Algorists

Let us state simply that here Algorism will be art with or from algorithms. A few examples will soon show here that Algorism is not new, and has been in fact quite universal at all phases of mankind history. So far computers have had much less effect on Algorism, Art and the ornementation of our surroundings than the woodblock or the stencil, the rule or the compass.
The scholarly inclined will want to learn more about our definitions for Algorism and Algorist, and about a short history of the Algorists Group.



The Algorists Group members

A few images each will provide a visual but short introduction of each member of the Algorists Group. For more information, visit their personnal pages.

Mauro Annunziato (portrait with best creation)
(Neuron Landscape) (Creativity)
(Mauro Annunziato's page - and a recent statement)

Charles Csuri
(Introspection detail) (Sine curve man, 1965)
(Charles Csuri's page)

Hans Dehlinger (portrait)
(Baum1) (B202)
(Hans Dehlinger's page - and a recent bio)

Helaman Ferguson (portrait)
(Thurston's Hyperbolic Knotted Wye I White Carrara Marble) (Figure Eight Knot Complement II, Carrara Marble detail)
(Helaman Ferguson's page)

Jean-Pierre Hébert *
(Brontes, Ouranian Cyclop. Ink on Paper 1997, detail) (Sepia in G Ink on Paper 1997)
(Jean-Pierre Hébert's page)

Manfred Mohr * (portrait)
(P-021/B 1970?) (P-511/E Acrylic on canvas 1996?)
(Manfred Mohr's page)

Ken Musgrave (portrait)
(Moon) (Zabriskie Point)
(Ken Musgrave's page)

Roman Verostko * (portrait)
(Pathways series, Ink on Paper 1988) (Brush stroke made with Hodos Ink on Paper)
(Roman Verostko's page)

Mark Wilson *
("4E92" plotter ink on paper) ("8B92" plotter acrylic on linen)
(Mark Wilson's page)

Four of them (*) are part of another narrow community : the plotter artists.

Algorists at large

Founders: Abu Ja'far Mohammed Ben Mus al-Khwarizmi ("Kitab al-jabr wa al-muqabalah" -The Science of Restoration and Reduction, Khiva c.778-c.850), Nicolas Chuquet ( "Tripartie en la science des nombres" -Triparty in Number Science. Paris, 1445-1488),
Moderns: Donald Knuth (The new edition of "The Art Of Computer Programming I-III" soon available!).

Specifically in the Arts, there are always been very many Algorists, notably in primitive, popular & traditional arts. In architecture, calligraphy, rugs, textiles, tilings, music and poetry, algorisms have been for ever present. Modern times Algorists would certainly include Josef Albers, Max Bill, Wassily Kandinsly, Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, Piet Mondrian, Francois Morellet, Kenneth Nolland, David Saunders, Seurat in painting; Le Corbusier in architecture; Bella Bartok, Arnold Schonberg and Edgar Varese long after Johan Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi in music; Georges Perrec, Oulipo & Alamo in literature, etc...

Algorithms can define a form, a piece, a style, a period or an entire body of work. This has happened from the dawn of civilization, to the Bauhaus and Constructivism, to Abstraction Geometry Painting, to now. And now, many Algorists, although by far not all, are using computers as one of their studio tools. Computers help them define, implement or use the algorithms that shape their work.
So are Yoshiyuki Abe, Peter Beyls, Larry Cuba, Jean-Francois Colonna, Harold Cohen, Andrew Crompton, Hans Dehlinger, Brian Evans, Chaim Goodman-Strauss, George W. Hart, Atelier Ho!, IAA (Artificial), David Joyce, Xah Lee, Vera Molnar, Tim Quinn, Gerhard Rohringer, Bruce Shapiro, Karl Sims, Simon Thomas, and many others, each an Algorist in one's own way.
For the contemporary generation of Algorists, algorithms must be precisely defined, to the point of naturally becoming computer programs. Beyond intuitive concepts, loosely defined compositional arrangements, palette schemes, inspired gestual components, instant experimentations, every step must be planned from the vision of the work, analytically defined, calculated. Technical requirements abound and must be mastered. Obviously, this well tempered rigor, this required discipline, cannot fit all; but for some, it is certainly becoming a strong source of inspiration and a powerful mean of original, personal expression. When backed by the right values and talents, this undoubtedly leads to real Art.