Charles Csuri

Today we're going to continue our discussion of modern art and talk about Charles Csuri. Charles Csuri has been a part of many modern art movements. He's worked in Pop Art, Cubism, and Conceptual Art, but he made his mark as a pioneer in computer art. Even long before computers became popular, he was punching cards and feeding them into the big mainframe computer at Ohio State University. In the beginning, he had to work without a monitor, so he was virtually creating art in the dark. He even learned computer programming so he could experiment with this new tool. Through the computer, Csuri has been able to explore a new world of possibilities. For example, the computer enables him to sculpt in three dimensions. Also, he can look at a sculpture from any angle, and move it around, change the location of the light source, or he can copy it in different colors. Over the years, Csuri received numerous grants for various projects. This money allowed him to train students in computer graphics and animation techniques, and to advance the computer as a medium for artists. Even though he uses modern technology, Csuri still insists he is creating art. He's always told his students to keep the issues of art in focus, and not get so caught up in the technology that you forget about the image.