Random War
Lithograph
1967 (made), 1968 (printed)
1967 (made), 1968 (printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is one of a set of seven lithographs by different artists, published by Motif Editions in connection with Cybernetic Serendipity, a major exhibition held at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts in 1968. The portfolio includes two works by the Computer Technique Group, plus single works by Charles Csuri and James Shaffer, William Fetter, Maughan S. Mason, Donald K. Robbins, and Kerry Strand. The complete set was acquired by the Museum in 1969, at a cost of £5.
Csuri's image of iconic American toy soldiers is based on a larger artwork that also included a computer-generated list of soldiers' names. At random, the program decided who would be killed, wounded, missing or commended in battle. The original work was produced in 1967, when anti-Vietnam war sentiment was at its height.
Csuri's image of iconic American toy soldiers is based on a larger artwork that also included a computer-generated list of soldiers' names. At random, the program decided who would be killed, wounded, missing or commended in battle. The original work was produced in 1967, when anti-Vietnam war sentiment was at its height.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Random War (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Lithograph after a computer-generated plotter drawing |
| Brief description | Lithograph after a computer graphic, entitled 'Random War, by Charles Csuri and James Shaffer, 1967. From the Cybernetic Serendipity collector's set, 1968. |
| Physical description | Lithograph in black and red ink on paper |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | toy soldiers |
| Production type | Limited edition |
| Gallery label | Chance and Control: Art in the Age of Computers (2018)
CHARLES CSURI (born 1922)
Random War
Published by Motif Editions, London, 1968
Charles Csuri’s image of American toy soldiers is a detail from a larger artwork that also included a list of soldiers’ names. A pseudo-random number generator determined the distribution and position of the soldiers shown on the battlefield. The program also arbitrarily decided who would be killed, wounded, missing or commended in battle.
Csuri made the original work in 1967, when anti-Vietnam War sentiment was at its height.
Made in the USA, 1967
Lithograph, after a computer-generated plotter drawing
Museum no. Circ.775-1969(07/07/2018-18/11/2018) |
| Credit line | Acquired from Motif Editions in 1970. |
| Object history | Cybernetic Serendipity (Institute of Contemporary Arts 01/01/1968-31/12/1968) |
| Summary | This is one of a set of seven lithographs by different artists, published by Motif Editions in connection with Cybernetic Serendipity, a major exhibition held at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts in 1968. The portfolio includes two works by the Computer Technique Group, plus single works by Charles Csuri and James Shaffer, William Fetter, Maughan S. Mason, Donald K. Robbins, and Kerry Strand. The complete set was acquired by the Museum in 1969, at a cost of £5. Csuri's image of iconic American toy soldiers is based on a larger artwork that also included a computer-generated list of soldiers' names. At random, the program decided who would be killed, wounded, missing or commended in battle. The original work was produced in 1967, when anti-Vietnam war sentiment was at its height. |
| Bibliographic reference | Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1969 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.775-1969 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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