Boxes I and Boxes II

Basic Information

Title: Boxes I and Boxes II
Artist(s): William J. Kolomyjec (Dr. Bill)
Date Created: 1981
Unframed Dimensions: 16.75 x 36.75 in.
Medium: plotter drawing in ink on paper
Inventory ID: Kolomyjec-1981-01/02

Description

both plotters are signed and dated lower right in ink
both plotters are titled lower left in ink

hardware: CDC6500 mainframe computer
software: FORTRAN
output machine: offline Calcomp 936 drum plotter

completed at Michigan State University during the artist’s MFA/PhD studies

information about Boxes I is courtesy of the artist’s website:
“Boxes I is a generative art “derivative” piece inspired by one of the earliest pioneers of the generative art medium, George Nees. In the beginning when we only had plotters to draw lines with, the small community of computer artists produced works that inspired each other. His work called “Gravel” inspired me to create Boxes I and Boxes II. A regular grid of square tiles. As the computer draws each square its position relative to the center of the grid is calculated using the distance formula. In the case of Boxes I the closer the square is to the center of the grid, the more random displacement (translation) and rotation is allowed.”

information about Boxes II is courtesy of the artist’s website:
“Boxes II is a generative art “derivative” piece inspired by one of the earliest pioneers of the generative art medium, George Nees. In the beginning when we only had plotters to draw lines with, the small community of computer artists produced works that inspired each other. His work called “Gravel” inspired me to create Boxes I and Boxes II. A regular grid of square tiles. As the computer draws each square its position relative to the center of the grid is calculated using the distance formula. In the case of Boxes II the further the square is from the center of the grid, the more random displacement (translation) and rotation is allowed.”