Harold Cohen & Leslie Mezei: Pioneering Times of Algorithmic Art.Two Book Projects

英国艺术家Harold Cohen的杰出作品，就其算法起源而言，将从视觉外观与算法背景的角度进行登记，批判性分析和呈现。科恩在算法艺术50年历史中的独特地位将被描绘出来。这（也许是第一次）对一位几乎完全依靠算法工作的艺术家的作品进行系统的调查，将开启艺术史的新篇章。我们将利用从这里获得的经验进行更多类似的调查（长期方向）。此外，20世纪60年代多伦多大学（University of Toronto）计算机科学专业的莱斯利·梅泽伊（Leslie Mezei）所做的工作也将在更广泛的背景下进行研究。从而为美学与算法的特征矛盾打开了大门。哈罗德·科恩（Harold Cohen）在定居加州（大约1970年）之前是一位知名艺术家（两次代表参加文献展），并开始了他的第二职业生涯，只与计算机合作。从那时起，他的作品就像一块飘忽不定的石头，出现在计算机艺术（以及一般的艺术史）领域，也出现在人工智能领域。我们将从其固有的算法和美学结构，从其与当代非机械艺术的联系，从我的算法图像理论的角度，以及从符号学的角度来研究他的作品。为此，我们采取以下步骤：-登记科恩的算法视觉作品，-收集他的出版物，-彻底研究出版物和精选的艺术作品，-研究他的绘图和绘画软件和机器，-发展他的工作阶段的图式，结合算法和美学，-从事持久的个人话语（特别是两次访问圣地亚哥）。这项研究的结果将在现有的comppart数据库中公开提供。主要的贡献将是一本学术著作。除了研究科恩的作品，莱斯利·梅泽伊的档案将被分析并提供。在科恩还在传统绘画的时候，梅泽伊发现了计算机在美术中的潜力。早在1964年，他就开始撰写和记录算法艺术。他也为它的发展做出了贡献。他的档案包含了有关新兴运动早期事件的材料，至少来自北美。这项工作的重点是编辑和扩展梅泽伊未发表的手稿。这个项目为在艺术史和艺术理论的背景下对算法艺术的严肃解读提供了基础。如今，算法（和数字）艺术已不再受到质疑。然而，一个彻底的分析仍然缺失。该项目将弥合算法构建思维和美学解释思维之间的差距。

The extraordinary work of British artist, Harold Cohen, as far as it is of algorithmic origin, will be registered, critically analyzed and presented from the perspective of visual appearance vs. algorithmic background. Cohen's unique position within the 50 years history of algorithmic art will be characterized.This (perhaps first) systematic investigation of the work of an artist who has almost exclusively worked algorithmically will start a new chapter of art history. We will use the experience gained from here for more and similar investigations (long-term orientation).Additionally, work done in the 1960s by Leslie Mezei in computer science at the University of Toronto will also be studied for a broader context. Thus we open up for the characteristic contradiction of aesthetics and algorithmics.Harold Cohen was an established artist (twice represented at documenta) before he settled in California (around 1970) and started into his second career by only working with computers. Like an erratic rock, his work has since then appeared in the domain of computer art (and art history in general), but also in Artificial Intelligence. We will investigate his work- in its inherent algorithmic as well as aesthetic structures,- in its connection to contemporary non-machinic art,- from the perspective of my theory of the algorithmic image,- and from a semiotic perspective.To this end we do these steps:- register Cohen's algorithmic visual works,- collect his publications,- thoroughly study the publications and selected works of art,- study his software and machines for drawing and painting,- develop a schema of phases of his work, combining algorithmics and aesthetics,- engage in a lasting personal discourse (in particular, two visits to San Diego).The results of this research will be made publicly accessible in the existing compArt database. The main contribution will be a scholarly book.In addition to researching Cohen's work, Leslie Mezei's archive will be analyzed and made available. At a time, when Cohen was still painting traditionally, Mezei discovered the potential of computing in the fine arts. As early as 1964, he began writing about and documenting algorithmic art. He also contributed himself to its development. His archive contains material about early events of the emerging movement, at least from North America. The work will focus on editing and extending an unpublished manuscript of Mezei's.This project provides the foundation for a serious interpretation of algorithmic art in the contexts of art history and art theory. Today, algorithmic (and digital) art is no longer in doubt. However, a thorough analysis is still missing. The project will bridge the gap between algorithmic-constructive and aesthetic-interpretative thinking.