Editors: Arie Altena, Lucas van der Velden
Design: Coup, Amsterdam
96 pp., 300 g, 21 x 27,5 cm, English, February 2006
ISBN: 9789081047012

Released as part of Sonic Acts Festival XI, this anthology explores the rich history of computer art, offering a snapshot of a time when digital technology was reshaping creative possibilities. It delves into the emergence of autonomous systems, where algorithms and platforms generate artistic content, and considers what this means for human creativity.

Through seminal texts by pioneering figures and a curated selection of innovative projects, the anthology examines how early visionaries bridged technology and artistic practice. The featured articles span artist-designed software, generative music, and digital art, illustrating the breadth of experimentation in the field.

Essays and visuals in the collection position computer art as a distinct form rooted in both technological advances and the visual arts. Highlighting themes of algorithmic design and the interplay between human intention and machine agency, the publication provokes deeper reflection on authorship. Emerging during a period of renewed interest in cybernetics and increasing recognition of computer art by institutions, it captures a defining moment. A copy of the Sonic Acts XI DVD is included, showcasing groundbreaking works and ideas from this transformative era.

Contents

Introduction – Arie Altena, Lucas Van Der Velden

Who are the Progenitors of the Contemporary Synthesis of Software and Art? – C.E.B. Reas

Computer Music – Lejaren A. Hiller, Jr.

Free Stochastic Music By Computer – Iannis Xenakis

Generative Aesthetics Projects – Max Bense

Computer Art – Jasia Reichardt

Small Abstract Aesthetics – Max Bense

Statement – Georg Nees

From Expanded Cinema – Gene Youngblood

There Should Be No Computer Art – Frieder Nake

Technocratic Dadaists – Frieder Nake

Untitled Statement – Manfred Mohr

Untitled Statement – Vera Molnar

Untitled Statement – Kenneth Knowlton

Portrait of The Artist as a Young Scientist – Kenneth Knowlton

★ Laptop Music: Countering Aura In The Age Of Infinite Reproduction – Kim Cascone

On The Resurgence of interest In Visual Music – Greg Kurcewicz

Digital Art: From the Viewpoint of a Dealer – Wolf Lieser