Computer Nude (Studies in Perception I) by Leon Harmon and Ken Knowlton

Created by Harmon and Knowlton at Bell Labs, this computer generated photomural of a reclining nude, twelve feet long, was made entirely of abstract symbols.

Consisting of bitmapped ASCII characters, Computer Nude is one of the most famous and recognizable of the early computer artworks and is one of the first ASCII artworks. Harmon and Knowlton had been introduced by Experiments in Art and Technology (EAT).

In the collection of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, the piece “demonstrates the unique capacity of the viewer’s brain to interpret a composition of abstract symbols grouped to emulate areas of tonal value as a human figure.” The piece would be exhibited the following year at the legendary The machine, as seen at the end of the mechanical age.

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.