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Art in the Digital Age
ART IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL DISSEMINATION
CLASS ESSAYS from a Fine Arts Course
taught at the University of Victoria, B.C., Canada
by Brad Brace, 1993
Contact: lgammon@nero.uvic.ca
or, Brad Brace, 503-230-1197
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This Fine Arts course was the first "art & technology" course
taught at the University of Victoria. The students involved were
from a variety of disciplines (although, primarily visual arts
students) and had for the most part, little or no previous
exposure to computers. The Computer Lab at the University has, an
array of imperious nerds intent on empire-building, 10 networked
Sun workstations, a few slow Macintoshes, two flatbed scanners,
one PC and some basic pagelayout and photo manipulation software
primarily for the Macintoshes, basic sound/midi equipment, and a
grumpy creative-writing professor who regularly shuffles down the
hall to the faculty-lounge to wash out his teapot. This was
enough equipment to provide glimpses of creative possibilities; I
suspect that enough enthusiasm has been generated to warrant the
purchase of additional equipment and software, and to have this
course offered on a regular basis. A printing press would also be
a nice adjunct to the existing traditional visual art
departments. I have also offered to design and build a virtual
text-based reality (MOO) for the Fine Arts Department.
Although characterized as a "studio course" I felt it more
appropriate to discuss the larger issues involving technology and
contemporary culture and minimize the importance of a through
"knowledge" of specific software. This was accomplished with
handouts and discussions of pertinent articles, screenings of
appropriate films, and contemporary music. Particular attention
was given to networks and interconnectivity in general and of
course, the Internet. Although this was an introductory course,
the exposure to the various resources available through the
Internet encouraged a phenomenally rapid grasp of both digital
dissemination and the (Unix) operating system.
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Course Description: "A flirtatious romp lightly over the
glittering periphery of digital technology. Has art and the avant
garde disappeared from view, gradually leaking into an
all-pervasive generalized aestheticism? Could it be that
something that might have once been called art is alive and
flourishing between connected networkers... unbeknownst to
implausible and incestuous art institutions? Are there really
still artists around who think they're making art? Are computer
systems virtually enacting the penultimate hierarchy, enforcing
oppressive political privilege; or are they the new democratic,
means of representation? Has the critical art press stood still
under a deluge of new cultural publications? Have we *all* become
artist? These questions and more...!
"An introduction and collaborative overview and analysis of
fairly recent, mid-range, cultural tools and their implied
functions.
"Students are encouraged to attend all classes and optimize
their uses of the equipment while exploring various venues
throughout the reserved studio time following the class each
morning. Other facilities on and off-campus will also be
utilized.
"A reminder that an informal essay of three to four thousand
words is required for this course. It should be "brimming with
original insight and speculation on contemporary culture and
technology." It may be informal in that it employs creative
writing techniques (contemporary structures, verse, quotations,
dialogue, illustrations, etc.). It may make reference to
contemporary media, including the materials/sources shown in
class.
"Also required, is an electronic-portfolio of visual and
audio art projects. This should demonstrate some degree of
familiarity of software and resources covered in the lab. It need
not be an extensive or necessarily cohesive body of work. It
should be strongly suggestive of a developing approach to
technological media."
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ESSAYS:
The Dematerialization of Art, Life, and Real Estate.
"The highest problem of any art is to cause by appearance the
illusion of a higher reality." - Goethe Although Goethe's exact
meaning is open to interpretation the computer appears to be a
tool ready to meet the spirit of his objectives. At least in the
minds of many electronic artists. The computer, particularly
draws the attention of artists today because it epitomizes
current technological development and offers the greatest
potential for exploring new creative places. If we somehow feel
limited by our imagination, the demands of the marketplace, or
current art theory, the computer is one element that somehow
suggests unlimited potential. For those who consider themselves
to be Renaissance men and women the computer is a godsend.
In addition to being a production tool the computer is a window
on and an interface to the rest of the electronically connected
world. The computer as production tool switches modes and
becomes a link to countless other artists and resource people
throughout the world. It only takes a little thought to consider
the possibilities of combining these activities.
Analyzing the computer as a creative tool is similar to
considering fire as a system to cook one's dinner. It can
certainly do that but it has some other dimensions and
possibilities. Understanding the realm of the computer and its
companion data highways is pertinent to its effective use. What
context does art occupy when it uses electronic space? What new
creative possibilities does it present, what are its
limitations.. audience.. temporal qualities.. style..
control... access.. money.. appropriation.. credibility..? Is
there a new underlying language used to create and read
art-cyberart. Can traditional art fit into the cyberworld? Can
Venus de Milo be digitized and stored on to a hard drive and
still be a credible work of art?
The computer as creative tool dematerializes the process of
production. A painter might personally mix gallons of paint,
spend hours making canvases, wait for paint to dry, spill paint
on his clothes or make a small rip in his canvas. None of this
is a factor or even a possibility when the image maker uses Adobe
Illustrator. Is any of this an influencing factor in creating
culturally significant images. Can these qualities be duplicated
and available in another set of pull-down menus?
The materiality of art has always been a significant dimension,
not only of its final form but in influencing the creative
process. Subtleties expressed by Russian sable and bamboo from
the Mediterranean will present a challenge to future programmers.
Can computers replicate the interaction between traditional
tools, natural materials, and chance occurrence? The future of
media such as metal-plate etching and lithography may be
perpetuated because of their distinctiveness or they may simply
become an archaic mode to be mimicked by a graphics program.
However, computers can give us some interesting interpretations
of materials. Swiftly moving granite-bodied humanoids,
leopard-skinned fish, and chromed-metal mountains may constitute
kitsch imagery but they prove that the computer does genuinely
extend the dynamic range of expression.
The lack of materiality in creating art is perhaps secondary to
the non-existence of the completed art work. Although the
finished piece may reside in digital form as a description in
computer code it can only take physical form by another process
of creation, usually mechanical. This re-creation requires an
interpretation of the original and removes the artist from the
final completed piece. Psychologically it places him/her in the
category of being a symbolic language worker and analogous to
being a data entry clerk. This method of production mirrors other
mass produced consumer products and merchandise from the music
and entertainment industry. Questions of authenticity,
provenance, place and uniqueness all affect the value and purpose
of computer generated art work. So.. can computers be used to
create high art?
Conversely, artists can now extend their domain greatly. Most
significantly, they can jump the fences of the traditional
cultural gate keepers. Since most establishment galleries have a
focused audience, limited budgets, and aesthetic agendas the
opportunities for new or alternative works are limited. Informal
electronic galleries can post computer files with minimal cost
and provide many more times the exposure of individual galleries.
Although some electronic galleries will probably develop their
own gate-keeping qualities the diversity and the large number of
computer installations will probably always provide unique
opportunities for new and non-mainstream art to find an audience.
Artists that create work for the realm of computers and networks
will find interesting discussions regarding copyright, access,
file standards, reproduction rights, appropriation, modification,
and methods of electronic payment.
New display systems will continue to be developed for outputting
computer files. Since more and more programs are incorporating
3D functions the interest in VVDs (volume visualization displays)
is growing. Since the promises of holography and Star Trek to
bring live, full motion, 3D images into our living room has not
materialized, computer controlled optical-mechanical systems are
being developed. "Holographic displays show some long-term
potential but they can not be generated in real time. Their
field of view is fundamentally limited, and these displays
typically change their characteristics with the angle from which
they are viewed." As an alternative, Texas Instruments has
produced its Omniview device that allows the display of volumes
in volumetric space.
Until recently, 3D images have only been displayed on two
dimensional CRTs and have required the inclusion of standard
perspective cues such as shadows, texture gradients, and relative
size comparisons. Stereo 3D systems have relied on the use of
special glasses to simulate surface depth but could not allow
movement around a three dimensional object. VVD displays use a
rotating disk that fills the display volume, creating a surface
point at any location in a half-round ball space. Then by using
laser beams directed by X, Y, & Z computer controllers, images
can be projected to any point in the volume. The concept is
similar to the pictures drawn at laser shows but here 3 beams are
used.
A 36 inch diameter version has been built but a 10 foot diameter
model is feasible. A viewer can circle the display sphere and
see a three dimensional object from all directions while it moves
in real time. The display's resolution can be changed to any
desired value by redirecting the scanning system to overlap
points. VVD resolution is expressed in voxels (vo lume pi
xels). Early prototypes had 12,000 voxels, while current models
display 70,000. Three lasers of different colours can provide a
three-colour image or they can be mixed to provide a full colour
palette. Presently, VVD systems require powerful computers to
calculate 3D display data. Originally developed for the U.S.
Department of Defense this technology's future will probably be
more applicable to non military purposes.
Proposed applications include air traffic control visualization.
Air traffic controllers could look into the sphere and see the
exact location, continuous movement and distance relationship
between circling airplanes. Pointing to a plane with a laser
beam would bring up its information on the computer screen.
Other uses include medical diagnosis, weather pattern analysis,
and remote control of space station docking. Visual artists
could use this system to pre visualize sculpture projects, for
choreography and to output 3D animation sequences.
