Calculations and Coincidences

Calculations and Coincidences brings together three pioneers of algorithmic art; Vera Molnár, Dóra Maurer and Gizella Rákóczy through their works from the Hungarian National Bank Collection. The exhibition focuses primarily on the profound influence of Molnar, who was unquestionably among the most significant names in computer art, while tracing how the artistic explorations of Maurer and Rákóczy have expanded the boundaries of abstraction through the integration of algorithms and mathematics.

Vera Molnár began working with computers as early as 1968 and utilized them as a generative tool to create paintings and graphic art, which broadened the frontiers of both science and art. Algorithmic randomness plays a crucial role in her work; order and disorder, structure, and freedom provide important notions in understanding her artistic practice. 

In Dóra Maurer’s works there is a strong tendency to systematize; since the early 1970s, Maurer has been exploring the forms and tools of mathematics - which create pure, exact constructions - and of music, especially serial music. Maurer’s work can be characterized by counting and transforming disordered sets into ordered ones.

Rákóczy’s consistent, systematic painting, structure-oriented and serial attitude made her a leading figure in international geometric art. From 1976 onwards, she investigated the behavior and serial possibilities of four-arm spirals using combinatorics. Starting from 1998, the tempera paintings based on the numerical laws of four-arm spirals were replaced by watercolor drawings, in which she began to layer the tonal shades of transparent paint using the formula of the Fibonacci series. 

This exhibition not only showcases the individual contributions of each artist but also emphasizes the interconnectedness of their artistic journeys. Accompanying the events taking place within the scope of the events taking place as part of the 2024 Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year, the exhibition offers an opportunity to witness how Molnár, Maurer and Rákóczy have collectively shaped the landscape of algorithmic art.

Image Credits