Frank Popper (17 April 1918 – 12 July 2020) was a Czech-born French-British

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...

art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...

and

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...

and Professor Emeritus of Aesthetics and the Science of Art at the

University of Paris VIII Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis (french: Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis) is a public university in Paris, France. Once part of the historic University of Paris, it is now an autonomous public institution. It is one of the th ...

. He was decorated with the medal of the Légion d'honneur by the French Government. He is author of the books ''Origins and Development of Kinetic Art'', ''Art, Action, and Participation'', ''Art of the Electronic Age'' and ''From Technological to Virtual Art''. Popper documented the historical record of the relationship between technology and participatory forms of art, especially between the late 1960s and the early 1990s.

Kinetic Art and Op Art

In his books ''Origins and Development of Kinetic Art'' and ''Art, Action and Participation'', Popper showed how Kinetic Art played an important part in pioneering the unambiguous use of optical movement and in fashioning links between science, technology, art and the environment. Popper was a champion of the humanizing effects of such an interdisciplinary synthesis. Key to his initial thinking and activities as an aesthetician, cultural theorist,

curator A curator (from la, cura, meaning "to take care") is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the parti ...

, teacher and

art critic An art critic is a person who is specialized in analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating art. Their written critiques or reviews contribute to art criticism and they are published in newspapers, magazines, books, exhibition brochures, and catalogue ...

was his encounter in the early 1950s with the kinetic artist (and author of the book ''Constructivism'')

George Rickey George Warren Rickey (June 6, 1907 – July 17, 2002) was an American kinetic sculptor. Early life and education Rickey was born on June 6, 1907, in South Bend, Indiana. When Rickey was still a child, his father, an executive with Singer S ...

. He subsequently encountered the artists Nicolas Schoffer and

Frank Malina Frank Joseph Malina (October 2, 1912 — November 9, 1981) was an American aeronautical engineer and painter, especially known for becoming both a pioneer in the art world and the realm of scientific engineering. Early life Malina was born in B ...

, whose works were based on first or second-hand scientific knowledge. Also

Op Art Op art, short for optical art, is a style of visual art that uses optical illusions. Op artworks are abstract, with many better-known pieces created in black and white. Typically, they give the viewer the impression of movement, hidden images ...

in the early 1960s had a powerful effect on him. Indeed, Op proved to be a strong predecessor to what he was calling Virtual Art in that Op Art called attention to the spectator's individual, constructive, and changing perceptions - and thus called upon the spectator to transfer the creative act increasingly upon him or herself. Op beckons forth a consideration of the enlargement of the audience's participatory role; both in regard to the

perception Perception () is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the presented information or environment. All perception involves signals that go through the nervous system ...

of meaning and actual physical changes to the work of art. Popper also had many personal encounters in Paris with Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visual,

Carlos Cruz-Diez Carlos Cruz-Diez (17 August 1923 – 27 July 2019) was a Venezuelan artist said by some scholars to have been "one of the greatest artistic innovators of the 20th century." Exhibitions * ''Physichromies de Cruz-Diez: Oeuvres de 1954 à 1965' ...

Yaacov Agam Yaacov Agam ( he, יעקב אגם) (born 11 May 1928) is an Israeli sculptor and experimental artist widely known for his contributions to optical and kinetic art. Biography Yaacov Gibstein (later Agam) was born in Israel, which, at that time ...

, Jesus-Rafael Soto and

Victor Vasarely Victor Vasarely (; born Győző Vásárhelyi, ; 9 April 1906 – 15 March 1997) was a Hungarian-French artist, who is widely accepted as a "grandfather" and leader of the Op art movement. His work entitled ''Zebra'', created in 1937, is consid ...

