Untitled Oscilloscope Photograph (negative #2)

1951-1952 (ca)

Oscilloscope/Light Photo

Photographic Negative

Oscilloscope Collection Female Pioneer

Description

Mary Ellen Bute’s Oscilloscope Photographs signal the beginnings of printed art made with electric machines. By manipulating and photographing images of electronic pulses using an oscilloscope, Bute created a series of images that captured electronic squiggles, dances, and curves. Bute would later use many of these synced, pulsing signals as the basis for her film masterpiece, Abstronics (1952).

While not technically computer generated (though this is up for debate), oscilloscope artwork from the early 1950s is often regarded by collectors and curators as the very beginnings of computer and digital art.

Other oscilloscope/light photos in the Ragnar Digital collection were created around this same time, including #18 of the well-known Oscillograms by Ben Laposky (c. 1954), Oszillogrammes by Herbert Franke (c. 1955), and photographs by Alexandre Vitkine (c. 1960).

Yet among these pioneering early works, Bute’s Abstronic series is perhaps the earliest.

Acquired from the Center for Visual Music

Abstronic Set by Mary Ellen Bute, 1951-1952 (ca)

Abstronic Set Mary Ellen Bute1951-1952 (ca) Oscilloscope

Abstronic Mary Ellen Bute1952 Film

Abstronic Production Material by Mary Ellen Bute, 1952

Abstronic Production Material Mary Ellen Bute1952 Print

Four-Panel Oscilloscope Photo by Mary Ellen Bute, 1958-1959 (ca)

Four-Panel Oscilloscope Photo Mary Ellen Bute1958-1959 (ca) Oscilloscope

Untitled Double Oscilloscope Photograph (negative #3) by Mary Ellen Bute, 1951-1952 (ca)

Untitled Double Oscilloscope Photograph (negative #3) Mary Ellen Bute1951-1952 (ca) Oscilloscope

Untitled Double Oscilloscope Photograph (photograph #1) by Mary Ellen Bute, 1951-1952 (ca)

Untitled Double Oscilloscope Photograph (photograph #1) Mary Ellen Bute1951-1952 (ca) Oscilloscope

Abstronic Sketch #2 by Mary Ellen Bute, 1951-1952 (ca)

Abstronic Sketch #2 Mary Ellen Bute1951-1952 (ca) Oscilloscope

Untitled Oscilloscope Photograph (negative #1) by Mary Ellen Bute, 1951-1952 (ca)

Untitled Oscilloscope Photograph (negative #1) Mary Ellen Bute1951-1952 (ca) Oscilloscope