Generative Art Timeline · Chapter 7: Net Era (1990s)

1995

unendlich, fast… by Holger Friese

Artwork

A browser screenshot of Holger Friese's unendlich, fast..., showing the near-monochrome blue field with its cluster of tiny marks at right and the scrollbars that are the work's only navigation.
A browser screenshot of Holger Friese's unendlich, fast..., showing the near-monochrome blue field with its cluster of tiny marks at right and the scrollbars that are the work's only navigation. Holger Friese, unendlich, fast..., 1995. Screenshot reproduced in Thomas Dreher, IASLonline Lektionen in NetArt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen.

Another example of early net art, Holger Friese’s Unendlich, fast... was a bold departure from the early internet landscape, which emphasized clarity and navigability. In contrast to the expected plethora of pages and links, Friese presented a single, enigmatic webpage. Visitors were greeted by a sea of vibrant blue, with only scroll bars for navigation. This minimalist space challenged conventions, encouraging interactivity, questions and exploration. It was an invitation to touch the art, using a webpage to play with point of view and perspective. At the center of the page to the right is a static image resembling stars in a vast cosmos. However, there are no clickable links or pathways to other destinations. Friese’s rejection of conventional navigation systems encourages visitors to embrace the unknown and seek meaning beyond traditional structures. The work encapsulates Friese’s rejection of imposed order, inviting users to navigate the infinite within the confines of a single, captivating space.

Text by Peter Bauman. Generative Art Timeline, Le Random, fact-checked September 2026.

Sources

People

Holger Friese

Movements

Interactive Art, Mass Media Art, net art

Filed under

Ideas
Interactive Art, interactivity, interfaces, Mass Media Art, minimalism, net art
Technologies
Internet, World Wide Web
People
Holger Friese
Works
unendlich, fast...

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