{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O154975"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O154975/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT5123/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT5123/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BT5123","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Georg Nees","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O154975/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O154975","accessionNumber":"E.61-2008","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"Sculpture 1 (Plastik 1)","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Georg Nees (born 1926, Nuremberg) is considered one of the founders of computer art and graphics.  He was also one of the first people to exhibit his computer graphics, at the studio gallery of the Technische Hochschule in Stuttgart in February 1965.\r\n\r\nNees studied mathematics and physics at the universities of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Stuttgart.   He subsequently worked for Siemens as a software engineer, and was instrumental in their purchasing a 'Zuse Graphomat', a drawing machine operated by computer-generated punched tape.  The machine was capable of creating geometric patterns and, although the programming language that Nees used (ALGOL) was designed specifically for scientific computers, he used it to create aesthetic images such as this one. \n\nIn 1969 he received his doctorate on the subject of Generative Computer Graphics under Max Bense, the German philosopher and writer. \r\n\r\nThis screenprint was created from the design for a sculpture that Nees produced using a machine that could mill, or cut, a 3D shape.  The machine followed the computer calculated image as a guide.  The artist used a random number generator to determine the height, width and depth of the rectangular forms.  The data for each of these three dimensions would be stored on magnetic tape and used to drive an automatic milling machine.  The sculpture from which this screenprint derives was cut from a block of wood and was displayed at the Venice Biennale in 1969.","physicalDescription":"Screenprint, mounted on board. Depicts a series of adjoining silver and grey cubes of three different sizes, set on a black background.  The grey shading gives an illusion of three-dimensionality.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Nees, Georg","id":"A21872"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"mounting board","id":"AAT183686"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"screen printing","id":"AAT53281"},{"text":"computerized composition","id":"AAT233650"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Screenprint after a computer milled aluminium plate","categories":[{"text":"Computer Art","id":"THES49037"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2008BT5123"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLC (VA)","id":"THES49171"},"free":"","case":"3H","shelf":"23","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1965-1968","earliest":"1965-01-01","latest":"1968-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Computer Arts Society, supported by System Simulation Ltd, London","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"75.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"68.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'COMPUTERGRAFIK MIT SIEMENS-SYSTEM 4004 / gezeichnet mit ZUSE-GRAPHOMAT'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Computer text in lower right side. 'Siemens-system 4004' refers to the digital computer used in the creation of the work. 'Zuse-graphomat' was a punched tape controlled drawing machine."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Screenprint after a computer milled aluminium plate, 'Plastik 1', 1965-1968, by Georg Nees.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Herzogenrath, Wulf and Nierhoff-Wielk, Barbara, eds. Ex-Machina - Frühe Computergrafik bis 1979. Munich: Deutscher Kunstverlag, 2007. ISBN 978-3-422-06689-2. p. 440, ill."},{"reference":{"text":"Arreola, P., Gardner, C. and Lenz, M. Digital Art: 1960s - Now. London: Thames & Hudson with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2024,","id":"AUTH407700"},"details":"p.20, fig. 4.","free":""}],"production":"Attribution note: Software: ALGOL-program and EXAPT-1-program\r\nHardware: Siemens-Digitalrechner 4004 (Siemens - digital computer 4004)\r\nOutput device: milling machine.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.61-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"61","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Previous owner's number","id":"THES57329"},"number":"CAS/A/0052"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2008-05-21","availableToBook":false}}