Persepol by David Em

David Em transitioned from traditional painting to computer-generated art in the late ’70s. Experimenting with electronic manipulations of TV images, Em collaborated with computer graphics pioneers at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). His pivotal moment came at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where, as an artist-in-residence, he adapted scientist James Blinn’s visualization software to craft his own unique computer art style. Em’s creations, influenced by the deep space environment, earned him the first-ever artist’s monograph on digital art. Renowned author Ray Bradbury praised Em for wielding technology as a tool, not a threat, marking a transformative period in the evolution of generative art.