{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O239598"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O239598/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX5948/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009BX5948/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009BX5948","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009BX5947","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O239598","accessionNumber":"E.952-2008","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Approach","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"In 1977, NASA opened the Computer Graphics Lab at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California with the aim of enabling scientific research for its spaceflight operations. The same year, the lab’s founding director Robert Holzman invited David Em to be the first artist in residence.  \r\n\r\nThe Graphics Lab’s first project was to create a scientifically accurate 3D video of the Voyager 1 spacecraft’s upcoming mission to Jupiter and its moons. The flight was scheduled for March 1979 and the idea was to release the film to international broadcast media when the spacecraft reached its intended destination. To produce the work, Em collaborated with astrophysicists, mission engineers and other specialists.  \r\n\r\nVoyager 1’s closest approach to Jupiter took place on 5 March 1979, and the film produced by the Graphics Lab was viewed by millions of people across the globe. Three weeks later, on 26 March, Em created the work ‘Approach’.  \r\n\r\n‘Approach’ is one of Em’s earliest digital artworks to connect with a larger audience. It has been featured internationally in books, magazines, exhibitions, and many other venues. Most famously, the American jazz musician, Herbie Hancock chose it for the cover of his ground-breaking 1983 album ‘Future Shock’.  \r\n\r\nHolzman (1935-2020) was married to the American art historian and collector Patric Prince (1942-2021). ‘Approach’ was part of Prince’s collection which was acquired by the V&A in 2008, alongside her archive. ‘Approach’ hung above Holzman and Prince’s fireplace at their home in California. The stars that appear in the landscape are the result of minor damage sustained during an earthquake in 1994. ","physicalDescription":"This polaroid photograph (Edition 1 of 3) depicts a modelled blue-rastered horizon with sky and a moon in the background. Inscribed with #3 at the left border in red. Titled, signed and dated at the back in red.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Em, David","id":"A29050"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"},{"text":"computer-generated","id":"x44521"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Computer-generated colour photograph","categories":[{"text":"Computer Art","id":"THES49037"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Digital Art","id":"THES289934"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2009BX5948","2009BX5947"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLC","id":"THES49171"},"free":"","case":"MB2E","shelf":"DR58","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"California","id":"x28779"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"The image was created at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. It was commissioned by Robert Holzman, the director of the JPL Graphics Lab, "}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1979","earliest":"1979-01-01","latest":"1979-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"23/04/1979","earliest":"1979-04-23","latest":"1979-04-23"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Patric Prince","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"60.96","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"50.8","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'#3'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed at the left border in red."},{"content":"'Approach © [artist's signature]1975'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed at the back in red."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Colour photograph, computer-generated, 'Approach', by David Em, Sierra Madre, CA, 1979","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Arreola, P., Gardner, C. and Lenz, M. Digital Art: 1960s - Now. London: Thames & Hudson with the Victoria and Albert Museum,","id":"AUTH407700"},"details":"p. 59, fig. 10.","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"moon","id":"x30118"},{"text":"sky","id":"x38489"},{"text":"jupiter","id":"x39588"},{"text":"","id":""}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Patric Prince: Digital Art Visionary\n\nDavid Em (b. 1952)\nApproach\n1979\nPhotograph of a computer-generated image\n\nThis photograph depicts of one of the first navigable digital environments. It was made at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, which was run by Prince’s husband Robert Holtzman. The Lab hosted artists-in-residence, like David Em, who made this work in collaboration with programmer Jim Blinn. Although they look like stars, the white dashes in the sky are scratches from when the work fell from a wall in Prince’s house during an earthquake.\n\nGiven by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity\nof Patric D. Prince\nMuseum no. E.952-2008","date":{"text":"14/08/2023-15/09/2024","earliest":"2023-08-14","latest":"2024-09-15"}}],"partNumbers":["E.952-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"952","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-30","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-08","availableToBook":false}}