Computer-Generated Pictures, Howard Wise Gallery

On display in April 1965, the legendary Computer-Generated Pictures introduced computer art to the broader public, especially in the United States. The second of the three computer art exhibitions of 1965, Computer-Generated Pictures was the first in North America and the first held in a commercial gallery.

The show was held by artist-researchers A. Michael Noll and Béla Julesz spanning several years of their research from Bell Labs. Howard Wise was an industrialist and art lover, particularly Op and Lumino-Kinetic Art. An Op art lover, Wise was particularly interested in the pair’s work with 3D depth perception.

Julesz exhibited his random-dot stereograms, consisting of computer-generated patterns that gave the illusion of “binocular depth perception.” Today these are known as “magic eye” pictures. Meant to be viewed in 3D, they handed out glasses to visitors to view the works. The show featured Noll’s stereographic (3D) works as well (1964 link), along with his now legendary:

Patterns by 7090 Gaussian-Quadratic Computer Composition With Lines Vertical-Horizontal Number Three Ninety Parallel Sinusoids

Famously, not a single work sold; the public reception was cold to indifferent. The show was another example in art history of a visionary exhibition too far ahead of its time to be recognized or understood by contemporaries. Computer-Generated Pictures was a landmark development in the gradual acceptance of the computer’s role in art-making.

Listen to Peter Bauman’s interview with A. Michael Noll (transcript).

Image is copyrighted by The Artists and courtesy of The Anne and Michael Spalter Digital Art Collection.