, which proved to have had a substantial impact on his view of art and

art history Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

Virtual art

Following this inclination Popper took interest in the works of Piotr Kowalski,

Roy Ascott Roy Ascott FRSA (born 26 October 1934) is a British artist, who works with cybernetics and telematics on an art he calls technoetic by focusing on the impact of digital and telecommunications networks on consciousness. Since the 1960s, Ascott ...

and many others working with the early concept of networking. These artists confirmed his interest in spectator participation, which brought him to the late 1980s and the 1990s when

immersive virtual reality Immersion into virtual reality (VR) is a perception of being physically present in a non-physical world. The perception is created by surrounding the user of the VR system in images, sound or other stimuli that provide an engrossing total enviro ...

and

digital art Digital art refers to any artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process, or more specifically computational art that uses and engages with digital media. Since the 1960s, various names ...

began to become established. Popper began to investigate a range of works emerging in this era, including those of

Shawn Brixey Shawn Brixey (born January 23, 1961 Springfield, Missouri) is an artist, educator, researcher, and inventor. Brixey attended both the Kansas City Art Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1980s to pursue a hybridized fo ...

, Ebon Fisher, and

Joseph Nechvatal Joseph Nechvatal (born January 15, 1951) is an American post-conceptual digital artist and Aesthetics, art theoretician who creates computer-assisted paintings and computer animations, often using custom-created computer viruses. Life and work ...

. To explain and illustrate the emergence of a techno-aesthetic Popper stressed the panoramic and multi-generational reach of virtual art. As regards to virtual art, openness is stressed both from the point of view of the artists and their creativity and from that of the follow-up users in their reciprocating thoughts and actions. This commitment to the teeming openness found in virtual art can be traced to the theories of

Umberto Eco Umberto Eco (5 January 1932 – 19 February 2016) was an Italian medievalist, philosopher, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his popular 1980 novel ''The Name of the ...

and other aestheticians. During his late career Eco expressed a consideration of the computer as a spiritual tool.

, ''Frank Popper and Virtualised Art'', Tema Celeste Magazine: Winter 2004 issue #101, pp. 48–53 Popper used the term,

virtual art Virtual art is a term for the virtualization of art, made with the technical media developed at the end of the 1980s (or a bit before, in some cases). These include human-machine interfaces such as visualization casks, stereoscopic spectacles and ...

, in reference to all the art made with the technical media developed at the end of the 1980s (or a bit before, in some cases). These include human-machine interfaces such as visualization casks,

stereoscopic Stereoscopy (also called stereoscopics, or stereo imaging) is a technique for creating or enhancing the depth perception, illusion of depth in an image by means of stereopsis for binocular vision. The word ''stereoscopy'' derives . Any stere ...

spectacles and screens, generators of three-dimensional sound, data gloves, data clothes, position sensors, tactile and power feed-back systems, etc. All these technologies allowed immersion into the image and

interaction Interaction is action that occurs between two or more objects, with broad use in philosophy and the sciences. It may refer to: Science * Interaction hypothesis, a theory of second language acquisition * Interaction (statistics) * Interactions o ...

with it. The impression of reality felt under these conditions was not only provided by vision and hearing, but also by the other bodily senses. This multiple sensing was so intensely experienced at times, that Popper could speak of it as an

(VR). In his 2006 book ''From Technological to Virtual Art'', Popper traced the development of immersive, interactive new media art from its historical antecedents through

computer art Computer art is any art in which computers play a role in production or display of the artwork. Such art can be an image, sound, animation, video, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, video game, website, algorithm, performance or gallery installation. Many traditi ...

cybernetic art Cybernetic art is contemporary art that builds upon the legacy of cybernetics, where feedback involved in the work takes precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns. The relationship between cybernetics and art can be summarised i ...

multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations, or video into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to tradition ...

and

net art upright=1.3, "Simple Net Art Diagram", a 1997 work by Michael Sarff and Tim Whidden Internet art (also known as net art) is a form of new media art distributed via the Internet. This form of art circumvents the traditional dominance of the phys ...

