Joseph Nechvatal (born January 15, 1951)
is an American
post-conceptual
Post-conceptual, postconceptual, post-conceptualism or postconceptualism is an art theory that builds upon the legacy of conceptual art in contemporary art, where the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work takes some precedence over traditional ...
digital artist
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 ...
and
art theoretician who creates computer-assisted paintings and
computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes (still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refe ...
s, often using custom-created
computer virus
A computer virus is a type of computer program that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code. If this replication succeeds, the affected areas are then said to be "infected" with a compu ...
es.
Life and work
![BOtv2002](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/BOtv2002.jpg)
Joseph Nechvatal was born in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
.
He studied fine art and philosophy at
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University (SIU or SIUC) is a public research university in Carbondale, Illinois. Founded in 1869, SIU is the oldest and flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system. The university enrolls students from all 50 s ...
,
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
and
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
.
He earned a
Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...
in
Philosophy of Art
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 ...
and Technology at the
Planetary Collegium
The Planetary Collegium (a.k.a. CAiiA / Centre for Advanced Inquiry in Integrative Arts) is an international transcultural and transdisciplinary new media art educational research platform that promotes on the doctorate level the integration of a ...
at
University of Wales, Newport
The University of Wales, Newport ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd), was a university based in Newport, South Wales, before the merger that formed the University of South Wales in April 2013. The university had two campuses in Newport, Caerleon ...
KM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe lecture page ''Joseph Nechvatal: Immersion Into Noise'' and has taught
art theory
Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste (sociology), taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, ...
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 ...
at the
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts New York City (SVA NYC) is a private for-profit art school in New York City. It was founded in 1947 and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.
History
This school was started by ...
.
He has had many solo exhibitions, including one in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
His work in the early 1980s chiefly consisted of
postminimalist
Postminimalism is an art term coined (as post-minimalism) by Robert Pincus-Witten in 1971Chilvers, Ian and Glaves-Smith, John, ''A Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art'', second edition (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), p. ...
gray graphite drawings that were often photomechanically enlarged. Beginning in 1979 he became associated with the artist group
Colab
Colab is the commonly used abbreviation of the New York City artists' group Collaborative Projects, which was formed after a series of open meetings between artists of various disciplines.
History
Colab members came together as a collective in ...
, organized the Public Arts International/Free Speech series, he was a member of
Colab
Colab is the commonly used abbreviation of the New York City artists' group Collaborative Projects, which was formed after a series of open meetings between artists of various disciplines.
History
Colab members came together as a collective in ...
in the 1980s and helped established the non-profit group
ABC No Rio
ABC No Rio is a collectively-run non-profit arts organization on New York City's Lower East Side. It was founded in 1980 in a squat at 156 Rivington Street, following the eviction of the 1979-80 Real Estate Show. The centre featured an art gal ...
. In 1983 he co-founded the
avant-garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
electronic art music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means (electroaco ...
audio project
Tellus Audio Cassette Magazine
Launched from the Lower East Side, Manhattan in 1983 as a subscription only bimonthly publication, the ''Tellus Audio Cassette Magazine'' utilized the audio cassette medium to distribute no wave downtown music and audio art and was in activity f ...
. In 1984, Nechvatal began work on an opera called ''
XS: The Opera Opus'' (1984-6) with the
no wave musical composer
Rhys Chatham
Rhys Chatham (born September 19, 1952) is an American composer, guitarist, trumpet player, multi-instrumentalist (flutes in C, alto and bass, keyboard), primarily active in avant-garde and minimalism, minimalist music. He is best known for his "g ...
.
He began using computers and robotics to make
post-conceptual
Post-conceptual, postconceptual, post-conceptualism or postconceptualism is an art theory that builds upon the legacy of conceptual art in contemporary art, where the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work takes some precedence over traditional ...
paintings in 1986 and later, in his signature work, began to employ self-created
computer viruses
A computer virus is a type of computer program that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code. If this replication succeeds, the affected areas are then said to be "infected" with a compu ...
