Computers and Art

by Stuart Mealing, Ed.
Intellect, Bristol, UK, 2002
192 pp., illus. Paper, $29.95
ISBN: 1841500623.

Reviewed by John Knight
User-Lab
Birmingham Institute of Art and Design

John.knight@uce.ac.uk

This book was originally published in 1997. This second edition has three new chapters. Since the first edition, the area of computers and art has widened in scope. In addition, there have also been many more quality (glossier) books published on the subject. Rather than gloss, 'Computers and Art' offers very and provocative insights into the subject. Stuart Mealing has collected 12 chapters from 'artists, scientists, critics, philosophers [and] educators’ (pp 006). Most authors make art as well as critiquing it.

The book succinctly covers all the topics and issues in computers and art. Three authors (Mealing, Whale and Burton) deal with the creative act and drawing. In these chapters computers are considered mainly as tools. Five chapters widen the focus. Diggle, Rieser, Buick, King and Brown investigate the qualities of computer art and consider interactivity, virtuality, and artificial creativity. Landsdown and Noble look at graphical art. Brian Reffin-Smith brings all of these strands together in one exciting chapter about his own practise.

Ed Burton's chapter is called 'Representing representation: artificial intelligence and drawing. In combining practical application with philosophical currents, it is perhaps typical of the book and suggests it may be a useful aid in teaching. Burton begins his chapter with Harold Cohen. Burton goes on to describe his own work in developing software that makes art. This chapter crystallizes the 'threat' of computers but also their possible limitations beyond being tools.

John Landsdown's 'Some trends in computer graphic art' offers a brief history of the subject and his vision of the future. This vision includes 'Algorithmic and mathematical art' of the type of work produced by Harold Cohen as well as 'New Forms of Representation' and 'Interactivity'.

Jim Noble's chapter, 'Fatal Attraction: print meets computer,' takes a historical approach that links back to Marshall McLuhan. Jeremy Diggle describes 'A Year and A Day'. This is a piece of 'computer art' created by the author that evolves through the interaction with the user over time.

Stuart Mealing has his own chapter, which is called 'On drawing a Circle'. Mealing notes the qualities of traditional medium including the physicality of making marks, in contrast to the elusiveness of the virtual. George Whale's chapter suggests that computers offer new tools for doing different kinds of work including 'remote collaboration' (pp 026). Mike King takes a more philosophical approach and looks to quantum theory and considers the nature of creativity.

Brian Reffin-Smith offers a very accessible, personal and idiosyncratic chapter.
He is passionate about the medium and 'won the first Prix Ars Electronica' (pp 130) in 1987 using an ancient BBC computer. This chapter is refreshing for its lo-fi approach, enthusiasm and firsthand account of an artist using computers. This connection to practise is perhaps where Computers and Art has an edge over its competitors.

Martin Reiser's chapter is very good and starts by looking at distance and draws on the work of Paul Virilio. This chapter considers a range of artistic possibilities enabled by computers. These promises include haptic interfaces, virtual reality, and telematics. Reiser makes an important point about the potential of computer art to create a more publicly accessible art form than was previously possible through galleries and museums.

Joanna Buick's chapter is called 'Virtual Reality and Art'. Buick does a good job in identifying (and critiquing) all of the issues in this area. She also offers a reasoned and critical perspective to the new technology and points to some ethical issues. Like many contributors, she notes the potential for technology rather than human need to drive innovation.

I was won over by this book, despite its age and approach. Unfortunately, despite being a second edition there are a number of typos (e.g. pp 123) and no index. In addition, the UK focus underplays the international character of the computer art community. Some non-traditional practitioners are excluded. For example, hacker communities and festivals such as ReadMe are left out. Margot Lovejoy's 'Digital currents: art in the electronic age' is a more contemporary, complete and vivid treatment of the subject. However, 'Computers and Art' offers a personal thought provoking perspective for practitioners than its glossier counterparts.