Computer-generated poetry and fiction has been imagined for decades, even centuries. In recent years, this sort of literary art has not only been produced; it has been edited, typeset, and printed. Author Function presents books, chapbooks, broadsides, and other printed matter from the collection of Professor Nick Montfort, SM ’98. The work featured includes some that is based on language but consists of images, some that is produced by commercial algorithms from our everyday digital environment, and some that results from decades of research. Montfort is an author of computer-generated writing himself, has worked in collaboration with others to produce this sort of writing, and is editing a new book series of this sort of work for the Denver press Counterpath. The series, called Using Electricity, has three titles that will be part of the exhibit. These will join dozens of other pieces of printed matter, published in different countries and in several different (human) languages.
Join Nick for a reception in Rotch to celebrate the exhibit on March 5th from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. An hour following the reception, there will be a discussion with Nick Monfort and other local authors on computer-generated literature at the Harvard Book Store, open to the public. For more details, visit the Harvard Book Store site.