. From 1991 to 1993, he was artist-in-residence at the
Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur (, ; 27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization, the latter of which was named afte ...
Atelier
An atelier () is the private workshop or studio of a professional artist in the fine or decorative arts or an architect, where a principal master and a number of assistants, students, and apprentices can work together producing fine art or v ...
in
Arbois
Arbois () is a Commune in France, commune in the Jura (département), Jura Departments of France, department, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region, eastern France. The river Cuisance passes through the town, which centres on ...
, France and at the
Saline Royale/
Ledoux Ledoux or LeDoux is a surname, and may refer to:
* Claude Nicolas Ledoux (1736–1806), French architect.
* Abraham Ledoux (1784-1842) and Antoine Ledoux (1779 - 1849), two French brothers born in Québec, who became trappers and settled in Mora ...
Foundation's computer lab. There he worked on ''The Computer Virus Project'', his first artistic experiment with
computer viruses
A computer virus is a type of computer program that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code. If this replication succeeds, the affected areas are then said to be "infected" with a compu ...
and computer virus
animation
Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
. He exhibited computer-robotic paintings at
Documenta
''documenta'' is an exhibition of contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany.
The ''documenta'' was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgartenschau (Federal Horticultura ...
8 in 1987.
In 2002 he extended his experimentation into viral
artificial life
Artificial life (often abbreviated ALife or A-Life) is a field of study wherein researchers examine systems related to natural life, its processes, and its evolution, through the use of simulations with computer models, robotics, and biochemistry ...
through a collaboration with the programmer Stephane Sikora of music2eye in a work called the ''Computer Virus Project II''.
Nechvatal has also created a
noise music
Noise music is a genre of music that is characterised by the expressive use of noise within a musical context. This type of music tends to challenge the distinction that is made in conventional musical practices between musical and non-musical ...
work called ''
viral symphOny
viral symphOny is a collaborative electronic noise music symphony created by the postconceptual artist Joseph Nechvatal. It was created between the years 2006 and 2008 using custom artificial life C++ software based on the viral phenomenon model. ...
'', a collaborative sound symphony created by using his computer virus software at the Institute for Electronic Arts at
Alfred University
Alfred University is a private university in Alfred (village), New York, Alfred, New York. It has a total undergraduate population of approximately 1,600 students. The university hosts the New York State College of Ceramics, which includes The ...
.
From 1999 to 2013, Nechvatal taught art theories of
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 the viractual at the
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts New York City (SVA NYC) is a private for-profit art school in New York City. It was founded in 1947 and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.
History
This school was started by ...
in New York City (SVA). A book of his collected essays entitled ''Towards an Immersive Intelligence: Essays on the Work of Art in the Age of Computer Technology and Virtual Reality (1993–2006)'' was published by Edgewise Press in 2009. Also in 2009, his book ''Immersive Ideals / Critical Distances'' was published. In 2011, his book ''Immersion Into Noise'' was published by
Open Humanities Press
Open Humanities Press is an international open access publishing initiative in the humanities, specializing in critical and cultural theory. OHP's editorial board includes scholars like Alain Badiou, Jonathan Culler, Stephen Greenblatt, Jean-Cla ...
in conjunction with the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
Library's Scholarly Publishing Office.
Viractualism
''Viractualism'' is an
art theory
Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste (sociology), taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, ...
concept developed by Nechvatal in 1999
from Ph.D. research Nechvatal conducted at the University of Wales College. There he developed his concept of the ''viractual,'' which strives to create an interface between the actual and the virtual.
Footnotes
Further reading
* John Johnston, ''The Allure of Machinic Life: Cybernetics, Artificial Life, and the New AI'', MIT Press, 2008, cover
*
Donald Kuspit
Donald Kuspit (born March 26, 1935) is an American art critic and poet, known for his practice of psychoanalytic art criticism. He has published on the subjects of avant-garde aesthetics, postmodernism, modern art, and conceptual art.
Education ...
