How has new media influenced art?
‘The digital world is not static and is
continuing to experience very rapid development. At the moment, attention is
focused on the impact of social media which allow for the creation and exchange
of user-generated content and provide a structure for people to get organized,
exchange and collaborate.’
The rise of social media platforms has
created an opportunity for the common man to distribute work and gain
acknowledgement, unlike the past when only a select few could create and distribute.
Tumblr is a prime example of such a platform that celebrates user-generated
work. Acceptance and acknowledgement is noted through re-blogs, comments and
notes, creating the question, what is the purpose of these self-generated works?
Is it expression or a craving for acknowledgement?
Referencing the work of McCall and Simmons’
Theory of Identity, these user-generated works are created to achieve one of
three types of rewards;
‘They begin by classifying three basic
types of rewards: First, there are extrinsic rewards, such as money or other
reinforcers, that are visible to all.
Second, there are intrinsic rewards that
provide less visible means of rein-
forcement for the individual—rewards such
as satisfaction, pride, and comfort. And third, and most important, there is
support for an identity, which
McCall and Simmons believe is the most
valuable of all rewards. Individuals are motivated to seek a profit—rewards
less the costs in securing them—in all their interactions. Moreover, there are
separate types of calculi for each of these three categories of reward, and
there are rules of the marketplace:
Rewards received by each party to an
exchange should be roughly comparable in their type (whether extrinsic,
intrinsic, or identity support), and rewards should be received in proportion
to the investments individuals incur in receiving them (a principle of
distributive justice).’
‘Artistic disciplines and practices have
different dimensions in their relationship to digital technology. There are art
forms that exist because of technology (digital arts practices and film, video)
and art forms that are influenced by technology (new distribution means for
music, e-books in publishing, live performing arts).’
New media created a new context for
contemporary art, art can now be derived from comments and interpretations on
this new media. A recent example is the sale of a screenshot of the phrase by
an unknown ‘artist’:
‘Art used to be something to cherish
Now literally could be art
This post is art’
New media influencing art can just be seen
as a series of new opportunities, formats, methods and platforms for an artist
to do, in my interpretation, whatever they want to do, not merely create
something aesthetically pleasing.
The introduction of this media enhances the
blur between art and design, creating discussion about the function of design
and expression of art, the rules of design against the void of rules with art. Just
as Marchel Duchamp did with the readymade, skeumorphism and the digital
interpretation of a readymade ( such as the screenshot artwork by anon )
Personally, I welcome this blur of art and
design that has been enhanced by the introduction of new media. New media
creates a great number of opportunities to express as well as a culture that
welcomes a rebellion and questioning of ‘good design’, usually associated with
minimal modernist attributes. I believe this introduction of questioning and
several aspects of art which is affecting design ( as well as vice versa) is broadening
the definition of both designers and artists.
The broadening of the definition of
designer is ever growing, I believe an ode to this introduction of new media;
A recent article on I-D written by Courtney
Iseman documents the rise of multi disciplinary professionals who refuse to
specialize but instead adapt to the introduction of the ‘everything’ designer.
Would this type of designer exist if it wasn’t to the rise of new media?
Probably not, the introduction of new media, although a wide range of platforms,
it seems to be a unity. The boundary of one platforms merges into another, A
website turns into a responsive website, then fit for a mobile platform, then
to an app. The blurring has encouraged this, with welcome, surely a creative
mind struggles with the possibility of ideas not growing?
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