Kenneth C. Knowlton

Year of birth, place
1931, Springville, New York, United States
Role at the ZKM
in the archives
Biography
Kenneth C. Knowlton studied engineering physics at Cornell University (M.S. 1955) and communication sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D. 1962). 1962 joined Bell Telephone Laboratories as a member of the computer technology research department. 1963 developer of the BEFLIX programming language for bitmap computer-produced movies, 1969 of EXPLOR, and later other experimental languages for stills and films for scientific and artistic purposes. 1966 collaboration with Leon D. Harmon. 1966–1970 collaboration with the filmmaker Stan VanDerBeek. 1968–1974 collaboration with the artist Lillian F. Schwartz on computer films. 1971 visiting professor of computer graphics, University of California, Santa Cruz; 1980 visiting professor, New Mexico State University. Since 1982 worked as consultant for different software companies. He lives in Budd Lake, NJ, USA.
Exhib.: 1967, »Computer Art and Animation«, Stable Gallery, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. 1968, »The Machine as Seen at the End of the Mechnical Age«, The Museum of Modern Art, New York. 1968, »Some More Beginnings«, Brooklyn Museum, New York.
Lit.: K. C. K. “Computer-Generated Movies, Designs and Diagrams,” in: Martin Krampen and Peter Seitz (eds.), »Design and Planning 2«, New York, 1967, pp. 58–63. Leon D. Harmon and K. C. K., “Computer-Generated Pictures,” in: Jasia Reichardt (ed.), »Cybernetic Serendipity«, London, 1968, pp. 86f. Leon D. Harmon and K. C. K., “Picture Processing by Computer,” in: »Science«, 163, April 1969, pp. 19–29.

[2010]