The use of more conventional output devices will increase to
materialize images and objects designed in the abstract world of
the computer. CNC (Computer Numerical Control) equipment
designed for the metal production industry and XY plotters can be
used to cut out images in wood, vinyl, metal, or fabric. Three
dimensional milling machines can materialize objects for
sculpture and 3D animation.
Existing 3D works and artifacts can be digitized, stored, and
recreated in many different locations. Unlimited serial editions
of 3D work could become more popular.
The production of two dimensional works, including print
publishing have created a need for the service bureau that
specializes in outputting files for the artist and publisher.
Future service bureaus will expand their systems to cover video,
3D media, and large-scale 2D imaging. Since specialized
equipment is required to materialize creative ideas, the artist
will more often be forced to conceive and work on his ideas in
the realm of the abstract. In many cases the artist will only
see the final completion of his work after sending the files to
the "Service Bureau".
The total extent of cyberspace integration is still to be
determined. Presently thousands of computers are connected
through various networks such as the Internet, private commercial
systems, open commercial systems, and hacker systems like
FidoNet. Although most are platform independent there are still
fairly narrow constraints on the type of data exchanged. There
are parallel communications systems like land telemetry networks
that monitor geological conditions, traffic movement, electrical
power transmission, radar information and satellites that handle
telecommunications and video signals.
As more and more communications move away from the analog to the
digital world as high definition television is soon expected to
do the more integration of signals will occur. It is interesting
to consider that a computer could order extra oxygen supplies
from Missouri when its sensors determine a high level of air
pollution in Los Angeles. Or that stock market futures price of
grain would change after a computer analyzed infrared images of
world crops.
Artists might consider interactive works that are affected by
natural forces, commercial activity, or combinations of
conditions sensed by cyberlinks.
The networks will become a great source of ideas, feedback, and
will present opportunities for collaboration. Art created for a
world culture will need more than an North American perspective.
A description of a Russian created program El-Fish states that
"Russian programmers couldn't write successful accounting
programs because they don't know about western business
culture...but their culture developed sensibilities that combined
beauty and non-utility". Artistic teams from different parts of
the world can co-operate to create the best cultural products for
a world audience.
As the digital bit becomes the standard building block for all
information we will have greater interchangablity and
interconnectivity. Nicholas Negroponte states that "all
information providers will be in a common business - the bit
radiation business - not radio, TV, magazines or newspapers".
Advantages include being able to quickly construct many specific
versions of a production and the non-material storage of
products. Large numbers of books no longer have to auditioned
because of the advent of print-on-demand printing systems. Many
constructed realities will possibly only exist in digital form.
Unfortunately we may also develop creative techniques in one
digital medium and simply apply them to others, maybe
inappropriately. A music sequencer program allows you to
Quantize while a photo manipulation program allows you to
Equalize. They both use a common root technique of normalizing
but specific digital manipulation concepts might not have
universal application. However, is there expanded creativity in
doing musical things to pictures and visa versa?
The enthusiasm for the digital domain does have some detractors.
Analog constructions do have specific qualities that are
aesthetically pleasing. They might not be able to be justified
technically but certain nuances inherent in analog
interpretations are artistically valid. Chemical imaging systems
still create movies that are more pleasing to the eye. Tube
amplifiers create a unique sound that can't really be duplicated
by digital sound. As in other transitions we will loose some
important characteristics and abilities when we adopt new
technologies.
The cyberworld and computer created information obviously have
their own language. Marshal McLuhan was convinced that the
medium is really the message. Although content is significant
when evaluating a short term experience, the inherent qualities
of a medium are really what constitutes the overall message. TV
really communicates passivity and mass conformity. The message
of cyberspace is still being considered. The technical language
of the cyberspace system is still in a tyrannical realm of linear
text. Totally unforgiving of errors in letters & case it exerts
a blind totalitarian control over the mechanics or structure of
the system. However, the highly defined structure of the system
opens an anarchic realm of interrelationships and interactions of
possibilities.
Perhaps the key distinguishing characteristic of the cyberworld
is interactively. Users of the Internet are able to make more
conscious choices about the information they receive, they can
gather data into their own local electronic spheres, and they can
interact with other users & information providers. We can assume
that one message from cyberspace is activity rather than
passivity. Coach potato mode will not work with a cyberspace
screen.
Art has generally catered to the passive viewer. Although modern
art has incorporated participatory elements and some interactive
schemes most of the ideas are expressed in a one-way
communications mode. Art galleries create interaction or choice
by having patrons physically move from one location or art work
to another. In most cases the cyberart will be presented to the
viewer at his/her location. Instead of a nail on a wall, the
computer will be a much more sophisticated display system. The
digital nature of art will allow the viewer, if he so desires, to
alter the artist s work, to appropriate it or to simply reject it
by destroying the electronic file.
The visual style of cyberart often follows the myriad of choices
the system provides. A complex system creates complex imagery.
Interactive CD s offer menu screens with dozens of preview
images. Text is supported by images. Images are augmented with
text. Sound is added to business communications and moving image
segments like QuickTime files are attached to technical reports.
Ideas are expressed through layering several modes of expression.
Pedagogical theory has always supported multi-modal
communications and now we have the technology to accomplish it.
In addition to painting, photography or sculpture, media such as
MacroMind Director, Hypercard, electronic games, CD-I, 3D0 and
virtual reality systems may be relevant choices for artists. The
future expression of ideas will require a layered, multi-modal
strategy that elaborates and gives the user choices and the
opportunity to participate. Simple two-dimensional images may
have difficulty finding a place in cyberspace.
The plastic arts have referred to traditional sources for their
theory and inspiration. Modernism embraced Marxism while Post
Modernism welcomes Neitzche back. The cyberpunks have created
their own set of philosophers, all of which are found in the
Science Fiction section of the library. Asimov, Pohl, Arthur C.
Clark and Robert Heinlein are some. "If Marvin Minsky had his
way, there would always be a visiting science fiction writer in
residence at the Media Lab." Will the artist who chooses to work
in the Cybersphere have to pay closer attention to science
fiction to better understand its roots? Can Marx and Azimov
co-exist?
How involved should artists become in the technology of the
cyberspace? In the past many artists have been content to have a
technician organize the technical processes of art production.
Although the artist may not have had the technical skill to
complete the task he usually understood the process as it related
to his artistic needs. However, to participate in the cyberspace
community it may demand a greater level of technical commitment.
Alan Kay pointed out that the computer is not a medium but rather
a meta-medium. In other words, with a computer you can create
media.
Artists have previously been in the habit of simply adopting the
materials and tools created by engineers and the industrial
production system. MIT's MediaMoo is a good example of a
cyberspace reality that is being created through technical
knowledge, interest from a wide range of "characters", social
interaction, and some artistry. Future virtual realities will
require equal amounts artistic and technical input. It will be
most effective if artists can express their artistry through a
strong understanding of technology. In fact, artists will be
excluded from many potential interesting environments if they do
not develop the technical skills to communicate in the new
electronic world.
Jaron Lanier says that we can use "post-symbolic" communication
to create shared realities. A virtual reality system will
create a beach when we say: "Let's go for a swim". Instead of
using symbols to describe the beach, we create an electronic
version of a real beach.
Symbolism, which is the key to semiotic interpretations of our
culture may find new roles in visual communication. Whenever we
use a system that constructs new realities, then the established
cultural symbols or icons, which are short cuts to perception,
may become pass or boring. Any reference to past cultural
symbols would immediately signify fantasy. Artists will have to
look past much of our visual and semiotic heritage to construct
credible virtual worlds.
Computers, networks, and the machines that they exchange
information with are multiplying at an incredible rate. They are
constructing a new set of possibilities and destroying others.
The traditional artist who is interested in entering the
cyberworld will have to make many changes. The creative
environment is abstract and dematerialized. Your ideas will be
neatly reconstructed into uniform bits ready to be radiated
throughout the system.
Although you will have many opportunities to distribute your work
around the world it will not receive the hallowed treatment
reserved for gallery exhibitions. It will compete freely with
countless images, interactive programs, video, digitized audio,
games, and people.
You will start to read science fiction. You will try to find the
best service bureau to make hard copies your photos, graphics,
and sculpture projects. You will find creative partners in
Ethiopia.
You will take up computer programming so that you can create new
real estate in a Florida MOO. You will drop sculpting and take
up MacroMind Director. You will forget about cultural symbols
and icons. You will save hard for a VVD display system. You
will not need expensive real estate because you can watch your
virtual reality beach.
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Chapter One - Media and Advertising
What is the role of technology in the media? The media has
traditionally been a way of conveying events ( political,
entertainment, human interest ) to the public at large. The
media is in the information business and relies heavily on
technology to transmit information from one place to another.
Today, we tend to think of technology with a sort of high - tech
this is so modern day attitude. That technology is the wave of
the future is evident but it is important to recognize that
technology is also a part of our past, and understand the
relationships between past technology with that of today.
