Vera Molnár Begins her Computer Art Phase with the Interruptions Series

Molnár’s earliest computer art phase began in 1968 with a short series of untitled plotter drawings and the open series Interruptions (1968–69).

These early works consisted entirely of rectilinear forms of varying angles, randomly arranged by Molnár’s own algorithm. In her own words from an interview with Hans Ulrich Obrist she describes them:

“They’re square grids, and in each frame there’s either a vertical or a horizontal line, or nothing. 45° and 135°. Four inclines, plus empty space. This you can’t do by hand. It’s the same thing – I still work like that with grids, it’s one of my subjects.”

For Molnár it was both a learning experience and revelation: “I was not very good at programming but I finally understood how to do very simple things, this geometric way of working.” She would describe the beginning of her work with computers to Obrist as well:

“The real, actual computer was in 1968. That I remember really well. In 1968 we thought that everything was possible and all you have to do is knock on the doors and the doors open. So, armed with this certainty, I went and knocked at the door of the Paris University computing centre, which was in Orsay, and I explained to the head of the centre that I wanted to try to make art with a computer.

He gave me a look and I had the feeling that he was considering whether he should call for a nurse to sedate me or lock me up or something. Later, when I got to know this man, he told me: ‘I said yes to you because I thought of a famous quote by Voltaire, the one where he says: ‘I completely disagree with everything that you are saying but will defend until my death your right to do or say or write what you have in mind’’, and so he said yes.

That was easily said, it was an honour for me, but I had no privileges whatsoever because it was for scientists and researchers: I was nothing in all that. Back then, it was very expensive, we had to rent computers by the minute, so I sort of shrunk in a corner, the last in line, but I was still there.”

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