Grenze Zwischen Bild und Blatt [Border Between Picture and Sheet]

1972

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Dominant colour

Grenze Zwischen Bild und Blatt [Border Between Picture and Sheet] is a 1972 by Unknown, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1972
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This drawing looks like a tangle of straight black lines on white paper. It’s not messy—each line follows strict rules from a computer. Plotters were new in 1972. This artist wrote code that drew the lines instead of using a brush. The result is precise but still feels alive. Next time you see a plotter, look at the Victoria and Albert Museum for this one.

The story of this work

Overview

A plotter drawing from 1972, attributed to an unknown artist, was produced using a computer-controlled pen plotter that guided ink across translucent, sprocketed computer paper. The work consists of converging black lines meeting at the center, accompanied by the text "Grenze Zwischen Bild und Blatt." The process involved a custom computer program that directed the pen's movements or the paper's position.

Read the full account in the museum source.