Polar Coordinates
Computer Drawing
1970 (made)
1970 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In 1968 an electrical engineer at the University of New Mexico, Richard Williams, developed a computer program he called ART1. The new program allowed non-experts to create computer-generated images on the University's IBM 360 mainframe computer, without needing to understand the complexities of computer programming. The images were printed on a line printer, a device that produced a range of alphanumeric characters on continuous computer paper. Artists such as Frederick Hammersley and Katherine Nash went on to explore ART1's creative capabilities.
This artwork was created using ART2, which was developed by Nash and Ronald Reichenberger at the University of Minnesota. ART2 incorporated several enhancements, including a "polar-coordinate generator" that could generate curves from a fixed point or "pole".
This artwork was created using ART2, which was developed by Nash and Ronald Reichenberger at the University of Minnesota. ART2 incorporated several enhancements, including a "polar-coordinate generator" that could generate curves from a fixed point or "pole".
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Polar Coordinates (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Computer generated drawing |
| Brief description | Katherine Nash, Polar Coordinates, computer-generated impact print, USA, 1970 |
| Physical description | Computer generated drawing depicting a floral design. The pattern is comprised of the asterisk character, equals sign and the letters I, M, V and O |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | Chance and Control: Art in the Age of Computers (2018)
KATHERINE NASH (1910–82)
Polar Coordinates
USA, 1970
In the late 1960s the artist Katherine Nash developed the ART1 program with Richard Williams, an engineer at the University of New Mexico. This artwork was created using ART2, developed by Nash and Ronald Reichenberger at the University of Minnesota. ART2 included the ability to generate curves from a fixed point or ‘pole’, as seen at the top left.
Computer-generated impact print
Museum no. E.2801-2016(07/07/2018-18/11/2018) |
| Credit line | Given by the Computer Arts Society, supported by System Simulation Ltd, London |
| Object history | Object transferred from the Archive of Art and Design, previously numbered AAD/2007/7/11/2 |
| Production | This artwork was created using ART2, a computer program developed by Katherine Nash and Ronald Reichenberger at the University of Minnesota. |
| Summary | In 1968 an electrical engineer at the University of New Mexico, Richard Williams, developed a computer program he called ART1. The new program allowed non-experts to create computer-generated images on the University's IBM 360 mainframe computer, without needing to understand the complexities of computer programming. The images were printed on a line printer, a device that produced a range of alphanumeric characters on continuous computer paper. Artists such as Frederick Hammersley and Katherine Nash went on to explore ART1's creative capabilities. This artwork was created using ART2, which was developed by Nash and Ronald Reichenberger at the University of Minnesota. ART2 incorporated several enhancements, including a "polar-coordinate generator" that could generate curves from a fixed point or "pole". |
| Other number | AAD/2007/7/11/2 - Previous Archive Number(AAD) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.2801-2016 |
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| Record created | November 9, 2016 |
| Record URL |
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