Manfred Mohr: Themes / Ideas

Shaped Canvases and Reliefs Generated by an Algorithm, 1980-1997

Rotation in n-dimensions creates shape and content in 2-dimensions

The out-lines generate the shape and the in-lines generate the signs

Divisibility I, II, III 1980 - 1986

Divisibility I, 1980 - 1984, cartesian cuts and 3-D rotations create "4-cuts", 4-part shaped canvases and wooden reliefs.

A 3-D cube is cut into 4 parts by the x and y cartesian axes. Each part is rotated seperately in 3-D and projected into 2-D, forming a "4-cut". In order to visually stabilize the structure, two diagonally opposed quadrants (top right and bottom left) contain the same rotation. The "out-lines" of each section form the shape and the remaining "in-lines" create the signs.

Works from this workphase are published in the catalog: "Manfred Mohr Divisibility, Generative Works, Part I, Works from 1980-1981", Montreal 1981

Webpage about Divisibility I



The "out-lines" of each section, which form the shape, are canvas painted with white acrylic mounted on wood. The remaining "in-lines", which create the signs, are drawn with a plotter with black acrylic ink.
Works from this algorithm in public collections: Espace de l'Art Concret (EAC), Mouans-Sartoux France; Daimler Art Collection, Berlin / Stuttgart Germany; Stiftung für Konkrete Kunst, Reutlingen Germany

Series of 5 "4-cut" structures, P-308, with rotating cut axis, 1980 - 92 "out-lines" and "in-lines" as above.


Matrix of 6x6 "4-cuts" in black wood (144 pieces) In public collection Stiftung für Konkrete Kunst, Reutlingen Germany	3 drawings of the process which generates the "4-cut" with their corresponding black wooden structures

Divisibility II, 1984/1994, molecular-like growths are created with a "4-cut" as its seed.

A molecular-like growth is created with the "4-cut" as its seed. Growth results from algorithms of graph patterns deciding which "out-lines" of the quadrants created in the preceding generation is used to produce the "4-cut" of the next generation.

Works from this workphase are published in the catalog: Manfred Mohr Divisibility II, Generative Arbeiten, Part II, Works from 1981-1984, Cologne 1985

Webpage about Divisibility II

Works from this algorithm in public collections: Grazyna Kulczyk Collection, Poznan Poland; Carl & Marilyn Thoma Art Foundation, Chicago, Illinois & Santa Fe, New Mexico USA

Divisibility III, 1986, "out-lines" of growth from Divisibility II is overlaid with its growth-line

The contours of the "4-cut" is seen as a "shadow-form", a two dimensional visual history of the cube-growth. The connecting path between the center point of one "4-cut" and the center point of the next "4-cut" is shown as a black line, the growth-line. Similar to the spine in a body, the growth-line is embedded in the shadow-form. "4-cuts" are in gray cardboard and overlaid growth-line is in black wood.

Works from this workphase are published in the catalog: Manfred Mohr Divisibility III, Generative Works, Part III, Works from 1985-1986, Stuttgart 1986

Webpage about Divisibility III

Dimensions II 1986 - 1989
4-D hypercube rotated in 4-D space creates shape and signs in 2-D

A 4-D hypercube can be seen as a structural relationship of eight interconnected cubes. Each of these eight cubes are looked at through a square frontal window (the 0,0,0 rotation of each cube). Four of the cubes are represented in their clipped window in black and four in their clipped window in gray.

Works from this workphase are published in the exhibition catalogs:

Manfred Mohr, "Fractured Symmetry, Algorithmic Works 1967-1987", Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Ludwigshafen 1987

Manfred Mohr, "Arbeiten 1960-1988", Reuchlinhaus, Pforzheim, 1988

Webpage about Dimensions II

Works from this algorithm in public collections: Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Stuttgart Germany; Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Ludwigshafen Germany; Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain, MAMCS, Strasbourg France

Half Planes 1995-1997
Shaped structures are created from two diagonal-paths of a 6-D hypercube rotated in 6-D and projected into 2-D

Works from this workphase are published in the exhibition catalog: Manfred Mohr, "Algorithmic Works", Josef Albers Museum, Bottrop 1998

Webpage about Half Planes

P-511: The two-diagonal-paths together with vectors connecting their corresponding vertices create the shaped canvases and the contents, 1995-1996
Acrylic/Canvas/Wood: - out-lines, shaped canvas painted gray, - in-lines, 2 diagonal-paths (white lines), connections between corresponding vertices (thin black lines)

Work from this algorithm in public collection: Museum Pfalzgalerie, Kaiserslautern Germany

P-522: Steel structures with 3 overlaying parts, 1997: - out-lines, underneath, painted white - in-lines, on top, the 2 diagonal-paths, one painted gray, the other painted black