Technology was the wave of the future thousands of years ago,
technology is like another word for progress, synonymous with
advancement or moving forward in time, technology is the newest
and the latest and is a habitual quest of mankind to increase
his/her capabilities in his/her environment. Domestication of
crops was technology, what about fire - the greatest invention of
all? Technology has always been a driving force in the history of
the human race and with technology a desire for communication is
also deeply rooted in our collective heritage. People have made
illustrations and created writing systems to communicate and
document their histories. Language was also created for smoother
communication and has become increasingly complex. As the world
has increased so has it s level of communication. The media as we
know it largely developed in the wake of modern technology.
Before radio, telegraphs, planes and trains, the world relayed
events to other parts of the world through human travellers and
by letter which would have gone by carriage or boat. With the
radio, events of significance (for whatever reason) could be
broadcast worldwide within a few short hours. With the invention
of planes came aerial warfare and the real possibility that a
country thousands of miles away had the practical means of
invasion and conquest of your own homeland. Enter: the media.
People then and now relied on the media, the radio, the telegraph
and later their television to receive information they now
considered critical to their existence. Out of newspaper
advertising developed radio and later T.V. commercials - the
point at which media and advertising became inexplicably and
forever linked in popular culture. So where does that leave the
media in the modern world? Should the media have to maintain a
moral responsibility to the public? What are the attitudes of the
public to the media? How many people are unaware of the biases
and often self - serving motives that are prevalent in media or
newsgroups today? The resources that the media have been able to
utilize in the twentieth century have changed the face of
advertising indefinitely, and unfortunately deception is
unavoidable.At this point in time many people are still unaware
of the resources available to the media and because of this
widespread ignorance are oblivious to the manipulation of their
minds and psyche by powerful mega-bucks-money-hungry
manufacturers and corporations. An excellent example of this
mindless manipulation in advertising where technology has been
utilized would be photo - manipulation or perhaps plastic
surgery. Combined, the use of these two areas in conjunction with
advertising are one the leading contributors in the continuing
lack of self - esteem of women in North America. The widespread
image of the idealized woman is often created through technology
: elaborate and painstaking make -up, photo manipulation through
lighting, airbrushing, touch ups, varied films and high contrast
filters; these can all be used to create a false image - one
which is unfortunately high sought after and is in most cases
unattainable. The cause of this disastrous situation cannot be
blamed on the high - tech features that are available in present
day, aerial warfare cannot be blamed on the invention of planes.
People so often place the blame of an unfortunate situation on
technology because it is crucial to the existence of the
situation - the situation is dependant on the invention; it is
human nature that develops and determines the course an
advancement in technology will take.
Chapter Two - Interconnectedness
As technology increases, communication also increases and with
these increases follows a sense of interconnection. Connectedness
should be the opposite of isolation, but they are, in some ways
very closely related. I will show this relationship as it exists
in a narrative; a day in the life of a fictitious character - Mr.
TypaLot.
A Day in the Life of Mr. Typalot
by b. bigelow
Mr. Typalot lives in the suburbs of Vancouver, in Delta, B.C.
He lives in nice home in a prestigious area with his wife and 2.2
children. He works in the city, and has to commute each today. He
leaves his house at 7:40 every morning to make the commute to
Vancouver. He takes his briefcase (laptop computer inside), his
cellular phone, and a mug of fresh, automatic-machine-made
coffee. His commute though lengthy, goes quickly because he
spends much of his time talking on the phone (usually to other
colleagues also on their way to work).Mr. Typalot is perhaps a
researcher, an advertising executive, or maybe a systems analyst.
He types a lot, mostly into his Unix at work, his laptop, or at
his Macintosh in his den at home. When he isn t typing, he is
talking, sometimes on a telephone, sometimes not. Mr. Typalot
communicates with people all over the world everyday via. e -
mail, fax, phone and answering machines, and through virtual
reality set-ups such as MediaMOO. He develops all kinds of
relationships with people in the course of his day, but he is
also everyday increasing his relationship with inaminate devices.
It can not be avoided, in his relationship building with other
people it is necessary for him to interact with machines - it is
a necessity of his success in the workplace. Mr. Typalot is
isolated in a indirect way everyday. Each day for several hours
he is deprived of any sensory stimulation that is not available
to him through his terminal or workstation. Mr, Typalot is
experiencing sensory isolation.
The narrative of Mr. Typalot is a generic example of what many
people in the workplace experience. Mr. Typalot is perhaps more
extreme than the norm but as communications in technology
advance, more and more people will have workdays that fit this
description. This type of connectedness or advanced communication
has ups as well as downs - the downside involves a lack of
direct, or face-to-face contact, and a loss of the more human
side or traditional interaction between people. On the up side,
is the opportunity to engage in a virtual reality experience; to
participate in a highly imaginative and creative realm which I
could only previously describe as becoming deeply involved with a
very intensely written novel. These text based virtual realities,
such as MediaMoo are highly creative and intellectually
stimulating - as well as fun. They can be a good alternative to
traditional reading because the player can actually participate
and contribute to the story . Virtual Realities might ce
beneficial in educating children and adults - making learning
enjoyable and interesting. They might also contribute to a higher
self esteem in children/teenagers as they maintain some type of
control, responsibility, and exercise their ability to produce.
On the other hand, V.R.s could be less than beneficial to some
individuals as they might become more drawn into the V.R. than
might be perceived as healthy. I sometimes envision a situation
similar to the Dungeon and Dragon scenario where in several cases
the individuals involved with the game had a difficult time
distinguishing between real life and fantasy . The bottom line
is that each individual is different and will react to virtual
realities in their own way; that a few select cases cannot
determine the outcome of thousands of others.
Chapter Two - Interconnectiveness
Part Two - The Role of Technology in the Lives of Special Needs
People.
Technology can go along way in contributing to the quality of
lifestyle in the lives of those with special needs. For the
deaf, the computer can be a fabulous way of communicating and
reaching out to others. Autistic people who at times may have
difficulty interacting with other people often are very skilled,
and enjoy working at a computer workstation. People confined to
a wheelchair have many more career opportunities than ever
before thanks to the computer and a continuing growth of more
sophisticated software. In the instance of a brother of a friend
mine ( we ll call him Jim), the computer has literally been his
salvation. After a severe car accident, Jim lost the movement of
both legs - he will be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of
his life. Jim comes from a family of artists and before his
accident he was a working artist painting in a traditional
sense. Now Jim works with computer graphics - doing freelance and
contract work. New software has made it easier, and more
convenient for people like Jim to continue working. There are
many fields to work in , ie. research, data entry, etc. In the
case of special needs children - those with learning disabilities
or the developmentally delayed; a constant stimulus is one of the
most important factors in the mental ( and physical) development.
Traditionally, this constant stimulus has been provided by
support workers, but lack of funding ( gov t and private) often
leads to special needs children not receiving the one on one
stimulus they need and deserve. While the computer might not be
considered an adequate substitute for human stimulus, it would
still be better than nothing and would probably make a positive
contribution to the development of the child. Children are drawn
to computers - to the bright colors, movement and sound emote
from them. Unlike television, computers can be more interactive
and will encourage and prompt a child to participate. I don t
know where computer stimulus will lead, but certainly it is
better for the intellectual growth - and even motor skills than
most of the programs children watch on T.V. The same can be
applied to special needs adults, for while these individuals are
in the body of an adult, often their intellectual development
hasn t caught up - has been delayed in some way and stimulus and
prompts are still essential to their intellectual growth.
Chapter Three - Technology and Tradition
Part One: Technology and Tradition
The increases in technology have made communicating in the
twentieth century easier and more convenient than ever before.
Electronic mail, faxes, cellular phones and virtual realities
drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to get a
message/or important documents to an individual. Electronic mail
takes away the envelope, the stamp and the whole structure of the
traditional mail system. There is no pick, transporting the
letter to a sortation plant and sorting of the letter before the
eventual delivery ( of which won,t be in the recipient s hands
until he/she gets home from work,etc. E -mail is practical, but
will eventually eliminate a characteristic of the weekday as many
people experience it. Coming home to an unexpected card or letter
is a pleasant surprise which would be virtually eliminated in an
electronic mail system. Letters or cards would probably be
received at work in the course of the day, and would be on a
screen - not paper. Paper cards,invitations etc. might still be
sent out (perhaps by private,entrepreunial companies) as a sort
of novelty or maybe on a special occasion. What about wedding
invitations and gold embossed papers? How could one put a wedding
invitation into a photo album if the invitation was on the
screen? ( I guess you could always print out a copy). These small
characteristics of everyday life will probably in the future be
altered to fit into a world where modern technology has spread
into every aspect of our existence. Are there areas that the
notions of convenience and practicality should not enter into?
Areas of our lives that are considered sacred and should be
protected and preserved from the invasion of the driving force
called technology?
Chapter Three - Technology and Tradition
Part Two: Technology in the Home.
Technology has always affected the home. The Refrigator,
electronic oven, and electrical lighting are a far cry from a gas
lamp illuminated kitchen and a wood burning stove.
The washer and dryer, disposable diapers and running water have
freed up plenty of time for more enjoyable pursuits like going
for walks or visiting friends but in many instances just
listening to the radio or watching television. We are surrounded
by technology always - modern techno conveniences such as the
telephone (portable,cellular, or other) the microwave, toasters,
coffee makers, VCRS and camcorders. The computer will have more
impact in the home than any other techno convenience since the
television.( or Nintendo). The computer will contribute both to
the organization and the entertainment/leisure activities in the
home -catapulting into a nucleic role which the household could
quite possibly revolve around in the future. Through the computer
a family, individual, etc. could have access to more information
than they could ever hope to tread upon - never mind absorption.
