Reading #3: New Media Art: Introduction

What is New Media Art?

As outlined by Mark Tribe and Reena Jana, the term New Media Art, as depicted in the text, denotes artistic creations utilizing emerging media technologies, with a particular emphasis on exploring the cultural, political, and aesthetic potentials inherent in these tools. Positioned at the intersection of two broader categories, namely Art and Technology, and Media Art, New Media Art encompasses practices within Art and Technology, such as Electronic art, Robotic art, and Genomic art. These practices engage with technologies that may not strictly fall under the category of media. Conversely, Media Art incorporates forms like Video art, Transmission art, and Experimental Film, incorporating media technologies. My understanding of New Media Art is similar yet a little different from the way the authors define it as the conception of New Media has changed since the text was published, along with the rapid development in technology. 

Nowadays, there are more forms or possibilities in New Media Art, because the web and internet are more complicated, there are new technological tools that are more convenient(like AI), and more functional devices like smart phones allow people to gain easy access to internet or even contribute to the field of New Media Art. In addition, the development of social media platforms provides new ways for the artists to reach their audience, as well as new ways for artist to critique those technologies. The improvement in media and technologies allow wider range of people to engage in Media Art.

 

Art Historical Antecedents, Themes, Tendencies

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917/1964

  • The artwork is a urinal, tuned on its back and signed the pseudonym “R.Mutt.” It is a readymade, a concept introduced by Duchamp, where ordinary, mass-produced objects are designated as art by artist’s selection and presentation. 
  • Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968) was a French-American artist and a leading figure in the development of modern art during the early 20th century. He is best known for breaking boundaries between works of art and everyday objects. Some of his artworks are the Bicycle Wheel, L.H.O.O.Q., and Nude Descending a Staircase. 
  • “Fountain” challenged traditional ideas about craftsmanship and aesthetic value in art, and it marked a radical departure from conventional artistic norms. Duchamp’s intent was to shift the focus from the physical act of creating an artwork to the intellectual and conceptual aspects of art. “Fountain” has since become an iconic and influential work, emblematic of Duchamp’s impact on modern and contemporary art, particularly in the realm of conceptual and avant-garde movements.

Mark Napier, FEED, 2001

  • FEED operates as a web-consuming entity, playing on the technical concept of a “data feed.” Unlike providing information, FEED assimilates information, simplifying structure, meaning, and content into a flow of text and pixels. Acting as an anti-browser, FEED unravels the web, offering a contemplative and meditative experience in contrast to the commercial and noisy nature of the web. In its pursuit of the intrinsic beauty of the web, FEED removes the distracting outer layers of content through an automated, machine-driven search. Following the principle of a web ‘spider,’ FEED conducts an automated process, scouring the web, reading information from web pages, and traversing links to access more pages
  • Mark Napier is a contemporary artist known for his innovative work in the field of new media art. One of his notable projects is “Shredder,” created in 1998, which allowed users to manipulate and deconstruct web pages in real-time. Napier’s interactive and participatory approach to art often challenges traditional notions of authorship and viewer engagement. 

 

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