Generative Art Timeline · Chapter 5: Artist-Programmer Era (1970s)
1972
P-120-A Meta Language II by Manfred Mohr

This work was heavily inspired by Max Bense’s generative aesthetics and, by extension, Noam Chomsky’s Syntactic Structures and his work with generative linguistics. P-120-A Meta Language II, a dense grid of marks, explores the relationship between symbols and systems.
Text by Peter Bauman. Generative Art Timeline, Le Random.
Sources
- Taylor, WMMA, p. 139
People
Manfred Mohr, Max Bense, Noam Chomsky
Movements
computer art, generative art, information aesthetics
Filed under
- Ideas
- generative art, language, systems
- Technologies
- computer art, generative aesthetics, generative grammar
- People
- Manfred Mohr, Max Bense, Noam Chomsky
- Works
- P-120-A Meta Language II, Syntactic Structures
Related moments
Echoes across time
- 1958 · Theorie de l’information et perception esthetique (Information Theory and Esthetic Perception) by Abraham A. Moles
- 1957 · Syntactic Structures by Noam Chomsky
- 1959 · Theo Lutz produces Stochastic Texts
Le Random editorials
- Demystifying Generative Aesthetics, Peter Bauman, March 21, 2024
- Hans Ulrich Obrist on Exhibitions as Living Organisms, Peter Bauman, September 1, 2025
- Eli Scheinman on Amplifying the Digital, Peter Bauman, December 3, 2025
- London Digital Art Guide, Le Random & guests, October 13, 2025
Le Random podcast
- Timeline Ch 1—Pre-Modern Era with Marius Watz — listen with transcript on Le Random (06 Jul 2023, 46 min). Transcript mentions Manfred Mohr. Apple Podcasts · Spotify
- Timeline Ch 3—Analog Era (1950s) with Georg Bak — listen with transcript on Le Random (10 Aug 2023, 65 min). Transcript mentions Manfred Mohr. Apple Podcasts · Spotify
- Timeline Ch 4—Digital Era Pt II (1960s) with Michael Spalter — listen with transcript on Le Random (21 Sep 2023, 77 min). Transcript mentions Manfred Mohr. Apple Podcasts · Spotify
- Timeline Ch 5—Artist-Programmer Era (1970s) with Joan Truckenbrod, Hans Dehlinger & Anika Meier — listen with transcript on Le Random (14 Jan 2024, 65 min). Chapter 5’s episode. Apple Podcasts · Spotify