Xerox Art: When the Copy Becomes an Art Form

Emerging in the 1960s, Xerox Art, or Copy Art, saw artists exploring the unique distortive and color effects produced by photocopiers. This innovation traces back to Chester Carlson’s invention of xerography in 1938, which culminated in the launch of the first commercial photocopier, the Xerox 914, in 1959. Pioneering artists such as Charles Arnold, who began creating artistic photocopies in 1961 at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and Wallace Berman, who utilized a Kodak Verifax for grid-based artworks, played significant roles. Techniques like chromacapsa, transcapsa, and photo-transcapsa were developed by Esta Nesbitt, Anibal Ambert, and Merle English from Xerox Corporation. The Xerox Book, published in 1968 by Seth Siegelaub and John W. Wendler, showcased works from seven artists, including Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt. Italian artists like Alighiero Boetti and Bruno Munari, the latter starting his Xerografie series in 1963, also contributed to the movement. The establishment of the International Society of Copier Artists (ISCA) in 1981 by Louise Odes Neaderland further institutionalized this art form. Stefano Tamburini’s 1980 comic Snake Agent exemplifies the low-fi aesthetic, showcasing image distortion through copy motion. The article posits that Xerox Art anticipates modern digital trends such as remixing, détournement, and glitch art, reflecting a spirit of accessible, reproducible creativity.