Miscellaneous tasks and activities such as going out to get a
newspaper, borrow a book from the library,get a video or play
arcade games could be fulfilled by simply sitting in front of
keyboard and screen. It is hard to predict what the outcome of
discontinuing traditional activity might be - or if it will
happen at all. The potential is real and the outcome might be
disastrous. Even a general recognmition by society to admit and
understand this;that the computer in the home and workplace is
potentially harmful to our continued existence, might go a long
way in preserving whatever integrity we have left.
Chapter Four - Art and Architecture: The Role of Technology
There is a big difference between computer generated art and
art that exists solely in the computer. Computer generated art
can still be accessed in the traditional way, it can hang on your
walls at home - it can be displayed in a gallery or reproduced
in a book.In this way the art is not dependant on the computer
for it's existence - it can retain an identity seperate from the
computer. In these instances the computer is like a tool the
artist has used to create his/her work, just like a camera, or a
tablesaw. With art that exists solely within the computer, the
images can only be viewed via the computer and nowhere else. It
is a permanent attachment to the piece and it is therefore an
integral element of the work itself. This type of art is
different from traditional art or even independant computer
generated art because it's focus or motives are related to
communications in a different way - an area of communications
which is void of the physical and tangible.This difficult concept
of relaying ideas and information can be thought of as a large
base of information, compiled of the thoughts and interests of
thousands of people.
What is the role of the artist within this base of information,
and how will the role of the artist change as a result of
technology? Who is the artist? The artist is foremost a designer;
a person who conceives ideas and then attempts to communicate
those ideas (sometimes to themselves and sometimes to others)by
representing the ideas in a physical expression. What the
expression will be depends on the the designer. If the designer
is a musician the expression might be a musical score, if the
designer is an architect than probably a building plan. There
are several advantages to working within a large information base
that over a 100 000 000 million people have access to ( ie. the
Internet).The exposure is tremendous and the opportunity to make
contacts and to to relay ideas is anyone's speculation. The
electronic art gallery is to the artist today what television
would have been to the actor who was previously only viewed in
live theater. In presenting to the masses through an electronic
network an expression of an idea the artist is able to convey and
communicate thoughts on a widespread level - but to what level of
efficiency? Is something lost in the philosophy if the artist is
able to communicate the the idea to a broad audience but only in
general terms? Is it better to communicate a fuller understanding
of a concept to a limited people instead of a general idea to
thousands? This question can only be answered by the individual -
each artist having their personal agenda which dictates their
actions and motivates their work.
It is up to us, the designers and artists to determine and
shape our changing role along with the advancement of technology.
What else can we do? We are forced to go with the flow and
utilize technology to prevent our obsolescence. Technology and
job displacement go hand in hand and the artist and designer are
not an exception. With more and more sophisticated software many
kinds of work in the design industry could easily be sifted out
in the future. Graphic artists, architects, industrial designers
could in all like likelihood be eliminated in future society.
Think of past tradesmen (tradesperson) who no longer have a place
in the world due to technological advancement and new invention?
How many shoemakers have you met recently? The shoemaker was a
tradesman - a designer of a kind and is a scarcity in modern day.
Of course the machine made/pre-fab shoes can never match the
quality of a leather shoe cut and measured specifically to the
individual's foot. One of a kind shoes- each with their own
identity; a product and design from start to finish of the
individual designer and his/her original vision. The fact is if
it is good enough, if it will get the job done (at least
satisfactorally) then it will be accepted by the masses;leaving
little room for the creativity and ingenuity of the individual
designer. A balance needs to be struck between designer and
computer - a blance where the computer is a tool for the designer
and not the designer itself. Architects and draftspeople now have
the unique advantage of being able to conjure up their changing
visions quicker than they could possible recreate an intricate
drawing by hand.These quickly redrawn views however, only remain
an advantage to the architect etc. if the designer is still the
motivating factor behind the design and is the major contributor
to the end result.
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Preinventing the Wheel
Have you had enough of magazine articles and other essays
whose titles play on the word "virtual?" Articles with names like
"Virtual Virtuoso" or " Virtually now" or "Virtigo." I thought as
much. Virtual reality is getting very tired, and it doesn't even
exist yet. It has been able to avoid fading out of public view
for this long because of its' name, which sounds sufficiently
official, and at the same time vague enough to allow its' use in
context with anything one thinks is neat-o. In the forties, there
was a similar craze for things whose existence was in question,
and it also had a misleading name that made people sound clever.
That name is Existentialism, and before it became popular, it
actually meant something. But it was only taken seriously after a
couple hundred people who hadn't bothered to find out its'
meaning were put in situations where they had to pretend that
they had- hey, presto- 200 false definitions! This confusion is
happening to virtual reality, only not so romantically as it did
in post-war France. A few months ago I had dinner with a good
friend. As we ate he asked me to explain to him what the whole
deal on virtual reality is and I told him, more or less, that it
is the idea of general purpose simulation, and went on to explain
that simulators of this sort need detectors to sense body motions
or speech, devices to stimulate our senses of sight, hearing,
touch, etc., and a computer to connect everything and vary the
interaction according to programs. Then I felt obliged to rehash
the monologue about the many possibilities of the potential
medium, and did, but my friend, who is an Economics major, just
laughed, "Is that all it is, a glorified video-game?! You
actually study that kind of stuff at school? I heard all this
talk on how important it is!" He had been impressed by the
virtual Paul Reveres, the virtual exaggerators, the virtual
newspaper columns with titles like this. It is truly a pity that
the term 'virtual reality' isn't used sparingly, and that 'the
study of simulation' or some like phrase doesn't get all the
attention. Simulators already exist. Because of all this hype,
virtual reality is being made to sound a lot more important than
it is. Virtual reality is being treated like some radical new
science. Ad agencies are cashing in on its' commerciality and
confusing the general population with the meaning of the term.
Fans of virtual reality are trying to convince people that its'
dawn is ridiculously near and thus that its' study is pertinent.
Other virtual reality enthusiasts are preaching that virtual
reality is "the way" and will end racial inequality and give the
repressed a voice. Just as preposterously, academics are solemnly
warning that virtual reality will create a nation of violent
thugs. Others warn of "virtual-reality addictions," seriously;
"virtual-reality addictions." It is sad that a promising
technology has been taken over before it has even reached a
concrete stage, by a bunch of clowns.
The driving forces behind virtual reality have been around
for all of human history so why is it considered such a radical
concept? When flight simulation programs started appearing a few
years ago for home computers, a lot of folks bought them (after
all, they were pretty neat) but few sat around yakking about how
those programs were "interactive" as though the word were a drop
from the fountain of profundity. Hell, even a pinball machine is
interactive. What about "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, the
books that let kids make a decision by picking one of two pages
every so often? What kind of novelty is there in trying to fake
the world around us: We started with cave paintings, then
sophisticated paints until we had realistic oils, then the still
photographic camera, the record player, motion pictures, talkies
and what could be more virtual than telephones; the technology
which Bell invented to allow an entire nation of people to
consider talking to banana-shaped objects on street corners a
normal part of life. Theatre is a form of virtual reality as
well. Some like to think that the V.R. will "enlarge our minds"
by making us more imaginative. As though we haven't now any
activities requiring imagination. V.R. is not the first; it is an
element of many games, from Chess through to Scruples. Of all the
things V.R. could be compared to, it is strange that one hears of
the similarities of V.R. and the telephone less often than V.R.
and narcotics. This is the kind of talk that makes V.R. out to be
larger than life. There is a difference between drug-use and
any-old-thing that happens to be bizarre and illogical. That is
why we as a species have been spared an addiction to the writings
of Marshall Macluan. V.R. is not a new concept.
Virtual reality is also kept well in the public eye by
advertising firms. These firms are resourceful enough to have
found a word associated with V.R. to advertise services or
products in a manner that will make them sound as though they are
on the cutting edge of technology, regardless of the truth. I
have already mentioned the word they use. The word is
"interactive" and it is plastered on everything from phone-sex,
to standard phone-in talk shows, to magazines and automobiles and
children's toys. It is generally assumed that inter-active is
entertaining but who of us really wants to leave our couch to
phone a television station half way through a program. People
watch television to relax. The same goes for reading, listening
to music and looking at pictures. Being interactive isn't all
that thrilling. One spends all one's life in an interactive
world. A lot of it even bores one. Being inter-active is not
necessarily being virtual. It would be kind if advertising
agencies would not try to convince us otherwise. No, we will have
to wait a few years for real reality-simulators.
How many years? "In the near future," is the standard
phrase. How near? The people who vigilantly claim that V.R. will
be perfected in the next ten years are generally the same people
who talk a lot about terra-forming Mars and making it habitable.
