New Media Art

Dada + New Media Art both described 'reactions'. What did they 'react' to?

Dada was in reaction to the industrialization of warfare and the mechanical reproduction of texts and images while New Media art is the reaction to the information technology revolution and the digitization of cultural forms.

What are some similarities of new media art to Dada, Pop, Video art?

Basically, new media art is evaluated from Dada. Dada aims to challenge the traditional art judgement and jar the complacent audience by making fun of the artwork. The techniques and subjects that Dadaists used such as collage, the readymade, political action, and performance can also be found in new media art. Electronic Disturbance Theater's FloodNet and Fran Illich's Borderhack are the example of new media art which blurred the boundaries between art and political action.

Also, the development of new media art also linked with Pop Art tightly, they are also engaged with commercial culture. However, Pop art combines the magazine images and popular icons of the culture into an artwork while new media artists utilize the world's current technology to create artworks.

Video art shares many similarities with new media art too. New Media artists treat Internet is a portable video camera that can be an accessible artistic tool that allows new media artists to explore the changing relationship between technology and culture.

When was Net Art first included in a major exhibition: Documenta X (Kassel Germany)

In 1997, the first Net Art exhibition called Documenta X exhibited in Kassel, Germany. By using email and other websites promotion on Internet, it provides a platform for more people to discuss and know about Net Art artists and their artworks.

(http://www.documenta12.de/archiv/dx/english/frm_home.htm)

Is New Media Art focused in one country. Why or Why not?

Sure not. As the Internet break the geographical boundary between different places, no matter where you are and what time is it, users from different countries can also access on Internet at the same time to view the artworks. 


Why were many artists drawn to new media art from others?

Responding to the concept of globalization, as the increasing demand of technology, globalization was both a cause and an effect of the widespread use of the Internet, wireless telephones, and other  information and communication  technologies. New media artists can earn their living by selling their work of art and spread multinational partnerships into worldwide. Also, they can enjoy a free discussion in ideas with other artists among the world.  

Networked Art: Mark Napier's 'Shredder'

Mark Napier's 'Shredder'

http://www.potatoland.org/shredder/

 

This work is typical of much digital art because it is an artwork that places importance on several features. First is formal instructions, 'Shredder' actually have a standard instruction or program in creating the above layout. 'Shredder' generates the new images and input the website links into the background in order to create a messy but standard structure of webpage. Second is the feature of 'the concept rather than the art object', the concept of 'Shredder' is changing the appearance of the original website, it totally destroyed the normal view and objects in the website and form another layout, audience cant recognize original pages. The third feature is the event and audience participation. When Mark Napier was creating 'Shredder', he set up a small event of 'Shredder' which is leading the audience to type in the web address and click 'ENTER' to view the modified webpages. Lastly, it comes to the feature of 'borrowing and appropriation', 'Shredder' is the work of borrowing other existing website as the base of his production, 'Shredder' takes the interface and images from the original website to generate its own messy 'Shredder-webpage', but not create all the program and layout from zero.

Why Mark Napier's 'Shredder' is a NET.ART but not digital art?

Digital art is the work that made by the digital technique such as computer softwares. The digital art can be printed out and put in the gallery for exhibition. However, for NET.ART, the work can only operate on Internet. Users need to access Internet to view the work of NET.ART. Mark Napier's 'Shredder' is a NET.ART because it requires audience to operate on Internet. It is a kind of conventor that convent the organial webpage into a messy appreance and form a new artpiece. As 'Shredder' can only be operated with Internet, so it is NET.ART but not digital art.

The Ethics of Digital Games (2nd Edition)

According to the film ‘Game Revolution’, it analyzed the development of game industry in a very comprehensive way.

First, there are some advantages of playing videogames for individuals. Based on the video, it points out that videogames are the new language for teenagers nowadays. They can learn the complex things from playing videogames. Also, some videogames have educational aspects which teaching players to engage meaningful activities. Players can learn a new kind of understanding without stress, they play in a relax condition and they learnt easily. However, there are some disadvantages too. The video mentioned that some games which containing negative competition mode would encourage the players under 18 become more aggressive.

Second, for societies, ‘Game Revolution’ introduced many ‘professional players’ cases in the videogames industry. The video provides many statistics to prove videogames industry earn billions income each year, it shows that players can really earn money from playing videogames or even seek playing videogames as a job. However, the video also talks about the launch of the violence videogames would be harmful to the values of teenager because they may apply such negative mindsets to reality.

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Example: The Sims (2000)

"What you do outside your home now matters as much as what you do within."

The Sims is the good example to illustrate this topic. The Sims is a strategic life simulation video game series. The player creates virtual people called "Sims" and places them in houses and helps direct their moods and satisfy their desires. 

Playing The Sims allows users to have decision-making in a virtual communities in order to achieve their goals, therefore, The Sims is somehow provide a platform for players to learn the problem-sloving skills. Also, players can access in a new life and role to experience others' fate. Under the control of the players, the character have to work in different places in order to gain money for buying house and organize a family, thus its a very real-like video game that gather many topics on Internet throughout the years. 

However, as virtual communities in The Sims is very alike to reality, some of the players, especially for those under 18 who have weak time management, they will keep playing The Sims, living under the virtual communities. Some players said that its better to live in Sims city because you can actually control your fate but the reality cant. Another disadvantage of The Sims is the sexual elements in the game, it is also harmful for the teens who aged below 18.