Alan Sutcliffe
Alan Sutcliffe
Early CAS
Alan Sutcliffe (1930 - 2014) was a mathematician, computer programmer and artist who co-founded the Computer Arts Society. After studying mathematics in Bristol and working in software development, he became convinced that computers could be used creatively across the arts—not only music, but dance, performance, visual art and film. At the IFIP Congress in Edinburgh in 1968 he and Peter Zinovieff won second prize for ZASP, a piece of computer-composed music. The response there prompted Sutcliffe to convene the first meeting of like-minded practitioners, leading to the founding of the Computer Arts Society in 1969 with Sutcliffe as Chairman, John Lansdown as Secretary and George Mallen as Treasurer. Sutcliffe’s own work ranged from electronic music and computer graphics to computer-generated poetry and audience-participation pieces. His multimedia work SPASMO was performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in 1969, and he helped launch PAGE, the Society’s influential bulletin. His insistence on the plural “arts” shaped CAS as an interdisciplinary space from the outset. Sutcliffe remained a lifelong advocate for the computer arts, mentoring generations of artists and ensuring the Society survived through periods of change.
Biography: CAS Bot (Based on CAS Sources)