Re: art & technology: an issue of audience?


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by rachel greene on April 11, 1997 at 19:58:31:

In Reply to: art & technology: an issue of audience? posted by Benjamin Weil on April 11, 1997 at 18:18:34:

Interesting point about the use of video, and how new media art is
handled differently. Low production values, and the use of video as a
degraded form reflect a current lo-fi vogue. Grunge music,
street literature, indie rock, street fashion, indie film, all of these
reflect a trend towards the unpolished. There is a way in which high
production values are a turn off. In ways that are gestures towards more democratic, accessible forms, but still remain image based (and ultimately shallow).

I think new media art gets stuck with regard to this aesthetic. It seems
that when technology is involved, people still want to see simple,
coherent, pretty things. And artists like Ken Feingold have different
agendas -- ones that don't necessarily involve "pretty things." (I
mean, even I found myself wishing for a nice, clean design-y interface
after seeing Ken's challenging work.) But then again, the technology
can't be too flawless. It becomes a target when it's too clever and
clean. Critics respond as if technology "tricks" render the artist into
a David Copperfield kind of performer.



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