''The Matrix of Sensations'' ''VI: Digital Artists and the New Creative Renaissance''
* Joline Blais and
Jon Ippolito
Jon Ippolito is an artist, educator, new media scholar, and former curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Ippolito studied astrophysics and painting in the early 1980s, then pursued Internet art in the 1990s. His works explore digitally indu ...
, ''The Edge of Art'', Thames & Hudson Ltd, p. 213
*
Frank Popper
Frank Popper (17 April 1918 – 12 July 2020) was a Czech-born French-British historian of art and technology and Professor Emeritus of Aesthetics and the Science of Art at the University of Paris VIII. He was decorated with the medal of the Lé ...
, ''From Technological to Virtual Art'', MIT Press, pp. 120–123
*
Johanna Drucker
Johanna Drucker (born May 30, 1952) is an American author, book artist, visual theorist, and cultural critic. Her scholarly writing documents and critiques visual language: letterforms, typography, visual poetry, art, and lately, digital art aest ...
''Joseph Nechvatal : Critical Pleasure''
*
Robert C. Morgan
Robert C. Morgan (born 1943) is an American art critic, art historian, curator, poet, and artist.
Biography
Robert C. Morgan received his M.F.A. in sculpture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1975 and his Ph.D. in art education f ...
, ''Voluptuary: An algorithic hermaphornology'', Tema Celeste Magazine, volume #93, p. 94
* Bruce Wands, ''Art of the Digital Age'', London: Thames & Hudson, p. 65
*
Robert C. Morgan
Robert C. Morgan (born 1943) is an American art critic, art historian, curator, poet, and artist.
Biography
Robert C. Morgan received his M.F.A. in sculpture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1975 and his Ph.D. in art education f ...
, ''Laminations of the Soul'', Editions Antoine Candau, 1990, pp. 23–30
*
, ''Digital Currents: Art in the Electronic Age'' Routledge 2004
* Joseph Nechvatal, ''Immersive Excess in the Apse of
Lascaux
Lascaux ( , ; french: Grotte de Lascaux , "Lascaux Cave") is a network of caves near the village of Montignac, in the department of Dordogne in southwestern France. Over 600 parietal wall paintings cover the interior walls and ceilings of ...
'', Technonoetic Arts 3, no3. 2005
* Joseph Nechvatal
Into Noise'' Open Humanities Press in conjunction with the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
Library's Scholarly Publishing Office. Ann Arbor. 2011
*
Johanna Drucker
Johanna Drucker (born May 30, 1952) is an American author, book artist, visual theorist, and cultural critic. Her scholarly writing documents and critiques visual language: letterforms, typography, visual poetry, art, and lately, digital art aest ...
, ''Joseph Nechvatal : Critical Pleasure'', Redaktion Frank Berndt, 1996, pp. 10–13
* Mario Costa, ''Phenomenology of New Tech Arts'', Artmedia, Salerno, 2005, p. 6 & pp. 36 – 38
*
Dominique Moulon
Dominique Moulon (born 1962) is a historian of art and technology, art critic and curator, specializing in French digital art. He is the author of the books ''Art contemporain nouveaux médias'' and ''Art Beyond Digital''.
Background
Dominiqu ...
, ''L'art numerique: spectateur-acteuret vie artificielle'', ''Les images numeriques'' #47-48, 2004, pp. 124–125
*
Christine Buci-Glucksmann
Christine Buci-Glucksmann is a French philosopher and Professor Emeritus from University of Paris VIII specializing in the aesthetics of the Baroque and Japan, and computer art. Her best-known work in English is ''Baroque Reason: The Aesthetics of ...
, ''L'art à l'époque virtuel'', in ''Frontières esthétiques de l'art'', Arts 8, Paris: L'Harmattan, 2004
* Brandon Taylor, ''
Collage
Collage (, from the french: coller, "to glue" or "to stick together";) is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. ...
'', Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2006, p. 221
*
Dominique Moulon
Dominique Moulon (born 1962) is a historian of art and technology, art critic and curator, specializing in French digital art. He is the author of the books ''Art contemporain nouveaux médias'' and ''Art Beyond Digital''.
