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e4708

Print
2008 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Mark Wilson is considered to be one of the pioneers of digital image making. In 1980, Wilson’s interest in geometricism and technology led him to purchase a microcomputer and to teach himself computer programming. The result was a series of early monochrome plotter drawings, produced in the late eighties and early nineties, of which three are now in the Patric Prince Collection at the V&A. Wilson subsequentely adapted the software that he had written for the plotter drawings, and created digital files that were then sent to a large format archival printer to produce highly detailed prints such as this one. The digital file was generated using the PostScript programming language, which ensured that the images could be printed out as the artist intended.

To create large digital prints such as this one, Wilson ran the computer software several times to produce a large number of images. He then selected and saved the images he considered most successful, and drew them together to produce one composite image that combined elements of the images already produced. The final appearance of the print was dependent on the artist's own editing process.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Titlee4708 (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Digital inkjet print on Somerset paper
Brief description
Digital inkjet print on paper, 'e4708', by Mark Wilson, 2008.
Physical description
Colour digital inkjet print on Somerset paper.
Dimensions
  • Height: 28cm
  • Length: 21.8cm
Copy number
1 of 5
Marks and inscriptions
  • "'e4708" 2008 1/5 © Mark Wilson' (In pen in lower right corner, title, date, edition no., copyright, and artist's signature)
  • 'e4708.ps' (In pencil, in far left lower corner (NB. this marking falls outside of the artist's recommended guidelines for trimming before framing).)
Gallery label
(07/07/2018-18/11/2018)
Chance and Control: Art in the Age of Computers (2018)

MARK WILSON (born 1943)
e4708
USA, 2008

Mark Wilson developed his own software to create large images like this one, which was produced using an inkjet printer. The program uses a pseudorandom number generator to decide on the colours and shapes. He then chooses which version should be printed. Wilson trained as a painter and has exhibited his work widely in the United States and Europe.

Digital inkjet print
Given by the artist
Museum no. E.535-2008
Credit line
Given by Mark Wilson
Production
Attribution note: This image was printed on 24 inch roll paper using a large format archival printer.
Subject depicted
Summary
Mark Wilson is considered to be one of the pioneers of digital image making. In 1980, Wilson’s interest in geometricism and technology led him to purchase a microcomputer and to teach himself computer programming. The result was a series of early monochrome plotter drawings, produced in the late eighties and early nineties, of which three are now in the Patric Prince Collection at the V&A. Wilson subsequentely adapted the software that he had written for the plotter drawings, and created digital files that were then sent to a large format archival printer to produce highly detailed prints such as this one. The digital file was generated using the PostScript programming language, which ensured that the images could be printed out as the artist intended.

To create large digital prints such as this one, Wilson ran the computer software several times to produce a large number of images. He then selected and saved the images he considered most successful, and drew them together to produce one composite image that combined elements of the images already produced. The final appearance of the print was dependent on the artist's own editing process.
Collection
Accession number
E.535-2008

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Record createdJuly 29, 2008
Record URL
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