Hans Köhler

This work of art by Hans Köhler (Germany) was on display in a similar composition in Zagreb in 1973 as part of the Tendencies 5 exhibition.

The art by Hans Köhler has always balanced between liberal and graphic arts. He studied painting and graphic design at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Stuttgart. After he graduated, he did an apprenticeship in colour lithography. The experience and knowledge he gained during that time is clearly reflected in this series. Köhler worked as art director for Kodak photography manufacturer, and he was head of design for IBM in Germany. Thanks to his position, he was able to create this series Computer Art IBM Edition A 01 – 08. With this series, Köhler shows the wide range of options that graphic applications offer. The bright colours and variations in contours produce a dynamic image, while the patterns within the boundaries of the image show the sophistication of the spirographer.

Similar to what we see in the case of the other graphic and computer artists taking part in this exhibition, Köhler’s access to equipment was not something obvious. Thanks to his position at IBM, Köhler could use the mathematical power of their computers. By using the enormous capacity available at IBM he could generate this series of eight images. His employer possibly encouraged this, or he might even have been invited to do so in order to promote their expertise and technological innovation to a wider audience.