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Computer Artist Works with E-mail Spam Art

Most people find e-mail spam irritating but for Alex Dragulescu, e-mail spam is the clay he uses to mold computer art into beautiful shapes. He talks about his fascinating method that combines art, m

Computer Artist Works with E-mail Spam Art

Tom Fudge : There’s something subversive about e-mail spam in the way it evades computer filters to reach your e-mail box. But there’s something equally subversive about what Alex Dragulescu does with it once it gets to him. He turns into something beautiful.

The UCSD graduate assigns numbers to various parts of computer spam messages that hock stocks and Viagra. These numbers prompt the growth of colorful shapes that resemble plants. Others turn into architectural shapes.

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Dragulescu is a Romanian born computer artist who manages the Experimental Game Lab at UC San Diego.

Guests

  • Alex Dragulescu , Romanian-born computer artist who manages the Experimental Game Lab at UCSD.

Correction: In the interview, Tom Fudge mistakenly refers to Alex Dragulescu as the "head" of the Experimental Game Lab at UCSD, rather than its "manager." Sheldon Brown is the head of the Experimental Game Lab.