The Binary Dream (2024) delves into the historical and symbolic significance of the IBM 704 electronic data processing machine in scientific research. Inspired by a photograph of a female NASA employee using this groundbreaking computer, the artwork juxtaposes the human figure with the imposing machine, emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between human intellect and technological innovation. It captures a pivotal moment in technological advancement and its application in aerospace research. Introduced in the 1950s, the IBM 704 played a crucial role in early computational science, executing complex calculations at unprecedented speeds. It became an indispensable tool for NASA and other research institutions, serving as a forerunner to modern computing and the AI revolution. Its large-scale computational capabilities laid the foundation for sophisticated algorithms and computer systems that underpin today’s artificial intelligence technology. The Binary Dream highlights the historical significance of the IBM 704, celebrating its transformative impact in ushering humanity into a new era of discovery and exploration—one that ultimately paved the way for the digital age and the ongoing AI revolution.

Q: Your work The Binary Dream (2024) depicts a moment from the early history of computing. Could you share the background and inspiration behind this piece?

Tan Mu: This work is rooted in a formative moment in the history of computing, when machines like the IBM 704 began to fundamentally change how scientific research was conducted. Its computational power enabled calculations that were previously impossible, laying the groundwork for modern algorithms and, eventually, artificial intelligence.

The scene in the painting is based on a historical photograph showing NASA’s early use of IBM computers for complex calculations. What drew me to this image was not only the presence of the machine itself, but the people around it. The photograph reveals how computation, at that stage, was inseparable from human labor. Through this work, I wanted to reflect on the origins of computing as both a technological and social system, shaped by individuals whose contributions are often overlooked.

Q: The women in the image play a central role. What significance do they hold for you?

Tan Mu: Women were essential to early computing, particularly in data input, programming, and calculation. In many cases, they were the ones operating and maintaining these complex systems. The woman in the photograph represents a broader, largely unacknowledged history of female labor in technology.

This interest appears repeatedly in my work, including pieces like The Note G (2022) and Punched Card 1 (2022). For me, this is an ongoing line of inquiry rather than a closed chapter. By painting these moments, I am not only revisiting history but also creating an archive for the future, one that recognizes how technological progress has always depended on human hands, attention, and care.

Q: Why did you choose a monochromatic blue palette for this work?

Tan Mu: The original photograph was black and white, and I initially explored AI-based colorization as a way of reconstructing its historical appearance. While some results were surprisingly accurate, I ultimately chose not to pursue realism.

Instead, I turned to a monochromatic blue palette. Blue immediately evokes IBM, often referred to as Big Blue, and carries associations with rationality, order, and institutional authority. From the IBM 704 to Deep Blue, this color has become closely tied to the visual language of computing.

By immersing the image in blue, I wanted to place it inside a computational atmosphere, almost as if it were being stored or processed as data. The scene becomes less a documentary image and more a memory, encoded and reshaped over time. Blue also creates a sense of temporal distance. It allows the image to exist between past and future, transforming a specific historical moment into a broader reflection on the computing age itself.

Q: The women are shown physically operating the machines. How do you see this interaction in relation to contemporary computing?

Tan Mu: The contrast is striking. Early computers required direct physical engagement through switches, punch cards, and manual input. Operating them demanded technical knowledge and sustained attention. Today, computing has largely moved toward abstraction. Interfaces are smoother, more automated, and often invisible.

This shift has changed not only how we use technology, but how we relate to it. The physical presence of labor has receded, even though human effort remains embedded in these systems. In this painting, I wanted to return to a moment when computation was visibly human, when the machine and the body were closely intertwined.

Q: How does The Binary Dream connect to your broader body of work?

Tan Mu: This work continues my long-term exploration of computing history and its relationship to human agency. It resonates with earlier works such as DEC’s PDP-10 (2021) and Checkmate (2022), which also examine key technological milestones.

Visually, the blue palette connects it to pieces like Quantum Computer (2020) and Checkmate (2022), where I explore the aesthetics of computation and control. Across these works, I am interested in the tension between the apparent neutrality of technology and the human labor, imagination, and desire that sustain it. Together, they form an ongoing reflection on how technology shapes our ways of thinking, remembering, and understanding the world.