COMPUTER 1.0 Marries Hand Woven Threads and Computer Code

For the past year and a half, artist Victoria Manganiello has had her head down working in collaboration with designer Julian Goldman on a project entitled COMPUTER 1.0. The extensive installation uses handwoven threads alongside computer code to acknowledge the computer’s history.

The concept of a computer was first developed back in 1801 by master silk weaver Joseph Marie Jacquard, a mechanical loom that could run a ‘program’ to create textiles without manual labor. This technology eventually led the way for groundbreaking work by Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, and Alan Turing.

The programmed kinetic surface of COMPUTER 1.0 creates light and shadow filled space for viewers to make their way through, a digital ghost of sorts. The installation reminding us that society has been grappling with the question of are we better off with or without technology?

COMPUTER 1.0 will be on view in Victoria Manganiello: Studio Focus at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, NY from May 17th – June 30th. If you happen to be in town, be sure to check out the opening May 16th from 6-8 pm.

Kelly Beall is a Pittsburgh-based writer, editor, and designer with a passion for art, design, and creative culture. Best known for Design Crush, she enjoys discovering and sharing inspiring creative work. When she's not writing, she's likely tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or spending time with her three pets: Bebe, Rainey, and Remy.

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