However true it may be that all geniuses are dreamers, it is not
true that all dreamers are geniuses. Some are only poor,
misguided Dr. Who fans. Let's just say it takes thirty years to
develop a graphics system that can display at 24 fps, with
photographic resolution, a stereoscopic alterable landscape-
which would take an insane amount of memory. We'll also say that
by that time we'll have the capability to transmit at real time
the colossal amount of data needed to hook a V.R. machine up to a
network. Then we'll assume (this is more reasonable) that we'll
have a perfectly light-weight, comfortable bodysuit that won't
make one look like a scuba-diver wearing a bicycle helmet. Hey,
they won't be available to everyone. They won't come cheap. It
will take a long while for virtual reality systems to made
compatible. It will be a while for a decent net to cover the
globe. But let's say that it will take around 50 years for V.R.
machines to become common household items. As loose as any figure
based on unprovable guesses must be, 50 years seems like a
reasonable number. What is all the excitement about then? No
current virtual reality- type products, from war games to
video-games, come near to giving a convincingly real feeling.
Just because virtual reality may be right around the corner
doesn't mean we'll see it next year. It's quite possible that
half of us will be dead by the time virtual reality amounts to
something.
Some people in these times hold the opinion that V.R. will
be a great social instrument. Sure, after Nintendo rolls a few
tens of thousands of Virtualboys off the assembly line everything
will be jolly. No more wars, no more intolerance. Neo-Nazi
Skinheads will plug in and suddenly turn into nice, decent
fellows and fall to their knees to beg forgiveness from the
minority groups they have been terrorizing an hour before. The
idea is that since people would have the ability to conceal their
identity while using a net we would all be tolerant and
understanding. This would be a compelling argument were it not
for the telephone which already allows us this service.If V.R.
evolves in a similar manner, it will end up with individuals
choosing only to contact close friends. And I know that's not
what the V.R. enthusiasts want. And I know they want it to be a
wild and crazy medium. But there are a lot of folks in the world.
Business people, for example, would get use out of V.R. by using
it for long-distance conferences or perhaps for models of
products, or real estate. They would not find it useful to
pretend to be a Virtual-prawn on the Cyberspace-Oceanfloor
Network. People could do a lot of things on V.R. networks, not
all of them brotherly. Thanks to V.R. it would be a lot easier
for racist people to form world-wide organizations.. they could
congregate daily if they chose. It is just about as likely that
V.R. will correct the world's problems as it is that a crumpet
will corrupt a swinging mallet. On the other hand V.R. will not
spell a return to the dark ages.
The idea is that someday children will be weaned on V. R.
sets. They will get used to regularly lopping off virtual heads
and so, when they grow older, they'll be conditioned, see, and
they'll go nuts and they'll lop off real peoples heads. No matter
how much you show people that there is no evidence to support the
claim that there is a correlation between violence in the media
and violence in real life they just don't learn. For once and for
all, violence in the media is a good thing because it teaches
children to distinguish between fact and fiction. And so long as
it remains possible to tell when you are "virtual" and when you
are real there is no problem. We will never create V.R. so
effective that it is exactly the same as real life, we will
always be able to notice something unrealistic about it, perhaps
the way things sound, maybe the quality of light, it would
certainly be virtually impossible to convincingly eat virtual
food or have a perfect sense of touch.
The most ridiculous overestimation of V.R. is that the whole
world will become obsessed with V.R. and abandon the outside
world forever. This is very poetic but unfortunately there are a
couple little problems with this theory. Like, for example,
eating. Or will V.R. be so amazing that people just won't get
hungry. Oh, there is also some difficulty in respect to paying
the hydro bill when you spend all of your time in V.R. and
therefore have no time to work. Most people for V.R. or against
V.R. tend to wildly exaggerate the importance of V.R. Remember
the stories there used to be about computers? The only people who
will ever be addicted to Virtual Reality already are, those are
the people like Commander Rick on Prisoners of Gravity, the kind
of fools who write poetry about "cyberspace."
Virtual reality does have a lot of potential; to take up
where the telephone leaves off, to amuse and entertain, to
design, and a whole lot more. What is annoying is to see history
endlessly rehashing itself. People have always exaggerated with
new inventions from film to space travel. It is ludicrous that
virtual reality is treated as such a unique, modern concept. It
has roots in the trend in Western culture since the Dark ages of
more and more realistic art and it has roots in the production of
various modern simulators. It is ridiculous the way ad agencies
through around the term "interactive," in order to confuse people
into associating it with virtual reality. It is ridiculous that
virtual reality is being talked about this much when it probably
won't take off until another half century. It is ridiculous to
attribute spectacular moral consequences to virtual reality,
either good or terrible. It is particularly silly to predict
slaves to entertainment when no such preposterous phenomena has
ever existed before. It is a field too easy to romanticize. It is
easy to think of all the possibilities, and easier to forget that
most of them will never be realized. Virtual reality is already a
fashion statement, an advertising ploy, a moral issue, and a
constant subject in magazines. With all the attention one would
think we were reinventing the wheel.
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Notes on the use of the computer in art.
by D. Venables
The computer is a tool, a fancy tool, but just a tool. In
the hands of a person who makes art, it can be used to make
art...the REAL kind of art. The pencil is a tool, a simple tool,
but just a tool. In the hands of a person who makes art, it can
be used to make art...the REAL kind of art. Perhaps if the
majority of the computer art we see is pretty dismal, it is
because the tool has not yet found the right hands.
Contemporary culture and the place technology has in it.
A loaded statement. Contemporary culture "is" technology. At
least in our privileged neck of the woods. Taking this course
has been akin to the experience of buying a Volkswagen and then
noticing them wherever you go. I now see the use of computer
systems where I was once blind to them, in every facet of our
lives. A technology this pervasive must surely be adopted by the
artists among us. The avant-garde will never die. The
avant-garde will continually rear its unusual head where it's
least expected. It is the evidence of evolution, the flower on
the plant of science.
(Even as late as dadaism, Marcel Duchamp noticed the relation of
the avant-garde to the practice of the consumer-that the product
of the avant-garde was to have the same characteristics of
planned obsolescence/mass production as the products of mass
consumption while simultaneously allowing the producer/artist to
register shock at being reduced to a machine.) Discussed in
Manfredo Tafuri, Architecture and Utopia: Design and Capitalist
Development (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1976).
Maybe notes on what art is (I guess we have to have some kind
of a definition before we can tell if computers can be a part of
it) would be in order. A discretionary and biased viewpoint
follows.
After spending the last couple of years focusing entirely on
photography, I came into this course, wide-open, and ready for
new ideas, primed by a lecture by photographer Jeff Wall, who
showed a selection of his older work and also a couple of his
new pieces, done via computer graphics. This fired my
imagination. Little did I know at the time that Jeff was in the
habit of traveling to Los Angeles and renting the computer lab
there in Hollywood which has all the heavy artillery used in huge
special effects productions. The pieces he produced were of
high quality due to the level of the technology he was using,
although the work he had done could have been accomplished
through traditional photographic technique.
Using "mind bicycles" for photography is advantageous in
that the cost to the environment is considerably less, ie. the
chemicals poured down the sink (and forgotten in a frenzy of
photographic creativity) make their way into the rivers,
oceans, air, animals and eventually back to us in some form or
another (perhaps while walking on the shore at midnight the
phosphorescence will suddenly, strangely, have you thinking of
Calvin Kline models). The immediate health of the artist is
threatened less during computer use than during the photographic
process as well. It is cleaner to use than almost any other art
material or tool.
Thinking that a two month course was plenty of time in which
to master the art of photo-manipulation, I gaily traipsed into
class to make some art.
DEBBIES DEFINITION OF ART
One of my definitions of art is, art as a verb... the act
of doing it. After the doing part is done, what s left is a
fossil, a mere artifact of the real thing which is art. The
art-things sitting in galleries, on walls, piled up in basements
are records and interesting as records of the metamorphosis and
working out of a thought or feeling.
Art is sometimes thought of as a didactic, instructive sort
of exercise; or, conversely purely decorative. These types of
art to me are dead, they leave no-where for the viewer to
exercise his or her own thought processes.
The viewer is assumed to be in one of two states, with it
or not with it. In it or out of it. Hip or square. If privy to
the current presumed cutting edge theme being presented by this
instructive art, the viewer can nod sagely and agree; if not
connected to the same stream of thought, there is room for
instruction. This is claustrophobic and limiting, it stagnates
and is retentive.
At this point I have a sneaking suspicion that much of the
art making using computer technology is of this sort, a parading
of technique, a bragging and telling how the look of reality can
be changed. This has a tendency to dazzle and dictate a certain
look , this kind of rigid template is an open invitation to the
avant-garde, the art pirates, the art-hacker.
"The stimuli of the modern world, sounds and sights are
reproduced and distributed through endless systems of linear
technology. (The more intimate senses were long ago excluded
from this order.) Stereo and video are recorded onto tape, that
opaque blackish substance that symbolizes the intransigent,
incomprehensible linear time of this universe. Computers and
record players use flat disks whose spiral roadways reflect the
circularity of their contents. All visual and aural
information?speech over the telephone, the television picture,
computer data?is encoded into lines of electronic information.
The linear becomes language. The arcane discipline of electronic
circulation now guards the gates of the senses.
