an era in which most of the computer art work centered around computer programming

The Hollerith computer card was invented in 1890.

an era in which most of the computer art work centered around computer programming

The answer is: COMPUTER

Hollerith was an employee of the US Census Bureau. As there were no electronic computers, it was not a computer punch card, but was used in the 1890 census to semi-automate the processing and counting using electromechanical counters and sorters.