Frieder Nake

Frieder Nake, born in 1938 in Stuttgart, Germany, is a mathematician and a pioneering figure in digital art who has spent most of his career based in Bremen. After earning his Ph.D. in probability theory from the University of Stuttgart in 1967, he became a professor of computer science at the University of Bremen in 1972, specializing in computer graphics and digital media. From 2005 to 2019, he also taught at the University of the Arts Bremen, continuing to bridge the fields of technology and art through both education and research.

At 24, while studying mathematics in Stuttgart, Nake was invited to write software for a new drawing machine arriving at the university. He accepted the opportunity, encouraged by his professor’s trust and his curiosity, an experience that proved to be a turning point. Rather than creating images by hand, Nake approached art through systems and algorithms, using the machine to generate precise visual patterns from mathematical instructions. Between 1963 and 1969, he produced hundreds of works using points, lines, and geometric forms, each shaped by his evolving code. Over time, he moved from working in machine language to higher-level programming languages such as Fortran and Algol, enabling greater complexity and nuance in his compositions. His approach brought together technical skill and conceptual thinking, transforming mathematical logic into aesthetic experiences that embraced both structure and experimentation.

At the heart of Nake’s process is the idea that computers operate as symbolic processors, they manipulate data and symbols, but do not assign meaning on their own. The creative act, then, is entirely in the hands of the artist, who designs the algorithm and interprets its results. Nake has long encouraged artists to prioritize conceptual thinking over manual execution, emphasizing the role of imagination in guiding algorithmic systems. His work explores the tension between structured logic and emergent visual complexity, opening up new ways of thinking about how technology can shape and reflect artistic expression.

Nake’s first solo exhibition, Computer-Grafik Programme, took place in November 1965 at Galerie Wendelin Niedlich in Stuttgart, making it one of the earliest public showcases of algorithmic art. Alongside contemporaries such as Georg Nees and A. Michael Noll, Nake is widely recognized as one of the founding figures in the history of computer-generated art. His work was later included in major exhibitions like Cybernetic Serendipity (1968) and the Venice Biennale (1970). Today, his art is represented in prominent museum collections across Europe, North America, and Asia, a testament to his lasting influence on the development of digital art.