The proliferation of the computer is the development that
most insures the closure of this system.. In the computer, we see
physically affirmed, as if by an independent source, all the
assumptions of linear thought. Conversely, the computer ignores
all utterances not made according to the rules of its own linear
code. With the advent of private computer use, the computer
becomes an oracle of instruction in the structures of the linear.
It gives instruction in how t write and how to conduct
business?but according to its own linear rules. It is even
deployed to indoctrinate children into the ways of the linear.
Further, as greater and greater amounts of society s information
(both financial and intellectual) are stored in computers, even
the reluctant are coerced into dealing with the computer and its
pattern of thought."
Peter Halley, On Line New Observations, no. 35 (1985).
Blasted Allegories; 1987. The New Museum of Contemporary Art and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Virtual reality moves art and art making into a realm of
endless possibility. Freed from the confines of a small screen,
this new dimension, for me is so broad it is almost impossible to
speak of. Sculpture you can crawl into, ride, even travel through
for what seems like miles, interactive installations. Perhaps
this is the new direction in art we were waiting for. This will
influence, and enrich the traditional art practices as well as
consumerism in society--art and consumerism--a well known couple
about town.
The credibility of that which is seen on a screen (which,
to most people is accepted as the truth) can be used to
manipulate and fool the viewer. This is not a bad thing, a
touch of healthy suspicion would be a welcome attribute in the
general public.
PIMPING THE REALITY PRINCIPLE -MONDO MAG (1993)
Angry, disillusioned and media-savvy, the newly discovered
twenty-something generation is shaping up to a very hard sell.
?Debra Goldman, ADWEEK
Belief in advertising is not like breathing. It doesn t come
naturally; it must be taught.
?Edwin L. Artzt, Proctor & Gamble CEO
It s got to be real.
?Levi s 501 jeans, advertisement
And then there is the ephemeral, the part of art that comes when
you least expect it.
Some things we plan.
We sit and we invent
and we plot and cook up
Others are works of inspiration
Of poetry
And it was this genius hand
That pushed me up the hotel stairs
To say my last good-bye.
((DEBBIES ASIDE: (private thoughts on the act of communal
art on three screens at a time)
Although its hard for me to communicate verbally vocally,
easier if writing
taking turns-- quick repartee isn t my bag.
interesting to communicate well, more efficient felt like we
were in touch-))
....huh?.....
On a more practical note, the strongest impression I' m left
with from taking this course is the feeling of entry into the
rest of the world.
Especially here in Victoria, I've felt isolated, and
increasingly so the longer I m here and the more time I spend at
school. In the past I ve always been able to take off for jaunts
into the states, around Canada or Mexico, but in the last few
years I have lead an increasingly parochial life. It was a thing
I feared right from the first when I moved here, and then it came
true.
I' m sure this sense of isolation is not my very own domain,
isolation is a major theme of our society at this point and it is
my belief that technology in all its myriad forms has contributed
to this. The ability to lead a completely vicarious life,
containing excitement beyond the potential of most people, is
available to anyone with a television, VCR, six-pack and a couple
of joints.
(oh ya, a video..fantasy of choice)
This isolation is endemic. The T.V. screen which lives in
almost every home is a constant friend, requiring no effort,
seemingly giving companionship and in reality taking away the
ability to enjoy real personal contact. As well, a study has
shown persons who watch a "normal" amount of television suffer
from lack of REM sleep time, in other words, they don't dream.
Dreaming is a necessary part of a healthy life and the loss of
this ability must have a severe, though perhaps subtle effect on
the person.
In contrast with my first thoughts of the virtual meeting
places as making yet another barrier between people, (much like
television, probably because they re both boxes that plug into
the wall), I see them now as a link, a possible tool for fusion,
although far from perfect, especially in that it precludes a vast
amount of people from becoming part of this new community for
economic reasons. I would like to think that with the growing
availability of the Internet, email and other network
communication systems, the unity that is created by the exchange
of thoughts and feelings will provide a humanitarian spring-board
and with the growing communication between people all over the
world (I can hear music surging in the background...I d like to
buy the world a coke...lalala) perhaps a true global
consciousness will arise. Or the consciousness already in place
will become more compassionate through increased knowledge and
familiarity. Art will fit in there (does already), a picture is
worth a thousand words...and takes up a lot more space...
The ability to have free, almost immediate communication
with people who are far away is extremely satisfying.
The level playing field of electronic communication on
Internet is seductive. I, and most people, don't reveal
gender, age, race, social standing while having these exchanges
and it is not necessary. This has got to be a good thing.
The downside of this connection is the potentially
intrusive nature of the electronic net, a net we could all be
caught in like little smelts with credit cards, Until the end of
the World explored both these aspects fully, the connection kept
people in close contact if they so desired and made it very hard
to hide.
Back to my personal story. A testimonial. Dredged in
isolation (and I mean dredging in the culinary sense, the way
your mother used to dredge chicken pieces in flour and spices
before frying) I of course turned to the television and began one
of those marathon, epic debaucheries of avoidance. Well, I was
dragged from my reverie of watching the passive screen to the
more engaging activity of watching the computer screen, ah....a
screen that talks back. I m not exaggerating when I say I miss
the computer room during the weekends.
For me, with my limited resources, the computer works best
for communication purposes, text, at this point is the medium of
choice.
Computer art is verbal art right now. Making traditional art
is, to me, usually a pretty solitary activity. It is also a
physical one, I enjoy the feel of the materials, the smell, being
able to hold the art, move it around. Because I use my senses,
it is sensual. Because it is sensual, there is also a realm of
sexuality. The move from three dimensional art to trying to make
something that I could call art, on a screen, that I couldn t
touch or change the shape of unless I kept within the limited
dimensions, was frustrating to say the least. Perhaps, now that
the form is not so foreign to me and I have a real desire to see
what I can do with this thing, and more time; I ll be able to
explore the visual aspects more fully. This is only the
beginning.
There is no conclusion. My world has been made larger. I have
barely experienced an introduction to this new art tool. I m
hooked.
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***************
(These are the incoherant rantings of a young man driven over the
edge by a
word processing program. Please proceed with caution.)
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WordPerfect ate my essay, and my brain
Neil Barman
9106988
FA345
Brad Brace
June 18, 1993
The last time I spent a serious duration in front of a
computer was in grade six. I was twelve years old and the
elementary school I attended had purchased four Apple II's. With
so few computers at their disposal they were forced to choose an
elite group of students who would be privileged enough have
access to the new technology. I was chosen to be among the
"lucky" ones.
We set out with task of learning Basic. I quickly learned
how to write a program that would spew an annoying pattern of
numbers
down the screen. I also learned how to do math equations on the
computer, but I already had a calculator that made quick work of
those and fit in my pocket too. We were given almost no guidance
mainly due to the fact that there was none to be given. Nobody
really knew very much about computers, with a few exceptions.
Two young brainiacs named Adrian Evans and David Burridge
knew what they were doing. They had computers at home, the very
same ones that were at school. They wrote cute little programs
that would do this or that. Programs so inconsequential I can't
even remember them now. But they knew how to do it. They also
made it their business to remind me that I did not know what I
was doing. They would talk computer lingo and laugh at how
perplexed I would get. They would point and whisper and giggle as
I would try to explain to the teacher why I was so confused. I
had no clue why we were doing what we were doing. I was given no
assistance in that department. The "computer education" program
continued and I continued to be bewildered.
Basically Adrian and David were geeks flaunting their
computer literacy. I knew that and I tried not to let their
intimidation get to me. It did in any case. I opted out of the
computing program. I figured they were far more trouble than they
were worth. I avoided them like the plague.
Ten years later, I have decided to re-acquaint myself with
the machine called computer. A class called "Art and Technology:
Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction" seemed like it would be
a good start since I already have a pretty good grasp of the art
part. Combining art with computer technology sounded like a
fascinating progression. Since I make art, I was curious as to
how I could use computers in my art-making process. As it turns
out, the software that is available right now is of almost no
use to me. While it can be enjoyable and amusing to manipulate
photographs and paint on electronic canvases, it still seems like
it's more trouble than it's worth. I have been told, however,
that these boxes come in handy.
The work that I am doing at present, which is mostly
photography, has too much basis in reality. It is about the way
we live. It is about the way we build and develop the areas where
we live and how we make those places as ours. It is about many
aspects of being a person. I have not found a way for the
software to provide me with any assistance. I work with other
peoples' senses of self and creativity. While someone is probably
writing a program that will simulate these things, I'm not
interested. I thrive on interaction with real people, they never
cease to amaze me.
While computer software itself has not provided me with
inspiration, the Internet has. At first what felt like a mystical
society of computers around the globe is now a different
dimension of worldly consciousness. Quantum mechanics is busy
trying to prove the existence of alternate dimensions; I've been
exploring one for the last eight weeks. It is the dimension of
information and communication.
It seemed like an incredibly difficult task at first, much
like learning Basic when I was in grade six. This time however
there were no computer geeks around to hamper the learning
process. I was all on my own. With only a guide book to chart my
course I have been able to "go" all around the world. I have
gained access to a seemingly endless supply of information. Text
is definitely the most powerful medium here. I have found other
forms of information, sound and images for example, but text is
the only one that has been able to feed me satisfactorily in this
dimension. Text has given me the knowledge to explore further.
