Coded: Art Enters the Computer Age, 1952–1982 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) explores how the rise of computer technology, together with its emergence in popular consciousness, impacted the making of art in the age of the mainframe. Coded examines the origins of what we now call digital art. The show features artists, writers, musicians, choreographers, and filmmakers working directly with computers as well as those using algorithms and other systems to produce their work.

Coded at LACMA is organized into six thematic and roughly chronological sections and includes over 100 objects made by 75 artists. Some of the highlights are: Edward Kienholz’s The Friendly Grey Computer – Star Gauge Model #54 (1965); Vera Molnár’s À la recherche de Paul Klee (1970); Frederick Hammersley’s “computer drawings” (1969), and Stan VanDerBeek’s film Poemfield No.1 (Blue Version) (1967). The exhibition runs until July 2, 2023.

Coded: Art Enters the Computer Age, 1952-1982 / LACMA, Los Angeles. February 27, 2023.