The art world has lost a pioneer of digital and algorithmic art. Vera Molnar, who was born in Hungary in 1924 and lived in France since 1947, passed away on December 9, 2023, at the age of 99. She was one of the first artists to use computers as a creative tool, exploring the possibilities of geometry, randomness and repetition in her abstract paintings and drawings.
Molnar’s work draws from constructivism and conceptual art, as well as cubism and other avant-garde movements, while developing her own form of geometric abstraction. She experimented with various techniques and media, such as drawing, painting, collage, photography, and sculpture, but her most distinctive contribution was her use of algorithms and computers to create complex and dynamic compositions.
Molnar began her artistic career as a painter, influenced by the Bauhaus and constructivism movements. She experimented with geometric forms, grids and patterns, seeking to create visual order and harmony. She was also interested in the concept of chance and disruption, introducing elements of variation and unpredictability into her compositions.
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In the 1960s, Molnar discovered the potential of computers to generate and manipulate images. She learned to program in Fortran and Basic and used plotters to print her artworks. She created algorithms that could produce endless variations of shapes, colors and orientations, sometimes following strict rules, sometimes incorporating random factors. She also used computers to simulate the effects of aging, erosion and decay on her works, creating a contrast between the precision of the machine and the imperfection of nature.
One of her most famous series is Machine Imaginaire, which she started in 1974. In this series, she used a plotter to print large-scale drawings based on algorithms that she wrote by hand. The algorithms were inspired by natural phenomena, such as clouds, waves, or mountains, but also by her own imagination and emotions. The resulting images are abstract yet suggestive, evoking landscapes or organic forms.
Another notable series is Quelques lignes à propos de quelques lignes, which she began in 1988. In this series, she used a computer program to generate variations of a simple motif: a group of parallel lines. She then painted the variations by hand on canvas, using different colors and brushstrokes. The series demonstrates her interest in the relationship between human and machine creativity, as well as the tension between order and chaos.
Molnar’s work has been exhibited widely in Europe and beyond and has influenced many generations of artists who work with digital media. She was also a founding member of several groups and associations that promoted computer art, such as GRAV (Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel), Art et Informatique, and A.R.C.A.T (Association de Recherche et Création Assistées par Ordinateur). She received numerous awards and honors for her artistic achievements, such as the Prix Ars Electronica Golden Nica in 2018.
Molnar’s legacy is not only her impressive body of work, but also her vision and passion for exploring new forms of expression and communication through technology. She was a pioneer of algorithmic art who challenged the boundaries of art and science, while creating works that are both aesthetically pleasing and intellectually stimulating.
Molnar’s work was innovative and influential, challenging the traditional notions of art and aesthetics. She was a founding member of several groups dedicated to computer art, such as GRAV (Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel), Art et Informatique, and Groupe Art et Ordinateur de Paris. She exhibited her work internationally, and received numerous awards and honors, including the Golden Nica at the Prix Ars Electronica in 2016.
Molnar’s legacy will live on through her inspiring and original artworks, which demonstrate the beauty and complexity of mathematics, logic and computation. She was a visionary artist who embraced technology as a means of artistic expression, and who never stopped experimenting and exploring new forms of visual language.