With more exploration comes more text, comes more knowledge...
This may not seem like a breakthrough discovery to most, but it
was to me. The text not only pushes me in new directions around
the Internet, it has charged my imagination. I am fascinated with
the possibilities of this new dimension.
I have been able to converse with people all over the world.
The very same people I would love to interact with in person but
am unable to because of distance. Connectivity over the Net has
been the next best thing I suppose, but it is a far cry from the
real interaction that fuels my art. I have found it intriguing to
no end but it hasn't given me anything. Yet. I expect that
communication on the Internet will be very much like regular
social interactions people have nowadays. You go to places you
like. You avoid other places. You meet many people. You keep in
touch with a few. Friendships grow and you learn from each other.
The thing that has been somewhat of a shock has been the
relearning, from scratch, of all things dealing with social
interaction. You must relearn the processes of travel and
conversation. There is no bus route for the Internet and you
can't laugh out loud.
The arena of the MOO seems to provide a bridge between
reality and Jaron Lanier's vision of VR and communication as one.
Though they are only text-based at the moment they are headed in
the right direction. Their possibilities for character
interaction extend only as far as they can be programmed. In
addition to this, if you want to see how you interact with
another character, you must visualize it in your head. The same
goes for sounds and smells. The ideal vision of VR has all
sensory inputs virtualized. I would probably be an excellent
guinea pig for a perfectionistic VR developer. You see, I suffer
(or , as I like to think, am privileged to suffer) from a
condition I call hyper-awareness. Anything and everything my five
senses can take in they do. This is usually a pleasing
substitute for the drugs I've never done though overloads do
happen. It can make driving a little difficult. I find the Moo's
acceptable, but not enough to tweak my senses, which enjoy
reality far too much.
On the flipside of that argument is that Moo's, in
particular MediaMOO at MIT, have provided me with some
interesting insights into how people develop and personalize
their own space when it can be absolutely any space at all. You
can make anything and set it so it can be manipulated in any way
you choose. Most of the stuff I've "seen" has been pretty
imaginative. The major limitation of creating your own
environment in a MOO is that other characters can only perceive
it one way, the way you describe it. Something is lost when you
are not able to explore a locale with your five senses. It is
something that is not actually a sensory input. It is more of a
feeling you get about the person whose space you are in. The
sterility of the MOO keeps you from feeling this. It is pretty
difficult to get in a position in the MOO where you feel
genuinely uncomfortable. It's a feeling like this that makes you
act truly human. Without it, and others, social interaction feels
a bit too artificial. With all this talk about feeling I
beginning to think that I'm missing the point.
If you've noticed traces of pessimism, sarcasm, and
cynicism, you're probably reading this properly. These natural
characteristics of my personality, coupled with my desire for
real experiences and my general dislike of things convenient,
leave me still wondering the same thing I wanted know in grade
six: what is all the hype about?
It seems that almost every household has a computer. I am
constantly hearing how you must be computer literate in order to
succeed get a job nowadays. Many people are storing all their
vital information on disk. Even in this class, so many people
appear to be engrossed with learning how to use the available
software. It seems awfully limiting. Am I missing something? Is
there something advantageous about having your job, your home,
your self, hang in the magnetic balance?
Computer-dependant people have perhaps conveniently
forgotten that computers need electricity. Again, not a
monumental revelation, but few seem to acknowledge this fact. It
makes me think of one of the many power failures that used to
occur during summer rainstorms as when I was younger. People
would gather at some spot on the street, sheltered by umbrellas,
and chat. My mother once told one of the neighbour kids that
since the power h ad gone out we'd have to watch television in
the dark. He bought it. People are just as gullible when it comes
to computers. Computers also "crash" (a mysterious phenomenon
that I have been reminded of thrice during the writing if this
essay). Rarely does anybody have a solution, let alone an
explanation for this. I can't understand how people can rely so
much on such fragile pieces of equipment.
After so much griping about these annoying boxes I'd better
reveal my admiration of them. As I have already stated, I think
the ability to communicate with them is invaluable. Having a
computer in every household for that reason alone would be worth
it. Anyone has the capability to access almost anything from
anywhere. Those are pretty huge parameters that have never been
within our reach before. People talk of a restructuring of the
Internet whereby more restrictions would be in place.
Unfortunately, due to human nature, we will probably work to
justify a situation like that. Greed will more likely than not
drive people to lock up information, with access for a price.
Hackers will continue to hack but the stakes will be higher. The
authorities will crack down harder on those who are caught. Those
in the upper echelons of government know that information is
power, and they're not about to give it up that easily. The EFF
will hopefully grow and continue to prosper.
I have been amazed by what computers can do. My aspirations
for putting out my own publication will be realized shortly.
While you'd never be able to tell by the appearance of this piece
of writing, I am eager to tap the dynamics of the realm of
desktop publishing. Even more than I imagined, I will be able to
distribute it world-wide if I so choose. I will be able to design
my own home, with plans ready to hand to the builders. These are
things I had not imagined possible before. I don't suppose Adrian
and David would be too impressed. So what.
I have been feeling quite uncomfortable trying to come up
with "original insight and speculation on contemporary culture
and technology." I have such little experience with this field
that any attempts to theorize so far have ended up with
technologically aware people either stating that it's been done
or questioning why I would want do such a ridiculous thing. It
has made me feel like I'm too creative to be working on a
computer. Either that or I'm being too demanding. I don't have
the technical know-how to recognize which it is yet.
This planet definitely needs more communication. The
Internet has made it so that you reach around the world, but not
everywhere.
As far as I know of there are no connections to the third world.
For the most part the technology is only available to big
businesses and universities. According to Molly, a character in
MediaMOO, that would mean that this kind of technology is limited
to an elitist group of people with enough money to gain access to
the resources. The uneducated, unwashed masses are deprived of
the opportunity to be connected. I can believe it. We are going
to have to find a way to hook up the rest of the world. Without
it, the third world might slip further into the information void.
"I have found computers provide a pretty good workout for
the modern mind. The possibilities of computing have been able to
stretch the imagination of some. Never before would you have been
able to manipulate a photograph or a rendered 3D object in the
ways you can now. You can publish yourself. While it is still
somewhat expensive to accomplish these things, it is no longer
absolute impossible. With the added potential of computers you
can let your imagination explore larger expanses. Getting things
done is now only a matter of learning how to do it, and even that
is easier than ever!"
...
I still don't buy it.
Reality is far too valuable for me to give up. I love my
cat. I love Italian food. I love my Polaroid camera. I like to
feel fear. I drive my car fast any chance I get. I have almost
drowned in snow. Standing on the edge of the roof of my apartment
gives me a rush. There is no virtual adrenalin. I play basketball
on the weekend with a bunch of very large guys who hit hard.
Bruising is an essential part of being alive.
I have memories of growing up. Barbecues in the back yard.
Riding my bike up and down the block. Neighbours. Getting chased
by the bully. Going on vacation. Swimming at the local pool.
Stuffed animals. I don't think virtual sentiment would cut it.
The terrible feeling inside when you smoke your first cigarette.
The experiences of my life have shaped me and will continue
to do so forever. I can't help but get the feeling that
technology is being shoved down our throats. I thought this time
I might be able to keep myself from gagging on it but i haven't
been successful so far. AT&T is trying to convince me that I
won't need a road map anymore. Their advancements will get me to
my destination quickly, safely, and efficiently, and when I get
there I can call my wife over a video-phone. They're trying to
make physical distances non-existent by transporting my presence
around through a sterilizing filter. I'll pass on it, thanks. It
all just seems too safe.
I have not been able to make up my mind for the last seven
pages. I have reacquainted myself with the best technology
available to me. I have explored more of the Internet than most
people I know. I have learned how to do many things with these
fancy boxes. I know what I can do. I still want to know why. At
least this time I am able to make an informed choice about my
future in computing. It is very likely that six months from now
my opinion will have changed. Nobody is going to know anyway.
----------------------------------------------------------------
by: James Nobel
INTRODUCTION
Since the beginning of mankind, inventions were the fundamental
backbone of progression into what laid ahead. The telephone and
television are among the most influential inventions that
propelled mankind into boundless territories. Here,
communication is the intangible force that governs the world s
fate, we now live in. If it wasn t for the telephone and
president Kennedy s tactics we wouldn t be here: the Cuban crisis
would have been a reality. Now, considering this critical event
that would have seriously dictated the future of civilization,
how else will technology affect us? Our lives will be changed
for the better or the worse by technologically advanced tools and
multimedia; in conjunction, the future of our society and culture
will adjust and adapt as we progress into what may be the
information age or the post-industrial age. A passage by Kurt
Yonnegut captures the very essence of what we are to expect with
regard to technological advancements:
. . . the First Industrial Revolution devalued muscle work, then
the second one devalued routine mental work. . .
Do you suppose there ll be a Third Industrial Revolution?
A third one? What would that be like?
