Hungarian, 1924-2023

Interruptions

Computer drawing in black ink on Benson plotter paper, 1968
Private collection

Interruptions is one of the first series of generative drawings Vera Molnár created with the aid of a computer and plotting machine (a type of early computer printer). At the time, computers were the size of an entire room; most were relegated to research labs. In 1968 Molnár began working with a computer lab, teaching herself to use the early computer programming language FORTRAN. She translated the algorithmic process she had developed by hand—her “imaginary machine”—to a real machine, allowing her to work with greater complexity and speed.

Beginning with a 25-by-25 grid, Molnár randomly rotated each line to generate a complex pattern. She also introduced random interruptions that result in sections where the lines are erased to create voids. Gradually changing a single parameter at a time in the algorithm allowed for unexpected results. She described this process as a kind of conversation with the machine, “an exciting visual dialogue that creates surprise.”

Art created using autonomous systems like computer algorithms, AI models, or rule-based processes where the artist sets up initial parameters but then allows the system to independently produce or contribute to the

final artwork. The artist designs the process rather than directly creating every element, embracing randomness, complexity, and emergence to produce results that often could not be fully predicted beforehand.

A step-by-step set of instructions or rules for solving a problem or completing a task. A recipe is an algorithm, as is a computer program.