Herbert W. Franke

Herbert W. Franke (14 May 1927, Vienna – 16 July 2022, Egling) was an Austrian scientist and writer. Die Zeit calls him "the most prominent German writing Science Fiction author". He was also one of the important early computer artists, creating computer graphics and early digital art from the late 1950s. Franke was also active in the fields of future research as well as speleology.

Franke studied physics, mathematics, chemistry, psychology and philosophy in Vienna. He received his doctorate in theoretical physics in 1950 by writing a dissertation about electron optics.

Franke worked from 1973-1997 at the University of Munich, lecturing in computer graphics and computer art. His pioneering electronic abstractions paralleled those of Ben Laposky, leading however to his own personal and varied oeuvre. Franke has also written widely on computer art and his first book Computergraphik - Computerkunst was the earliest comprehensive text on the subject.

Publications

• Computergraphik - Computerkunst, Munich: Bruckmann, 1971; new ed., Heidelberg: Springer, 1985.
• "The New Visual Age: The Influence of Computer Graphics on Art and Society", Leonardo 18:2, 1985, pp 105-107. [1]
• "The Expanding Medium: The Future of Computer Art"
• more

Interviews

• "Herbert W. Franke with Charlotte Kent", Brooklyn Rail, New York, Jun 2022.

Links

• Herbert W. Franke. Wanderer zwischen Kunst und Wissenschaft
• Twitter
• Obituaries: Katharina Rustler (Der Standard), Ars Electronica.
• Wikipedia