Karl Otto Götz, «Density 10: 3: 2: 1», 1961
superfield (detail of raster image) | ©

'The next step was to subdivide each of the 16 superfields into 16 identically sized fields (large fields), which again were allocated densities in accordance with the 10: 3: 2: 1 system. (…) In compliance with the same system, all 256 large fields were subdivided into 16 small fields and charged with corresponding permutations of small fields in accordance with the densities that were allocated to them. The image now contained 4096 small fields, of which each one was divided into 16 micro-fields, so-called modules, which theoretically could have consisted of 16 elements (raster fields). For technical reasons (the width of the felt-tipped pen), only 6 elements were used to build a module. The image now contained 75,536 modules.’ Götz writes in his book ‘Erinnerungen und Werk’ (‘Memories and Work’): ‘Several students helped me produce the large-scale raster image ”Density 10: 3: 2: 1”. The image is composed of eight large Bristol cartons which were mounted on canvas once the artwork on them was complete. The students were able to take home their cardboard, felt-tipped pens, ink and the prescribed program, and carry on drawing there.’ Elsewhere he writes: ‘The programs are constituted in such a way that the drawer can randomly choose modules, micro-fields, large fields etc. from a surplus offer of permutation options. What the program prescribes are statistical quantitative compositions. The final design produced by the drawer is probabilistic rather than exactly executed.’