. Popper showed that contemporary virtual art is a further refinement of the

technological Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...

art of the late twentieth century - and also a departure from it. What is new about this

new media art New media art includes artworks designed and produced by means of new media, electronic media technology, technologies, comprising virtual art, computer graphics, computer animation, digital art, interactive art, sound art, Internet art, video g ...

, he argued, is its humanization of technology, its emphasis on

interactivity Across the many fields concerned with interactivity, including information science, computer science, human-computer interaction, communication, and industrial design, there is little agreement over the meaning of the term "interactivity", but m ...

, its

philosophical Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

investigation of the real and the virtual, and its multisensory nature. He argued further that what distinguishes the artists who practice virtual art from traditional artists is their combined commitment to

aesthetics Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed thr ...

and

. Their "extra-artistic" goals - linked to their

aesthetic Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed th ...

intentions - concern not only

science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

and

society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...

but also basic human needs and drives.

Definition

Defining virtual art broadly as art that allows us, through an interface with

, to immerse ourselves in

and interact with it, Popper identified an aesthetic-technological logic of creation that allows artistic expression through integration with technology. After describing artistic forerunners of virtual art from 1918 to 1983 - including art that used light, movement, and

electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...

- Popper looked at contemporary

forms and artists. He surveyed works that are digital based but materialized, multimedia offline works, interactive digital installations, and multimedia online works (

) by many artists.''Origins of Virtualism: An Interview with Frank Popper conducted by

", CAA Art Journal, Spring 2004, pp. 62-77 Virtual art, he argued, offers a new model for thinking about humanist values in a technological age. Virtual art, as Popper saw it, is more than just an injection of the usual aesthetic material into a new

medium Medium may refer to: Science and technology Aviation *Medium bomber, a class of war plane *Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Communication * Media (communication), tools used to store and deliver information or data * Medium of ...

, but a deep investigation into the

ontological In metaphysics, ontology is the philosophical study of being, as well as related concepts such as existence, becoming, and reality. Ontology addresses questions like how entities are grouped into categories and which of these entities exi ...

psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between t ...

and

ecological Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

significance of such technologies. The aesthetic-technological relationship produces an unprecedented artform. Sharing Popper's focus on art and technology are

Jack Burnham Jack Wesley Burnham Jr. (born New York City, November 13, 1931 - February 25, 2019) was an American writer and theorist of art and technology, who taught art history at Northwestern University and the University of Maryland. He is one of the mai ...

(''Beyond Modern Sculpture'' 1968) and

Gene Youngblood Gene Youngblood (May 30, 1942 – April 6, 2021) was an American theorist of media arts and politics, and a respected scholar in the history and theory of alternative cinemas. His best-known book, ''Expanded Cinema'', was the first to consider vi ...

(''

Expanded Cinema {{italic title ''Expanded Cinema'' by Gene Youngblood (1970), the first book to consider video as an art form, was influential in establishing the field of media arts.Manovich, Lev. 2002. "Ten Key Texts on Digital Art: 1970–2000". Leonardo. 35 (5) ...

'' 1970). They show how art has become, in Popper's terms, virtualized.

Bibliography

* Origins and Development of Kinetic Art, New York Graphic Society/Studio Vista, 1968 * Kinetics, Arts Council of Great Britain, 1970 * Art—Action and Participation, New York University Press, 1975 * Die kinetische Kunst: Licht und Bewegung, Umweltkunst und Aktion, DuMont Schauberg, 1975 * Le déclin de l'objet, Le Chêne, 1975 * Art, action et participation: L'artiste et la creativité aujourd'hui, Klincksieck, 1980 * Arte, Acción Y Participación: El Artista Y La Creatividad De Hoy, Akal Ediciones, 1989 * Agam, Harry N. Abrams, 1990 * Art of the Electronic Age, Thames & Hudson, 1997 * Reflexions sur l'exil, l'art et l'Europe: Entretiens avec Aline Dallier, Klincksieck, 1998 * From Technological to Virtual Art, Leonardo Books, MIT Press, 2006 * Écrire sur l'art : De l'art optique a l'art virtuel, L'Harmattan, 2007 * Yvaral (with Britta Vetter & Emma Healey), Robert Sandelson Ltd., 2007

