Manfred Mohr at Thoma Foundation, Chicago

08/31/2017

The Algorists features a room dedicated to a group of artists who code their own software to produce computer-assisted drawings. They began working at the dawn of modern computing in the 1960s. In 1995 they produced an Algorist manifesto to identify their broader artistic community. An algorithm is a set of mathematical instructions that can be carried out by a computer, especially when they are complex beyond human capability. Artist Roman Verostko calls this a “recipe” for creating art. Although algorithmic procedures have been used creatively for centuries, from basket and textile weaving to Islamic mosaic and music notation, the computer provided tools and techniques more precise than traditional hand-made methods. Artists included: Peter Beyls, Frederick Hammersley, Jean-Pierre Hébert, Desmond Paul Henry, Manfred Mohr, Vera Molnar, Frieder Nake, Roman Verostko, and Mark Wilson. On view through Summer 2018.