There must be an Angel. On the Beginnings of Arithmetics of Rays

With There Must Be An Angel, David Link re-vamped one of the first computer programmes ever, the programme Loveletters (1952) by one of Alan Turing’s colleagues Christopher Strachey. By convention Joseph Weizenbaum’s programme ELIZA (1966) is considered the first example of computer-generated text. One of Link’s achievements is to have advanced this premiere by 10 years. The nominated research is part of a larger project in which Link plans to revive the entire still remaining software that was developed with the Manchester Mark 1 and the Ferranti Mark 1 between 1948 and 1958. This touches upon the inception of crucial scientific developments such as meteorology, quantum chemistry and X-ray crystallography culminating in today’s genetics. Thus Link’s work is a crucial fundamental research in the field of media art history.

(Oliver Grau)

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