I don t know exactly. The first and second ones must have been
sort of inconceivable at one time.
. . . I guess the third one s been going on for some time, if
you mean thinking machines. That would be the third revolution,
I guess - machines that devaluate human thinking.
(Smart, opening page)
Although this passage makes reference to artificial intelligence,
it gives us an idea of how fast technology is progressing and the
ramifications of such progression. Can you image machines that
devaluate human thinking? Our imagination would lead us to many
predictions on future society and culture. Essentially,
technology is the impetus for the fate of our future. In order
to instigate some thought and provide some insight, this essay
will reveal the potential capabilities of contemporary technology
and the effects it will have on modern society and culture.
MODERN SOCIETY
Communication and information are virtually the vital blood and
heartbeat keeping society alive and healthy. Because of
technological improvement, the way in which we communicate has
become diverse and complex (Multimedia), diverting from
conventional forms. New technology provides capabilities to be
done differently, efficiently, and more conveniently. In
essence, convenience and efficiency are the driving force for
modern technology, without them civilization would remain
stagnant or dormant, which ever way you look at it. If not for
convenience, cellular phones would be obsolete and there would be
no drive for the invention of a wristwatch sized pagers. If not
for efficiency there would be no need for software programs such
as CADs and the digital form of communication, Email.
Convenience and efficiency complement each other, and together
are the essential ingredients for technological growth.
With respect to the affects of technology on society, we have
experienced what has already happened and the many researches
that had been done. Consequently, there could be a trend that
will provide invaluable clues to the future. Eventually we are
and will be affected by modern technology and notice changes in
our education system, government, profession, and business. New
information and communications technologies are spreading rapidly
throughout the world at an increasing pace. Someday, we will be
able to remain in one central location and complete all daily
tasks without coming in physical contact with another person.
Sports and leisure activities will be the only factor motivating
the movement of our body. People may turn into a bunch of couch
potatoes taking for granted the convenience of what technology
has to offer: already, interactive TV programs are enabling one
to order pizza from a simple command on a remote control.
Additionally, information is as easy to access as searching for a
book in a library, may be even easier. There are databases
everywhere that can be accessed by the public. For example,
there is a BC computer guide listing programs and services
offered by the provincial government. The convenience of
acquiring information by means of information highways precludes
the hassles of fiddling through a phone book and calling place
after place to access your target. Moreover, telecommunication
is augmenting the elimination of office as the workplace. People
will be able to conduct daily work activities without leaving the
home. Consequently, the environment we live in may benefit from
less air pollution caused by excessive automobile exhaust and
population of the city core. Economically, the decreased demand
for downtown office space will drive the rent/lease prices down,
thus, permitting affordable prices for people wishing to live in
the downtown area. To conclude, there seems to be many
advantages of convenience, however, may be in the future this
world we live on will be inhabited by slothful but highly
intelligent human beings.
Currently, information is without question equivalent to power
that can be shared freely by all. Some people acquire
information which is related to the struggle for the competitive
edge, especially in business. Professions will fight for the
valuable commodity (information) that will keep them ahead of the
rest of the pact. An academic researcher needs information to
solve problems and create theories that will undoubtedly keep
him/herself ahead of the field in his/her discipline. Even
artists, fashion designers will be affected. By the nature of
their industry, replication is rampant, to a certain degree, and
will burgeon if information is easily accessible. If that s the
case artists will lose their authenticity, however, due to
serendipity and creativity, they may gain new ideas and designs
to enhance their respective disciplines.
Presently we can access and deliver information millions of miles
away on the other side of the world. This was unfathomable years
ago, but in the age of the INTERNET information is going to be
the blood allowing the body of society to function smoothly.
Without this communication network we may be thrown back into the
days of civilization where mediums facilitating communication
were non-existent. Information and communication will be so
immense that society may form into a single entity, a global
community. Although this is a broad view there may be a
rudimentary integration of a global society. For instance,
automatic translation of different languages for users of the
INTERNET. A Canadian researcher communicating in English may
deliver messages instantaneously translated into Chinese for a
Chinese scientist.
In the INERNET era, information highways are the driving force
eliminating the need for paper as medium for communication.
Digitized text reinforces and supports the move for a paperless
environment. Digital text is eternal and immortal, stored in
electronic facilities, whereas paper is mortal and indefinite
with a simple force of a hand or water. Without a doubt, the
strengths of information highways as communication mediums will
put smiles on the members and proponents of the environment
movement. Consequently, typing will become a mandatory
prerequisite implemented in our education system. That is until
thoughts can be entered into a computer through voice activation.
Unfortunately (or to some - fortunately), the paperless
environment is presently not a reality and will take years for it
to become a part of society. Despite the exponential growth of
the INTERNET and computers entering more homes, not every man
and women has access to computers and this communication medium.
Additionally the 100% safeguard of computer storage is not
guaranteed (because of computer viruses and the like), thus
furthering the acceptance of a paperless environment. With
regard to mail, the Email system will definitely flourish.
Sending messages so easily and quickly will make writing letters
more enjoyable. May be future post offices will integrate the
Email system in their organization. Individual booths will have
voice or hand activated input devices that delivers any where and
place in the world at a cost comparable to a postage stamp.
Where ever the Email system will be located, the
telecommunications industry will probably be the main and most
important industry of the future. This industry will provide
jobs, compensating for the lost occupations that were replaced by
computers and robotics.
In the education system today, computers are becoming more
prevalent. Children are using it at a younger age, starting in
elementary schools. By this integration of digital technology
into our schools, children might grow lacking interpersonal
skills and a social life. This statement is generalized, but
Darwin s theory of evolution may support the truth. As years
pass by children will lose touch of reality. Communicating
through the INTERNET with someone without physical contact will
deprive them of the experiences and feeling from conversing with
a person face-to-face. Additionally, the large world we live on
will be mentally visualized as a small world, more intense than
we currently imagine. Conversely, there are a lot of positive
outcomes from modern technology in schools. The INTERNET will
facilitate and enhance knowledge, and provoke healthy
imagination. If children read text sent to them through the
INTERNET, imagination will flourish as they try to grasp the
meaning of the text and the person they are communicating with.
In medicine and academic research, information technology can be
very beneficial and advantageous. Researchers can congregate via
computer networks (such as MediaMoo or other MUDs) facilitating
the possibilities of cures for the earth s illnesses and human
diseases. With the use of computers and network, doctors and
researchers will be able to work together and tackle the world s
problems. Moreover, sociologists can record, observe, and study
dialogue from players in a text form of Virtual Reality
(communication networks), allowing the fabrication of invaluable
conclusions and theories. For biologists, computers can produce
artificial life. Computer generated living beings live and
reproduce much like their biological counterparts. This
breakthrough will most definitely impact further studies into
reproduction of, for example, micro organisms that are the
foundation for living forms. Simulating biological growth can
give scientists the observational advantage without the lengthy
task of observing the real life growth stages.
The all too familiar human occupation loss from computer
capabilities is more pervasive as the years go by. We have
already experienced the impact of Robotics in the work place and
due to the growth of the INTERNET and VIRTUAL REALITY computer
substitutable occupations will be diminishing. Operators and
information servers are the unfortunate victims of this
technological take-over. Conversely, new occupations may result
from such take-overs. Additionally, because of advanced
softwares and artificial intelligence, modern architects (for
example) have evolved from its true origin. Now the most
strenuous part of their job is to problem solve and design while
the once arduous task of utilizing their drafting and drawing
skills are now obsolete. CADs and the more advanced programs
have most definitely made an impact in this industry, whether its
positive or negative. Researcher have predicted that in the
future occupations will all be replaced or affected by computers,
except for artists, writers, and lawyers. Well, that statement
can now be modified to ALL professions will either be replaced or
affected by technological advancements. Artists facing digital
reproduction of their artwork may encounter appreciation in their
work, to a certain degree. Greater exposure and dissemination of
their artwork will frankly improve advertisement of their
original work, thus creating greater demand and marketability.
This of course is not applicable to every artwork; nevertheless,
it will impact every artist, especially the well-known or
avant-gardes of the art world. Additionally, writers and lawyers
will inevitably be affected by the immense amount of information
floating around in the vast array of networks. A lawyer may win
a case solely because of information he gathered as evidence that
was diligently extracted from a database in another city or
country.
A technological breakthrough that will literally change and rock
contemporary society is VIRTUAL REALITY (VR). If this technology
had photo images in 3D and normal motion speed, there is
practically nothing it can t do. Presently, among others, it is
used in medicine, military, education, training, entertainment,
and research. The potential for VR is enormous. While donning a
mask and wearing a sensitized glove (who knows what other
attachment will be available) one may accomplish tasks before
physically impossible. Essentially, the use of this technology
is without limits. One can think of many ways of concocting a
purpose or objective for VR: simulating warfare for fighter
pilots and soldiers is one assignment VR has accomplished. The
more interesting capabilities of VR is what it will be able to
do, not what it has done. Imagine communicating with a friend on
the other side of the world as though he/she was there in front
of you. Images and sounds just like the real thing will fool
the mind and give humans the ability to do almost anything
without the presence of physical contact. A fencer under VR wi | |
