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

英国艺术家Harold Cohen的非凡作品，就其算法起源而言，将从视觉外观与算法背景的角度进行注册，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述。这（也许是第一次）对一位几乎完全使用算法工作的艺术家的作品进行系统调查，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和类似的调查（长期方向）。此外，莱斯利Mezei在多伦多大学计算机科学在20世纪60年代所做的工作也将在更广泛的背景下进行研究。因此，我们打开了美学和算法的特点矛盾。哈罗德科恩是一个既定的艺术家（两次代表文献展）之前，他定居在加州（1970年左右），并开始了他的第二个职业生涯，只与计算机工作。就像一块不稳定的岩石，他的作品从那时起就出现在计算机艺术领域（以及一般的艺术史），但也出现在人工智能领域。我们将研究他的作品--在其固有的算法和美学结构中，--在其与当代非机器艺术的联系中，--从我的算法图像理论的角度，--并从符号学的角度。- 注册科恩的算法视觉作品，-收集他的出版物，-彻底研究出版物和选定的艺术作品，-研究他的软件和绘画机器，-开发他的工作阶段的模式，结合算法和美学，- 进行持久的个人讨论（特别是两次访问圣地亚哥）。这项研究的结果将在现有的compArt数据库中公开。主要贡献将是一本学术著作。除了研究科恩的工作，莱斯利梅泽的档案将被分析和提供。在科恩还在传统绘画的时候，Mezei发现了计算在美术中的潜力。早在1964年，他就开始撰写和记录算法艺术，他也为算法艺术的发展做出了贡献。他的档案包含了关于新兴运动早期事件的材料，至少来自北美。这项工作将专注于编辑和扩展Mezei的未发表手稿。该项目为在艺术史和艺术理论的背景下认真解释算法艺术提供了基础。今天，算法（和数字）艺术不再受到怀疑。然而，仍然缺乏全面的分析。该项目将弥合算法建设性思维和美学解释性思维之间的差距。

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.