vintage digital art
Years before the release of Adobe Photoshop I made three unique digital images.
In 1985 I created this work at Lightspeed Computers in Boston. Artist and entrepreneur Francis Olshafskie created a proprietary graphics imaging software company for leading edge photographers. I rented time off hours on the system to create art with these new tools using my own photographs and topical images collected from print media. I explored this unique medium because it was new, exciting and cutting edge.
I was doing experimental electronic music at the time, so I viewed this as the visual equivalent. (To give some historical perspective, Andy Warhol made digital art on an Amiga computer right around the same time...in the mid '80's.)
Storage for this new medium used Light Valve Technology via a film recorder to capture the digital information on direct positive film (slides).
I had each of the slides made into a single Cibachrome print at a local lab. (Important characteristics of the prints are image clarity, color purity resulting in an archival process that produces critical accuracy to the original transparency.)
My imagery was drawn from current events at the time which included hostage taking by terrorists, the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, famine in Ethiopia as well as popular cigarette advertising.
Click on thumbnails to enlarge.
In 1985 I created this work at Lightspeed Computers in Boston. Artist and entrepreneur Francis Olshafskie created a proprietary graphics imaging software company for leading edge photographers. I rented time off hours on the system to create art with these new tools using my own photographs and topical images collected from print media. I explored this unique medium because it was new, exciting and cutting edge.
I was doing experimental electronic music at the time, so I viewed this as the visual equivalent. (To give some historical perspective, Andy Warhol made digital art on an Amiga computer right around the same time...in the mid '80's.)
Storage for this new medium used Light Valve Technology via a film recorder to capture the digital information on direct positive film (slides).
I had each of the slides made into a single Cibachrome print at a local lab. (Important characteristics of the prints are image clarity, color purity resulting in an archival process that produces critical accuracy to the original transparency.)
My imagery was drawn from current events at the time which included hostage taking by terrorists, the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, famine in Ethiopia as well as popular cigarette advertising.
Click on thumbnails to enlarge.
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There are three images in this series:
Bomb Pop - image elements: photograph of Bomb Pop ice cream on the side of an ice cream truck, child soldiers with digitally drawn masks, hooded terrorists reading demands and in the two opposing corners photos from cigarette ads Escape to Continue - image elements: tropical beach tourism photo, victims of starvation on the bodies of healthy well to do, satellite dish antenna and people from cigarette ads. Alive with Pleas(ure) - image elements: background building Beirut embassy bombing in 1984, marathon runners with digitally drawn masks crossing finish line of multicolored yarn 'barbed-wire', 'masked' people from cigarette ads. These new digital editing and painting tools were alien and a challenge to use, and as it was very expensive to rent time on the system, this work has a somewhat raw and rudimentary feel to it.
When I made these digital images in 1985 very few artists were aware of this innovative technology, but the exception was Andy Warhol who used an Amiga computer to create digital drawings. |
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Each Archival Portfolio contains:
- the sole Cibachrome print measuring 11x14", signed and stamped.
- the original slide transparency
- A printed description on the origins of the piece
- the sole Cibachrome print measuring 11x14", signed and stamped.
- the original slide transparency
- A printed description on the origins of the piece
Each image is contained in an archival box.
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