carborundum Company and a display of photomicrographs and of computer art. (cf. Leonardo 6,85 (1973)). IS-‘Art in Science’, (15-18 July 1972) was an exhibition co-sponsored by the Materials Research Laboratory and the Institute for the Arts and Humanistic Studies of Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pa., U.S.A. The exhibition consisted of sculptures by contemporary artists, including Max Bill and Barbara Hepworth; the well known General Motors Corporation exhibit ‘Art in Research’ and reproductions of some of the drawings of M. C. Escher. 1.6-Two evening ‘Talkouts’ were held between artists and ‘Communicators’ on 15 and 16 Nov. 1972 at the Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh. Thesewerein preparation for a proposed exhibition ‘An Untried Dialogue between the Artist and Society’, which will attempt to bridge the gap between the artist and the public. Contact: The Richard Demarco Gallery Ltd., 8 Melville Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 7NB, Scotland. 1.7-There is to be a large conference on ‘Art and Technology’ in the Autumn, 1973, organized by the newly formed Councilfor the Arts at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A. 1.8-Ruth Baker, who is President of the California Branchof Experiments in Art and Technology, Inc., gave an illustrated talk on 19 Oct. 1972 to students at Leicester Polytechnic, England, about art and technology. 1.9-The Scottish Arts Council, the Computer Arts Society and Edinburgh University, Scotland, are planning an international conference during 1973 on ‘Computers in the Arts’. The conference will be held in Edinburgh at the University’s George Square complex. I.10-The first event of the UnitedStates Branch of the Computer Arts Society will take place in 165 166 International Science-Art News April and May 197 3. The event entitled ‘Circuit’ will take the form of an exhibition, workshop and symposium and has been organized by the U.S. Computer Arts Society, Cranbrook Academy o f Art, Eastern Michigan University...