Contemporary Arts Magazine

The Magazine of the Institute of Contemporary Arts No. 6 was published in London in September 1968 and edited by Jasia Reichardt. This 40-page issue was released to coincide with the ICA’s Cybernetic Serendipity exhibition. Featuring texts by influential figures such as Daphne Oram, Max Bense, Petar Milojevic, and Nam June Paik, the magazine offers a focused look at the intersection of technology and creativity at a moment when artists and scientists began collaborating to expand what art could be. Through essays and illustrations, it presents ideas and works that challenge traditional definitions of art by incorporating machines, cybernetics, and computer systems.

On its front page, the magazine asks a question that captures the exhibition’s core: “Is everything or anything here art—and if not, why not?” This challenge invites readers and visitors alike to reconsider the nature of art in an era of rapid technological change.

Cybernetic Serendipity was an international exhibition held at the ICA in London from July to October 1968, curated by Jasia Reichardt after three years of preparation. The show explored how technology and art could interact, presenting computer-generated graphics, music, poetry, cybernetic devices, robotic installations, and interactive environments. Organized into three sections: computer-generated visual art and animation, computer-composed music and text, and cybernetic machines as art objects or environments, it demonstrated the creative potential of machines and the collaboration between artists and scientists. Alongside the artworks, Cybernetic Serendipity featured lectures and film screenings to deepen public understanding of cybernetics and its role in creative practice. Praised for being lively and thought-provoking, audiences at the exhibition were invited to engage with what creativity could mean when shaped by algorithms and machines. This exhibition remains a landmark moment in the history of technology-driven art, influencing how we continue to think about the relationship between creativity and machines.