Natalie Kane: Is This Thing On? Imagination, Computation and Speculation with the CM-2

Integrating computation with a bold philosophy of visualization, the CM translated abstract principles such as massive parallelism into tangible form — a spatially expressive “electronic brain” that made complex internal processes perceptible. The CM-2 stands out as an object whose external form was deliberately conceived to render a highly complex architecture visually and spatially intelligible. It also serves as a valuable reference point for understanding how design mediates between algorithmic complexity and broader comprehension. At the same time, artists such as Karl Sims used the CM’s parallel processing power to create pioneering simulations and evolutionary animations, showing how advanced computational research could also become a medium for experimental visual art.