»Kreis-Variation Nr. 3 (4/5/1965)« by Frieder Nake | i |
 
creators: Frieder Nake
title: Kreis-Variation Nr. 3 (4/5/1965)
year: 1965
material:

Size: 25 × 25 cm
Hardware: ZUSE Graphomat Z64
Program: COMPART ER 56

algorithm: compArt ER56 Kreis-Variation
artwork type: drawing, computer-generated, ink on paper
Description

This algorithmic drawing is proof of the fact that early “computer art” was in no way restricted to straight lines only. Generated in May of 1965, the drawing owes its existence and, perhaps, its particular character to a simple schema of interpolating randomly chosen points by polynoms (cf. the description of the algorithm).

The drawing consists of 15 individual closed curves. Counting from the outermost inwards, the 6th curve is an undisturbed circle. Outside of it, there are five, inside of it there are nine curves. One of them is a polygon (detect it!).

The method of interpolation, in this case, forced the upwards oriented needle to appear. To be quite clear about this effect: it was not planned in any way. It is a purely algorithmically generated effect. If you like, you could claim this to be a creative decision on behalf of the running algorithm. Nothing would be more stupid than this. Algorithms are neither creative, nor are they not-creative. They are what they are: formal descriptions of computable functions.

[cf. Nake et al., 1966, p. 7]

Rights

Frieder Nake.
Two versions of this drawing are owned privately (one black on white, the other white on black).

Artists
Comments
enter new comment
Please, be adviced that you are entering your text into a database, not into a social network! By entering a comment, you add to the database. We much appreciate comments making us aware of errors or deficiencies.