Vera Molnar at Art Basel 2026: When Algorithms Draw, the Pioneering Vision of a Computer Art Artist

On the occasion of its first participation in the prestigious Art Basel fair, taking place in Basel from June 16 to 21, 2026, Galerie Oniris celebrates a major milestone in its history, just a few months ahead of its 40th anniversary in September.

As part of Zero 10, Art Basel's initiative dedicated to new forms of artistic creation in the digital age, Galerie Oniris is joining forces with Interface Gallery to present a solo exhibition by Vera Molnar, entitled “When Algorithms Draw: The Vision of Vera Molnar.”

This presentation celebrates a major figure in contemporary art and one of the pioneers of computer art. Through a selection of works exploring abstract geometry and her renowned computer-generated drawings from the 1970s, the exhibition revisits a visionary artistic approach at the intersection of art, mathematics and computer science. These creations, which anticipated many contemporary digital practices, offer valuable insight into the artistic foundations of algorithmic art today, including NFT-based practices.

Vera Molnar: A Pioneer of Computer-Assisted Drawing

Vera Molnar (1924–2023) holds an essential place in the history of computer art. From the 1960s onwards, she explored the possibilities offered by mathematical systems and algorithmic processes as a means of renewing artistic creation. Among the first academically trained artists to engage with computer-generated imagery, she made a significant contribution to the emergence of new forms of visual expression. Her work is based on a distinctive dialogue between geometric rigour, programming and creative freedom. Using mathematical rules, logical sequences and coded instructions, Vera Molnar developed systems capable of generating graphic variations. The computer thus became both a genuine creative tool and a partner in the artistic process.

For Vera Molnar, the computer was never simply a machine designed to execute a predetermined image. Rather, it opened up a space for experimentation in which the artist established rules, introduced variations and explored the possibilities offered by chance and geometric combinations. Creation emerged from the encounter between structured thinking and an element of unpredictability.

Computer-Generated Drawings of the 1970s: An Artistic Revolution

At the heart of the presentation by Galerie Oniris and Interface Gallery at Art Basel 2026 are Vera Molnar's computer-generated drawings from the 1970s. At a time when computers were still largely confined to scientific and technical fields, Vera Molnar embraced this new tool to explore its aesthetic possibilities. She developed programmes that enabled her to create geometric compositions, generate multiple variations of the same form and investigate the visual transformations produced by introducing controlled disruptions. Her computer-generated drawings are notably based on repetition, variation, distortion and the displacement of elementary geometric forms. Lines, squares, grids and regular structures become the building blocks of a visual vocabulary that she continuously develops through precise instructions. This method, combining programming with artistic intuition, gives rise to works in which order and disorder, regularity and irregularity interact. Each drawing reflects an investigation into the limits of geometry and the expressive possibilities of a visual system governed by rules. Today, these experiments from the 1970s are considered fundamental milestones in the history of digital art. They anticipate artistic practices that have developed considerably since then, particularly generative art, code-based creations and certain contemporary forms of NFT art.

When Algorithms Become an Artistic Language

With the project “When Algorithms Draw: The Vision of Vera Molnar,” Galerie Oniris aims to highlight an essential dimension of her work: the central role of coding in artistic creation.

For Vera Molnar, programming means designing a set of visual possibilities. The artist defines the parameters of a system, selects the forms and rules that organise them, and then observes the results produced by their combination. Code thus becomes a visual language in its own right, capable of generating images while retaining a deeply artistic dimension. This approach raises questions that remain highly relevant today: What place should be given to the artist's intention when an image is generated by a programme? How can the rigour of an algorithmic system be reconciled with creative freedom? To what extent can randomness become a tool for composition and expression? Long before the widespread adoption of digital tools and the emergence of NFTs, Vera Molnar had already laid the foundations for a reflection on the relationships between programming, creation and the autonomy of the image. Her work offers a historical and critical perspective on contemporary digital artistic practices.

