Art as Organism: Biology and the Evolution of the Digital Image

The book "Art as Organism" explores how the digital image became a powerful artistic medium of modernism, tracing its roots to biocentric aesthetic philosophies developed by Bauhaus pedagogue Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. It uncovers forgotten references to biology, the organism, feedback loops, emotions, and the Gestalt, and interprets new art movements such as the Bauhaus, Op Art, and Experiments in Art and Technology with insights from architects, embryologists, electrical engineers, and computer scientists.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 16 December 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The book "Art as Organism" explores the rich and expansive artistic medium of modernism, highlighting its connection to the dissemination of biocentric aesthetic philosophies developed by Bauhaus pedagogue Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. Author Charissa Terranova traces the origins of the digital image from 1920s Berlin to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1970s, uncovering seminal but overlooked references to biology, the organism, feedback loops, emotions, and the Gestalt. Through an intricate genealogy of related thinkers across disciplines, Terranova unearths a forgotten narrative of modernism, charting the influence that biology, General Systems Theory, and cybernetics had on modern art.

Terranova interprets new major art movements such as the Bauhaus, Op Art, and Experiments in Art and Technology by referencing contemporary insights from architects, embryologists, electrical engineers, and computer scientists. The book spans a wide range of artistic forms, from kinetic and interactive art to early computer art and installations that span entire cities. It charts complex connections between visual culture, science, and technology that comprise the deep history of 20th-century art.

By delving into the interplay between biology, aesthetics, and technology, "Art as Organism" offers a fresh perspective on the evolution of modern art and its relationship to the broader scientific and technological landscape of the 20th century. It sheds light on the forgotten contributions of biologists, psychologists, and engineers to the development of artistic practices and highlights the interdisciplinary nature of artistic inquiry. This book is a valuable resource for art historians, scholars of science and technology, and anyone interested in exploring the complex intersections between art, science, and technology in the 20th century.

Weight: 596g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350270978