What is Net Art?
Also known as internet art, which is a form of artistic expression that uses digital technologies like algorithms, software, code, websites, bots, and images found online. It’s created, shared, and experienced primarily through the internet, pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms and embracing the unique possibilities of digital platforms. The nature of net art is constantly evolving and changing, meaning it doesn’t have a strict aesthetic. It evolves in a constant process and is able to adapt its visual language to technological and social changes.
Yehwan Song
Yehwan Song is a Korean-born, New York-based graphic designer, web designer, and web developer who creates unconventional and diverse internet spaces that foster new interactions between users and devices, including performances. She focuses on critiquing the overgeneralization of users and templated websites by creating non-generic web interfaces and performing with these websites and devices. Therefore, her work spans websites, performances, installations, sculptures, and visualizations, bridging online and physical spaces.
Her goal is to change the way people use websites and the website design industry in general, since it is currently highly mass-produced by large companies. Through her own work, she hopes to break this individual barrier of web design to encourage people to create and be creative instead of adhering to a “template”.
Here are some of her works below:
Discussion
Yehwan Song’s work challenges the standardization of web interfaces and online experiences, highlighting the diversity of users and the societal factors influencing digital interactions. Her cultural background has driven her to seek ways to break this isolation for ignored users or cultures, aiming to broaden accessibility. The message is to encourage inclusivity and diversity in web design and the user experience. Her work also illustrates the potential of web design and how it does not have to be confined to a certain aesthetic.
Yehwan Song values several key features of the web. Firstly, she prioritizes creating inclusive web environments that embrace minority cultures, aiming to break isolation and enhance accessibility. Secondly, she appreciates the flexibility and creativity of coding, especially in visual applications to explore coding’s artistic possibilities. Thirdly, Yehwan values the cultural diversity of the internet, engaging with diverse backgrounds to enrich her understanding of web dynamics and societal structures.
Yehwan’s work aligns with the concepts taught in CCLab, focusing on creating interactive and visually engaging digital experiences. Her work serves as inspiration, reflecting the spirit of exploration and experimentation encouraged in CCLab. Through her work, we learn about inclusivity in web design, creative coding for artistic expression, community engagement for innovation, user-centered design for the user experience, and the importance of exploration and experimentation for continuous learning and innovation in digital projects.
Conclusion
From a personal point of view, I find Yehwan’s approach and work inspiring, especially her emphasis on inclusivity and challenging the possibilities of web design. Her exploration of creative coding and engagement made me realize the impact of her work.
Reading about Yehwan’s work has encouraged me to think beyond traditional design boundaries, consider diverse user perspectives, and explore creative coding techniques for visual storytelling. For Project B, I aim to think outside the box and embrace experimentation. Drawing inspiration from Yehwan’s work and that of other artists, I will explore innovative approaches to create an engaging digital experience.