Zero 10 at Art Basel: Art in the Digital Age

Zero 10 is an international Art Basel initiative dedicated to exploring the ever-evolving relationship between art and technology. Its name refers to “0,10,” the groundbreaking avant-garde exhibition organised by Kazimir Malevich in 1915, a landmark event in the history of modern art. Drawing inspiration from this avant-garde legacy, Zero 10 seeks to highlight new forms of artistic creation and the transformations shaping the cultural landscape in the digital age. Through works based on code, algorithmic systems, immersive installations, robotics, light and sound, Zero 10 brings together artists, galleries, technologists and cultural figures from the contemporary digital ecosystem.

Following its editions in Miami and Hong Kong, Zero 10 makes its debut at Art Basel in Switzerland for its third edition, in an expanded format bringing together 20 exhibitors and a selection of some of the most innovative artists on the international digital art scene. Curated by internationally renowned artist Trevor Paglen and digital art specialist Eli Scheinman, the initiative will take place in the Event Hall on Messeplatz, alongside the Art Basel Conversations programme. In this context, the presentation of Vera Molnar by Galerie Oniris and Interface Gallery provides an essential historical perspective. It reminds us that questions surrounding algorithmic art and computer-assisted creation are not new, but have been part of artistic exploration for several decades.

Vera Molnar at Kunstmuseum Basel: “Possibilities”

Galerie Oniris's participation in Art Basel takes place at a particularly significant moment in the recognition of Vera Molnar's work. Alongside the presentation in the Zero 10 sector, Kunstmuseum Basel is dedicating a solo exhibition to the artist entitled “Vera Molnar. Possibilities.”

This exhibition highlights her prints in particular and offers an opportunity to discover another dimension of her graphic practice. The simultaneous presentation of these two exhibitions in Basel provides an exceptional opportunity to explore her work in greater depth and appreciate the full scope of her artistic investigations. From historic computer-generated drawings and geometric experiments to prints, Vera Molnar's work reveals the coherence of an artistic approach that consistently questioned the possibilities of the image and the relationship between art and technology.

Galerie Oniris at Art Basel 2026: A Historic First Participation

The presence of Galerie Oniris at Art Basel 2026 marks an important moment in the gallery's history. Founded in Rennes, the gallery has been committed for several decades to supporting and promoting contemporary artistic creation. As it approaches its 40th anniversary, to be celebrated in September 2026, this first participation in one of the world's most prestigious contemporary art fairs marks a new stage in the gallery's international development. By joining forces with Interface Gallery to present Vera Molnar as part of Zero 10, Oniris reaffirms its interest in visionary artistic approaches and practices that have helped redefine the boundaries of contemporary creation.

“When Algorithms Draw: The Vision of Vera Molnar” invites visitors to rediscover an artist whose computer-based experiments, initiated more than fifty years ago, continue to shed light on the challenges and possibilities of digital art today.

Meet Galerie Oniris at Art Basel 2026 – Zero 10

Galerie Oniris and Interface Gallery invite you to discover “When Algorithms Draw: The Vision of Vera Molnar” as part of Zero 10 at Art Basel, in Basel, Switzerland.

Galerie Oniris – Interface Gallery
Exhibition: When Algorithms Draw: The Vision of Vera Molnar
Sector: Zero 10
Booth: Z6

Art Basel 2026: Dates and Opening Hours

• • Tuesday, June 16: 4 pm – 8 pm – Preview.
  • Wednesday, June 17: 11 am – 7 pm – Free admission for all visitors upon registration.
  • Thursday, June 18: 11 am – 7 pm – Free admission for all visitors upon registration.
  • Friday, June 19: 11 am – 7 pm – Free admission for all visitors upon registration.
  • Saturday, June 20: 11 am – 7 pm – Access to Zero 10 requires an Art Basel ticket or VIP card.
  • Sunday, June 21: 11 am – 7 pm – Access to Zero 10 requires an Art Basel ticket or VIP card.

Fair Address

Art Basel – Messe Basel
Messeplatz 10
4058 Basel – Switzerland

For further information about the programme and admission requirements, visit the official Art Basel website.

Galerie Oniris looks forward to welcoming you at booth Z6 in Zero 10 to discover this exceptional presentation dedicated to Vera Molnar and her pioneering computer-generated drawings.