New Media and Visual Culture

The information in 2.1 through 2.4 is describing the differences in virtual reality of the past and present. This reading also links Baroque art and it perspective with the 3D effect of "Albertini's Window". Panorama was also discussed thoroughly in the readings. I particularly found the stereoscope reference interesting because my husband has an antique stereoscope.

Steps to media

1. The technology must be feasible.

2. Ideation- building prototype is an example.

3. Invention- inspiration or the Eureka moment. This is when the technology exists and moves beyond prototyping.

Vocabulary:

Medium- A set of social institutional and aesthetic (as well as technological) arrangements for carrying and distributing information, ideas, text, and, images.

Cave VR- Virtual reality in which the body is unencumbered by a headset and can move in a surround screen projection.

Imitation- the model is built or imitates pre-existing realities.

Simulation- the model precedes the reality.

Universal Machine- the computer

Albertini-fifteenth century art theorist who is widely known for formulating a method of constructing images with perspective.

Pictorial Space-"Albertini's window" or the space known as virtual reality

Baroque- Architecture, sculpture, and painting used by religious and secular rulers which flourished in the Catholic Church.

Panorama-A method for constructing accurate perspectives on curved surfaces. An example of panorama is Barker's Panorama created in 1793 and stereoscope.

New Media

The first section of the readings this week focuses on the history of New Media. It also talks about post modernism and modernism. I found it interesting that the author believes that in order to focus on New Media we must look at history. The reason they focus on history is because some of the media is a continuation of old traditions. I guess with all art it is important to know where it comes from to understand and appreciate it.  An example of this is looking back at anatomy sketches from Da Vinci. The anatomy sketches are fantastic in their own right but one would appreciate them more knowing that at the time he was sketching anatomy it was thought of as taboo to study a dead body. Because he was famous he was given permission to dissect in order to draw the muscle, tendons, and bones of cadavers. In this way I feel history is very important to the present art movements.

Interesting to me was the argument about whether technology changes humans.  In anthropology class we discuss this issue referring not to art but to human adaptability. It has been shown that humans known as digital natives (born with a computer in the house) have different brain waves than the digital immigrants (not born and raised on the computer).  This says that technology in some ways has changed the wiring of the human brain.

Question: If new media is a direct culmination of historical processes then is each country have its own unique version of new media?

CITATION:
Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2008. Print.

Postmodernism

Postmodernism is interesting because it seems as if the artists of this movement were on a mission to create something never seen before. Also interesting to me is that postmodernism rejects modernism at the same time it shows knowledge of modernism. I guess this is a reflection of the times.

When Dada started it was post WW I and many parts of life was in a state if recovery and growth. Many of the pieces seem very dark or confusing to me. 

Pop art also reflected the times as the art was reflecting everyday life both in the USA and England.  Most people were watching television, reading magazines and comic books. Lichtenstein's work reminds me of comic books and commercial advertisements.

Due to art reflecting the times one sees more of gender issues and roles in postmodernism. An example of this is the feminism art movement. This movement has female artists changing the perception or reflecting on the female role in society. 

I particularly like the Mud Man sculpture in Cornwall, England. I enjoy this sculpture because it has a whimsical feel to it. The sculpture brings different mediums from nature to build the earth art. This piece I can see myself having in the backyard of my home.