Skip to main content

Art and Code: Programming as a Medium

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
  • 1639 Accesses

Abstract

Computer programming is more than a tool for the artist. Writing code is manipulating a medium: a medium that is like no other. This chapter discusses the importance of coding and shows how it is enabling principled investigations into inventing new forms, creating new experiences and extending the nature of engagement with art works. It shows how formal ways of making art, from perspective to the 20th century use of systems, geometry and mathematics, have pointed to the value of programming. This is a direction that has defined the work of a range of artists. The chapter discusses the use of the medium of code by artists who talked about their art making process. They include pioneers Aaron Marcus, Harold Cohen and Manfred Mohr and other artists, some of whom are live coding practitioners.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The golden mean is when the ratio of two lengths is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two. This is frequently used in art in making an effective composition.

References

  • Abdullahi, Y., Embi, M.R.B.: Evolution of islamic geometric patterns. Front. Archit. Res. 2, 243–251 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, T. (ed.) Malevich, K. S.: Essays on Art, pp. 1915–1933, vol. 1. Rapp & Whiting, London (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bann, S.: Introduction. In: Systems, pp. 5–14. Arts Council of Great Britain, London (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bill, M.: The Mathematical Approach to Contemporary Art, pp. 105–116. ABC Editions, Zurich (1949). Translation by E. Hüttinger, Max Bill (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Boden, M.A., Edmonds, E.A.: From Fingers to Digits: An Artificial Aesthetic. MIT Press, Cambridge (2019)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, P. (ed.).: Digital creativity: special issue on generative art 14(1), 1–2 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • Doran, M. (ed.): Conversations with Cézanne. University of California Press, Berkeley (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  • Edmonds, E.A.: Automatic art: human and machine processes that make art. In: Devcic, R., Gollop, C. (eds.) Automatic Art: Human and Machine Processes That Make Art. GV Art Gallery, London (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  • LeWitt, S.: Paragraphs on conceptual art. Artforum 5(10), 79–84 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lodder, C.: Russian Constructivism. Yale University Press, London (1983)

    Google Scholar 

  • Troelstra, A.S.: History of constructivism in the 20th century Kennedy, J., Kossak, R. (eds.) Set Theory, Arithmetic, and Foundations of Mathematics: Theorems, Philosophies, pp. 150–179. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2011)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ernest Edmonds .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Edmonds, E. (2020). Art and Code: Programming as a Medium. In: Brooks, A., Brooks, E. (eds) Interactivity, Game Creation, Design, Learning, and Innovation. ArtsIT DLI 2019 2019. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 328. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53294-9_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53294-9_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-53293-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-53294-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics