MA1: Geoff Davis: “Abstract Originals” – see below for image gallery
ZX Spectrum 48k – 1984
Micro Arts History ebook – see right side link
Above: data cassette distribution
Generative art
A series of changing art displays, generated from code. Colour (red, green, blue) and length controlled from a menu at the start. This was programmed in 1983 in Sinclair BASIC, and distributed on data cassette and later on Prestel teletext.
Video: This is working in a fast mode, so it races through the first five (the default order), the last two (selected via their number) are longer. The slow menu option is better when using it as ambient art.
7 generated art displays. The colour variations are not shown here.
Above: MA1 “Abstract Originals”, Geoff Davis 1984, with menus.
Below is a ‘MA1 Lines Grid 64‘ a time slice image of the MA1 Lines artwork. This has frames every few seconds to show the progression of the art. The original of this is over 12000 pixels wide.
Exhibitions
Originally exhibited at the London Film-Makers’ Co-op in 1985. Retrospective exhibitions at British Computer Society Moorgate London 2022 and at 8-Bit, LCB Depot Leicester 2021, see blog. Also Zurich with elementum and Berlin with Expanded Art in 2023.
Details
The cassette inner said:
“A colourful experience for you and your VDU [visual display unit]. These mobile graphics can be colour coded to fit your décor. The order, timing and repetition can also be controlled, giving a responsive art display to enhance your next dinner or cocktail party, union meeting or conference.”
The title was put in quotes – “Abstract Originals” – because they were not individually original (rather, generated from original code) and not abstract in the sense of abstracted from reality – they were code reality. All images and material Geoff Davis 1984 (2021).
See end of page for number sequences used in the menus.
#1 – All the above images are frames from MA1 – Geoff Davis:‘Abstract Originals’ generative art software.
#3- note: all the above images are frames from MA1: – GeoffDavis: ‘Abstract Originals’ generative art software.
#6 – note: all the above images are frames from MA1 – Geoff Davis: ‘Abstract Originals’ generative art software.
#7 – note: all the above images are frames from MA1 – Geoff Davis: ‘Abstract Originals’ generative art software.
#2 – note: all the above images are frames from MA1 – Geoff Davis ‘Abstract Originals’ generative art software.
#4- note: all the above images are frames from MA1 – Geoff Davis: ‘Abstract Originals’ generative art software.
#5 – note: all the above images are frames from – Geoff Davis: ‘Abstract Originals’ generative art software.
Menus and actual numbers of pieces
Each art piece, e.g. #1 Lines, is a separate piece of computer code. Some pieces have 2 or more sections, where graphics transform by overlays into other shapes. The names ‘Lines’, etc. are merely descriptive and were not used in the originals.
From the Menu, the default preselected order is:
#1 Lines
#6 Triangles
#7 Blocks
#4 Diagonals
#5 Stripes
So art pieces #2 and #3 are not in the default order.
#2 Towers
#3 Data
In the Menu, one can accept the default order (16745) or can select an order, which is any order e.g. (152772).
#2 and #3 can only be seen in the select order option. This was to provide an element of surprise, and also allow for later versions to have more pieces added.
Note: There is a random small black brick overlay for transitions between algo sequences. This is used twice as an effect in #1 Lines, with yellow and cyan bricks.