In conceptual art, the idea is not only starting point and motivation for the material work, it is often considered the work itself. In algorithmic art, thinking the process of generating the image as one instance of an entire class of images becomes the decisive kernel of the creative work. This is so because the generative algorithm is the innovative component of the artist's work. We demonstrate this by critically looking at attempts to re-construct works of early computer art by the re-coding movement. Thinking images is not the same as thinking of images. For thinking images is the act of preparing precise descriptions that control the machinic materialization of images. This kind of activity is a case of algorithmic thinking which, in turn, has become an important general aspect of current society. Art education may play an important role in establishing concrete connections between open artistic and more confined technological ways of thinking when thinking pro-gresses algorithmically.

中文翻译：

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想想形象，别做！论算法思维，美术教育与重新编码

在概念艺术中，这种想法不仅是物质作品的出发点和动力，而且通常被认为是作品本身。在算法领域，将生成图像的过程视为整个图像类的一个实例，成为了创作工作的决定性核心。之所以如此，是因为生成算法是艺术家作品的创新组成部分。我们通过批判性地研究通过重新编码运动来重建早期计算机艺术作品的尝试来证明这一点。思考图像与思考图像不同。为了思考图像，需要准备精确的描述来控制图像的机械实现。这种活动是算法思维的一种情况，而算法思维又成为当今社会的一个重要的一般方面。