Footnotes

References

, ''Behaviourist Art and the Cybernetic Vision'', in Cybernetica, Vol. IX, No. 4, 1966; Vol. X, No. 1, 1967: 29. * ''Naissance de l'art cinétique'', Gauthier-Villars, Paris, 1967 * ''Origins and Development of Kinetic Art'', Studio Vista and New York Graphic Society, 1968 * ''L'Arte cinetica'', Einaudi, Turin, 1970 * ''Die Kinetische Kunst-Licht und Bewegung, Umweltkunst und Aktion'', Dumont Schauberg, 1975 * ''Le déclin de l'objet'', Le Chêne, 1975 * ''Art, Action and Participation'', Studio Vista and New York University Press, 1975 * ''

, monographie'', Abrams, New York, 1976 * ''Art, action et participation : l'artiste et la créativité aujourd'hui'', Klincksieck, 1980 * ''Kunst zwischen Natur und Technologie. Ein Gespräch mit Frank Popper'', Jürgen Claus, Treffpunkt Kunst. Keil Verlag Bonn, 1982, pp. 19–22 * ''Künstler und sozialer Wandel, Gespräch mit Frank Popper'', Jürgen Claus, ChippppKunst, Ullstein Materialien, Frankfurt am Main/Berlin, Bd. 35232, 1985, pp. 116–120 * ''Réflexions sur l'exil, l'art et l'Europe : Entretiens avec Aline Dallier'', Klincksieck, 1998 * ''Origins of Virtualism: An Interview with Frank Popper conducted by

'', CAA Art Journal, Spring 2004, pp. 62–77 * Joseph Nechvatal, ''Frank Popper and Virtualised Art'', Tema Celeste Magazine: Winter 2004 issue #101, pp. 48–53 *

Charlie Gere Charlie Gere is a British academic who is professor of media theory and history at The Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, The University of Lancaster and previously, director of research at the Institute for Cultural Research at The U ...

, ''Art, Time and Technology: Histories of the Disappearing Body'', Berg, 2005, p. 146 *

Margaret Boden Margaret Ann Boden (born 26 November 1936) is a Research Professor of Cognitive Science in the Department of Informatics at the University of Sussex, where her work embraces the fields of artificial intelligence, psychology, philosophy, and c ...

, Mind As Machine,

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, 2006, p. 1089 * Lieser, Wolf. ''Digital Art''. Langenscheidt: h.f. ullmann, 2009, p. 283 * Kristine Stiles & Peter Selz, ''Theories and Documents of Contemporary Art: A Sourcebook of Artists' Writings'' (Second Edition, Revised and Expanded by Kristine Stiles) University of California Press 2012, p. 450 * Jürgen Claus, "Frank Popper", in: "Liebe die Kunst. Eine Autobiografie in einundzwanzig Begegnungen", Kerber/ZKM, 2013, pp. 178–186, *

Christiane Paul Christiane Paul (; born 8 March 1974 in Berlin-Pankow) is a German film, television and stage actress. Paul first worked as a model for magazines such as '' Bravo''. She was 17 when she obtained her first leading role in the film '. Prior to h ...

, ''Digital Art'', Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2015, p. 219

External links

* *
Centre d'Art Contemporain Frank Popper, Marcigny, France

From Technological to Virtual Art book by Frank Popper

by

{{DEFAULTSORT:Popper, Frank 1918 births 2020 deaths French centenarians French art historians Cultural historians French art critics Postmodern theory Postmodernists French art curators French male writers Men centenarians People from Prague Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis faculty Czechoslovak emigrants to France