%C2%A9 George Brecht %2F Artists Rights Society %28ARS%29%2C New York
The Universal Machine, 1965
Transfer from the MIA Research and Reference Library; The John R. Van Derlip Library Fund, 1969expand_more 2009.54.1a-x
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Named after the "universal Turing machine (UTM)," an early theoretical computing device invented by British mathematician Alan Turing (1912–1954), Brecht's Fluxus-infused Universal Machine playfully upends the logic-based systems of its predecessor by introducing the element of chance as the principal determinant of meaning.
Brecht's "machine" consists of a black linen box containing a pane of glass, under which is a sheet of paper printed with collaged clip-art. Ten small objects of various materials rest upon the collage. Designed to be shaken so that the various objects randomly obscure portions of the printed images, the machine's "output" is interpreted according to a set of rules included along with the multiple.
In an early interview, Brecht described the device's range of functions: "It's a Universal Machine for doing everything. For writing a novel, making a poem, composing a piece of music, for finding lost objects. You can use it as a watch, as a calendar. It can invent new mathematics, a new form of thought. Map out an itinerary for a trip."
Details
- Title
- The Universal Machine
- Artist Life
- 1926 –2008
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2009.54.1a-x
- Provenance
- Acquired in 1969 by the MIA Research and Reference Library through the John Russell Van Derlip Library Fund.
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Ruhé M28
- Curator Approved
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© George Brecht / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York