Picasso Denounced Computers In 1968

In 1968, when Pablo Picasso stated that, “Computers are useless.They can only give you answers”, he would not have been exposed to the modern computer as we know it. If Picasso had seen a computer at the time, it would have been a big, cumbersome mainframe, utilizing punch cards like the ones used by banks and insurance companies, for database management, calculating invoices, bills, and insurance premiums. In 1968 Intel was founded and it was inconceivable to realize the implications of this development on the future of home computing and its application to art. If Picasso were alive today he would most certainly have experienced the innovative technology used for creative purposes and adapted his style and abilities to the computer as a medium, much in the way that his follower, David Hockney has adapted the digital technology, including the iPad for the purpose of digital drawing and painting. Artists will never stop painting just because computers have suddenly become artistic. It will just add to the creative mix, and there will always be a premium paid for human innovation. The potential for creativity using computers is enormous. We have already reached the point where computers can make art like Damien Hirst’s Spin and Spot paintings but you still have to tell the computer what to do and it will randomly generate colours etc. In the near future iPods will generate new tracks like Spotify and the fridge will provide a new recipe for you based on its contents. This is all possible in a world inspired by Futurama. I wonder if Picasso saw the film 2001 A Space Odyssey?

1968 Computing Milestones

intel Corporation is founded by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore,

The first Network Working Group (NWG) meeting is held.

Bob Propst invents the office cubicle.

Larry Roberts publishes ARPANET program plan Dr. Robert Dennard at the IBM

T.J. Watson Research center is granted U.S. patent 3,387,286 describing a one-transistor DRAM cell.

First RFP for a network goes out.

UCLA is selected to be the first node on the Internet as we know it today and serve as the Network Msmnt Center.

The movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” is released.

SHRDLU is created.
 

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