Page 96 - Studio International - May June 1975

going to be philosophical or skill at all, and are going to allow Gallery's growing collection
theoretical, but people talking
Bracknell about and showing the kind of - some already do - the easy of twentieth-century art.
implementation of compositional
It could be that, after this new
things they've done.' In the first
Computer lecture, Sutcliffe discussed rules. When these two things are see the development of a friendly
building has opened, we shall
brought together, the artist is
Arts Centre computer graphics in terms of moved away from the equipment, competition between the various
he doesn't need to be so aware of
drawing a distinction between
Washington museums concerned
using a computer merely to it. What he needs to know is what with contemporary art, such as
realize an already wholly the language is, and I think on occurred here around the period
conceived design - as in the well- the whole that's easier, certainIy 1966-1968. At that time, the
If you're going to set up a known 'programmer's nude', for some artists, than having to competition was between the
computer arts centre, it could a reclining female figure drawn worry about ordinary newly revitalized and expanded
either be in a field, or a typographically by means of the programming languages and National Collection of Fine Arts,
technopolis. Achieving a kind of computer's teletype output - and computer equipment. The the small, pioneering Washington
rural 1984-ish compromise, the the more interesting case whereby trouble with computer languages Gallery of Modern Art, and the
new South Hill Park computer the programme contains the whole is that no-one really knows what Corcoran Gallery of Art. The
arts centre will be located in a composing process, the aim artists want to do. It's hard challenge was perhaps laid down
technopolis standing where a being to see what kind of work enough to design languages for by the NCFA when it took over
field used to be - in the New Town will emerge from this algorithm engineers: with artists, it's (from the Museum of Modern
of Bracknell, Berks. Close or set of rules. The conception is nearly impossible ... whatever Art in New York) the
neighbours include, to select a of a procedure, not a design. else is true, there is no such thing responsibility for United States
random bunch, International Subsequent lectures have been by as a universal general purpose art- exhibits at the Biennials and
Computers, Sperrey, Honeywell, Colin Emmett, of the Computer language, there can only be a abroad, and brought back to
Ferranti and the Met. Office Aided DesignCentre at Cambridge, more or less specialized one, Washington the exhibit from the
computer centre. Local industry on computer animation systems suitable for something for some 1965 São Paulo Bienal (Barnett
is being asked for computing and films, Edward Ihnatowicz people for some of the time. One Newman, Stella, Poons, et al.,
equipment, to be housed in the of University College, London, thing that puzzles me is that, chosen by Walter Hopps).
converted mansion alongside on dynamic and interactive given the quite large number of Whatever the cause, 1966-1967
already existing arts facilities. sculptures, and John Lansdown people interested in systems art, was a peak season with, taking
The house was built in 1760 by on the computer for dance and there's only a small number of place simultaneously or following
William Watts, and in its time theatre. The last two lectures were people showing any degree of each other in rapid succession at
has seen William Pitt, George on automated electronic music, by sophistication in the application the three museums: the exhibit
Canning, various Earls of Peter Zinovieff of Electronic of computers to graphics. I from the 1966 Venice Biennale
Limerick and, astoundingly, Music Studios, and 'complex suppose the skills and abilities (Frankenthaler, Kelly,
the Margate Sea Bathing systems for art and life', by don't often come together in the Lichtenstein, Olitski, chosen by
Hospital. A programme of six George Mallen of the RCA. same person. It's more often as a Henry Geldzahler); the well-
weekly lectures on computers in 'Underlying all these different couple or a group'. Ken Knowlton, chosen 30th Corcoran Gallery
the arts began on 30 September, approaches and media', says the inventor of an art language Biennial Exhibition of American
while the equipment should be Sutcliffe, 'there are many called EXPLOR, must have Painting (Gottlieb, Sander,
operative this year. A series of aspects in common in the use of co-authored more papers on Noland, Olitski, Johns, Dine;
familiarization courses for artists computers.' Common graphics and films than anyone et al.); Olitski's first museum.
led into workshops, and the first introductory courses should else. How does he see the centre retrospective; Jane Harrison
results were seen recently, during a equip the artist, musician, etc. developing awareness of what Cone's small David Smith show
week or more of special events. to work in his own sphere, can be done? 'Well, there's a lot from the Fogg Art Museum,
I spoke to Alan Sutcliffe of the hopefully using the computer as a to be said for working as some Harvard; a small Morris Louis
Computer Arts Society, who is creative partner, but anyway able kind of loosely connected group, exhibition; and Barbara Rose's
one of the instigators of the to save time on a project even if where people can learn from one show 'A New Aesthetic' (Ron
scheme, and who gave the first only concerned at that point with another, simply because artists Davis, Judd, Flavin, et al.) The
lecture, on computer graphics. realization. A Stockhausen piece, are still very nervous of last three were part of an
'When people see the first which originally took three computers. As well as graphics, excellent series of exhibitions
products of the set-up, we can months to make in a studio by films and so on, we hope to have, staged by Charles Millard during
say, "well, this is only the normal methods, was realized in eventually, the means for his directorship of the WGMA.
beginning, here's what we'd one day using a computerized controlling electronic music The next two seasons brought to
really like to do", and hopefully system. Animation in particular equipment, interactive sculpture, the Corcoran the large
we'll convince them that it's not can learn from this production- light systems, in fact any dynamic retrospectives of Gottlieb and
lust a game or a pastime, but ... oriented experience. Sutcliffe sees equipment anyone may care to Smith from the Whitney and
I don't like to say "serious", but the need for more development of build. I think it's very important Guggenheim Museums in New
an important business, which calls art languages for computer to see the use of computers in art York, and large loan exhibitions
for both sophisticated techniques programming - the writing, in a not as very separate from what to the National Gallery from the
and real creative sparks. The sense, of an (art language) to else is going on in art, but as just collections of the Albright-Knox
six lectures, if I exclude my own, (computer language) dictionary. an aspect, sometimes a slightly Art Gallery, Buffalo and the
are all by people who have done 'These languages are going to extreme aspect, of the alliance Musée National d'Art Moderne
worthwhile things, and have got allow the physical realization of between technology and art.' in Paris. They also saw Walter
real practical experience. It's not the output without any drawing The address of the South Hill Hopps become director of the
Park arts centre is South Hill WGMA, the merger of that
Park, Bracknell, Berks, RG4 PA. small museum with the
Brian Reffin Smith Corcoran, and the 31st
Corcoran Gallery Biennial (Ron
Davis, Poons, Bannard, Tuttle,
et al), chosen by James
Washington Harithas, its new director.
Since 1968, there have been
many more changes in personnel
avow that the Hirshhorn at our museums: it is as though
Museum and Sculpture Garden a new generation of museum
is open, we in Washington can directors and curators has taken
look forward to the opening of over. John Carter Brown is now
another important museum Director of the National Gallery,
building, probably in 1978 - the and E. A. Carmean the newly
new East Building of the National appointed Curator of Twentieth-
Gallery of Art. Designed by Century Art; Walter Hopps has
1. M. Pei, this will contain become Curator of Contemporary
administrative offices, a Centre Art at the NCFA; Charles
for Advanced Study in the Millard has come back from
Visual Arts, a greatly expanded California to be Chief Curator
library and photographic archive, at the Hirshhorn Museum; and
and galleries for temporary it has just been announced that
Computer Arts Centre. Michael Abrahams '73 exhibitions and for the National Jane Livingston, of the Los
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