Vera Molnar: pioneer of computer art
Born in Hungary in 1924, Vera Molnar is one of the first women artists to use computers in her practice.
Trained as a traditional artist, she studied art history and aesthetics at the Budapest College of Fine Arts and moved to Paris in 1947, where she still lives. She co-founded several pioneering artist research groups such as G.R.A.V. (Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuel), which investigate collaborative approaches to mechanical and kinetic art, and the research group for art and computer science at the Institute of Art and Science in Paris.
Pre-dating the computer, she invented algorithms or “machine imaginaire” that allowed the creation of image series following a set of pre-ordained compositional rules. Beginning in 1968, the computer became a central device in the making of her paintings and drawings, allowing her to more comprehensively investigate endless variations in geometric shape and line.
Still active today at the young age of 95, she is the recipient of the first D.velop Digital Art Award (2005), was appointed Chevalier of Arts and Letters (2007), and won the outstanding merit award AWARE in 2018.
(Source: MuDA Zürich)
The artwork here was exhibited as part of our group show Automat und Mensch at Kate Vass Galerie in 2019. The exhibition was, above all, an opportunity to put important work by generative artists spanning the last 70 years into context by showing it in a single location.
Comprehensive catalogues from the exhibition can be found here.
Just few months later , a solo show of her work has opened its doors at MuDA (the Museum of Digital Art) in Zürich: The ‘grande dame’ of digital art, Vera Molnar.
Purposefully random and parametrically witty, the muse of entire generations of artists presents works ranging from the 1960s to today. The exhibition shows algorithmic paintings drawn by hand and computer, some of which shown to the public for the very first time.
Below you can enjoy some pictures from our visit of this beautiful exhibition together with David Young, another talented artist who has spent his entire career at the leading edge of emerging technologies. From projects using early supercomputers and the dawn of the web, to contemporary global innovation and artistic initiatives, David has been a champion for new forms of creativity and expression enabled by technology.
At the entrance of the exhibition at MuDA, roll the dice to navigate randomly where to start your tour!
Very interactive with the audience, you can pay and the plotter uses the coins to draw a work
The receipt for the entrance fee is printed in real Vera Molnar style
And here a selection of some of our favourites works from Vera Molnar catalogue raisonné, which you can also fully discover on her website: www.veramolnar.com .
Image Credits: www.veramolnar.com