{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1034080"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1034080/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX5014/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX5014/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BX5014","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1034080","accessionNumber":"CIRC.775-1969","objectType":"Lithograph","titles":[{"title":"Random War","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This is one of a set of seven lithographs by different artists, published by Motif Editions in connection with <i>Cybernetic Serendipity,</i> 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.\n\nCsuri'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. ","physicalDescription":"Lithograph in black and red ink on paper","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Charles Csuri","id":"A21869"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT253822"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"James Shaffer","id":"A21870"},"association":{"text":"computer programmer","id":"AAT25819"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Motif Editions","id":"A23422"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[{"text":"plotter drawing","id":"x43893"},{"text":"lithography","id":"AAT53271"},{"text":"computer-aided design","id":"AAT54178"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Lithograph after a computer-generated plotter drawing","categories":[{"text":"Computer Art","id":"THES49037"},{"text":"Printmaking techniques","id":"THES252987"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2009BX5014"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"514A","id":"THES49773"},"free":"","case":"RK","shelf":"26","box":"R"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"USA","id":"x29333"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"From the Cybernetic Serendipity collector's set.  Published by Motif Editions, England."}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1967","earliest":"1967-01-01","latest":"1967-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"America (made 1967) \r\nLondon, England (printed 1968)"},{"date":{"text":"1968","earliest":"1968-01-01","latest":"1968-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"28","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"21.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Cybernetic Serendipity (Institute of Contemporary Arts 01/01/1968-31/12/1968)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Lithograph after a computer graphic, entitled 'Random War, by Charles Csuri and James Shaffer, 1967.  From the Cybernetic Serendipity collector's set, 1968.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1969"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Limited edition","id":"THES48862"},"contentDescription":"toy soldiers","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Chance and Control: Art in the Age of Computers (2018)\n\nCHARLES CSURI (born 1922)\r\n<i>Random War</i>\r\nPublished by Motif Editions, London, 1968\n\r\nCharles 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.\r\nCsuri made the original work in 1967, when anti-Vietnam War sentiment was at its height.\n\r\nMade in the USA, 1967\r\nLithograph, after a computer-generated plotter drawing\r\nMuseum no. Circ.775-1969","date":{"text":"07/07/2018-18/11/2018","earliest":"2018-07-07","latest":"2018-11-18"}}],"partNumbers":["CIRC.775-1969"],"accessionNumberNum":"775","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1969,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-03","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}