Background
Dominiqu ...
''Conférence Report : Media Art in France'', Un Point d'Actu, L'Art Numerique, pp. 124–125
*
Edmond Couchot
Edmond Couchot (16 August 1932 – 26 December 2020) was a French digital artist and art theoretician who taught at the University Paris VIII.
Life and work
Couchot was a Doctor of aesthetics in the visual arts. From 1982-2000 he headed the depar ...
, ''Des Images, du temps et des machines'', édité Actes Sud, 2007, pp. 263–264
*
Fred Forest
Fred Forest (born July 6, 1933 in Mascara, French Algeria) is a French new media artist making use of video, photography, the printed press, mail, radio, television, telephone, telematics, and the internet in a wide range of installations, perform ...
, ''Art et Internet'', Editions Cercle D'Art / Imaginaire Mode d'Emploi, pp. 48 –51
* Wayne Enstice & Melody Peters, ''Drawing: Space, Form, & Expression'', New Jersey: Prentice Hall, pp. 312–313
* Ellen K. Levy, ''Synthetic Lighting: Complex Simulations of Nature'', Photography Quarterly (#88) 2004, pp. 7–9
* Marie-Paule Nègre, ''Des artistes en leur monde'', volume 2, la Gazette de l'Hotel Drout, 2008, pp. 82–83
* Corrado Levi, ''È andata così: Cronaca e critica dell'arte 1970-2008'', ''Joseph Nechvatal intervistato nel suo studio a New York (1985–86)'', pp. 130–135
*
Donald Kuspit
Donald Kuspit (born March 26, 1935) is an American art critic and poet, known for his practice of psychoanalytic art criticism. He has published on the subjects of avant-garde aesthetics, postmodernism, modern art, and conceptual art.
Education ...
, ''Del Atre Analogico al Arte Digital'' in ''Arte Digital Y Videoarte'', Kuspit, D. ed., Consorcio del Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, pp. 33–34 & pp. 210 – 212
*
Robert C. Morgan
Robert C. Morgan (born 1943) is an American art critic, art historian, curator, poet, and artist.
Biography
Robert C. Morgan received his M.F.A. in sculpture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1975 and his Ph.D. in art education f ...
, ''Nechvatal's Visionary Computer Virus'', in Gruson, L. ed. 1993. ''Joseph Nechvatal: Computer Virus Project'',
Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans
The Saline Royale (Royal Saltworks) is a historical building at Arc-et-Senans in the department of Doubs, Eastern France. It is next to the Forest of Chaux and 29.2 kilometres (18.1 miles) to the southwest of Besançon. The architect was Claude- ...
: Fondation
Claude-Nicolas Ledoux
Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (21 March 1736 – 18 November 1806) was one of the earliest exponents of French Neoclassical architecture. He used his knowledge of architectural theory to design not only domestic architecture but also town planning; as ...
, pp. 8–15
* Sarah J. Rogers (ed), ''Body Mécanique: Artistic Explorations of Digital Realms'', Columbus, Ohio, Wexner Center for the Arts, The Ohio State University
*
Edward A. Shanken
Edward A. Shanken (born 1964) is an American art historian, whose work focuses on the entwinement of art, science and technology, with a focus on experimental new media art and visual culture. Shanken is Professor, Arts Division, at UC Santa Cru ...
, ''Art and Electronic Media''. London: Phaidon, 2009. , pp. 42, 285, 160
External links
Joseph Nechvatal's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nechvatal, Joseph
1951 births
Living people
20th-century American painters
American male painters
21st-century American painters
21st-century American male artists
School of Visual Arts faculty
American conceptual artists
American digital artists
American expatriates in France
American experimental musicians
Artists from Chicago
Artists from New York (state)
Cellular automatists
Experimental composers
Genetic programming
American installation artists
Mass media theorists
New media artists
American noise musicians
Postmodern artists
Robotic art
American sound artists
Male classical composers
20th-century American printmakers
20th-century American composers
20th-century American male musicians
American contemporary painters
20th-century American male artists