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Amsterdam Suite F

Print
1977 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Cohen trained as a painter and represented Britain at the 1966 Venice Biennale. In 1968 he became a visiting professor at the University of California at San Diego, where he was introduced to computer programming. In 1971 Cohen took up a post as visiting scholar in the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Stanford University. While at the Artificial Intelligence Lab, he began developing a computer program called Aaron, in which he sought to codify the act of drawing.

This is one of a series of prints that Cohen created for a one-man show at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 1977-8. At the time, his Aaron computer program was only able to produce monochrome line-drawings. However, the V&A also holds a hand-coloured drawing of one of the images, Amsterdam Suite A, dated 1982 (E.327-2009). According to the artist, the image created in 1977 was subsequently hand-coloured, then signed and dated by him in 1982.

In the exhibition, Cohen also exhibited his "turtle", a computer-controlled drawing device that moved around on top of a large sheet of paper. The "turtle" was popular with museum visitors, but Cohen decided to retire it soon afterwards.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAmsterdam Suite F (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Lithograph from a computer-generated drawing
Brief description
Lithograph, 'Amsterdam Suite F', edition 75/75, by Harold Cohen, 1977.
Physical description
Lithograph on paper, from a computer-generated drawing.
Dimensions
  • Height: 56.3cm
  • Width: 73.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Amsterdam Suite 'F' 75/75' (Title and edition number in pencil in lower left side)
  • 'Harold Cohen 1977' (Artist's signature and date in pencil in lower right side)
Gallery label
Harold Cohen born 1928 Amsterdam Suite F 1977 This is one of a series of images that were created for a one-man show at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Cohen also exhibited his 'turtle', a computer-controlled drawing device that moved around on top of a large sheet of paper. The 'turtle' was popular with museum visitors, but Cohen decided to retire it soon afterwards. [55] Lithograph Given by Harold Cohen Museum no. E.333-2009
Credit line
Given by Harold Cohen
Summary
Cohen trained as a painter and represented Britain at the 1966 Venice Biennale. In 1968 he became a visiting professor at the University of California at San Diego, where he was introduced to computer programming. In 1971 Cohen took up a post as visiting scholar in the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Stanford University. While at the Artificial Intelligence Lab, he began developing a computer program called Aaron, in which he sought to codify the act of drawing.

This is one of a series of prints that Cohen created for a one-man show at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 1977-8. At the time, his Aaron computer program was only able to produce monochrome line-drawings. However, the V&A also holds a hand-coloured drawing of one of the images, Amsterdam Suite A, dated 1982 (E.327-2009). According to the artist, the image created in 1977 was subsequently hand-coloured, then signed and dated by him in 1982.

In the exhibition, Cohen also exhibited his "turtle", a computer-controlled drawing device that moved around on top of a large sheet of paper. The "turtle" was popular with museum visitors, but Cohen decided to retire it soon afterwards.
Bibliographic reference
Harold Cohen. Amsterdam: Stedelijk Museum, 1977. Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Stedelijk Museum from 22/11/1977 to 8/1/1978.
Collection
Accession number
E.333-2009

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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