The Aesthetic Status of Technological Art.

Mandelbrojt, J., Fremiot, M., & Malina, R. F. (1999). The Aesthetic Status of Technological Art. Leonardo, 32(3), 211.


The focus of this article was the impact of technology on the visual arts and the part the viewer plays in this new art form. How does a piece that does not physically exist - say a digital image - compare to a more traditional work that takes up space or can be visited in a museum somewhere? Does the fact that the viewer can alter the piece through interaction or choice, thus creating something completely new and individualized, alter the intentions of the creator?  Is the designer an artist or an engineer?  Does the viewer become the creator as well?  Is an interactive work just entertainment, or does it become something more?

The editors of this article attempted to address some of these questions by breaking them down into several categories:

The first topic is examined through the colloquialism of Childhood Illnesses and Youthful Enthusiasm.  This term is used to describe the "baggage" or ideas the artist brings with them to the digital media.  Are they simply trying to recreate their traditional techniques via digital means, or are they just playing with a new toy?

The second point was the role of the spectator.  How will this technology be used?  What role does the viewer play in the was the piece is constructed?

This question was expanded upon in the next topic which was the question of interactivity.  When a work is designed to be used or modified, what role does the viewer take in that experience?  If a work changes depending on the person who interacts with it, what does that work then become?  Is it completely new and unique?  Does it continue to evolve into something different and personalized? In other words, what role does choice play in art?

That question poses another point.  What role does communication play in the art world.  The digital world allows the global community to communicate in new and exciting ways.  A viewer can take a virtual tour of a museum from anywhere in the world.  Likewise, they can communicate with other viewers, thus influencing that same digital experience for other people without every leaving their home.  This level of interactivity is unprecedented in the world of art and creates a multitude of new possibilities.

Next, what is the role of the artist?  If the designer is allowing their work to modified by the spectator, is the piece still intrinsically the same?  Does it still elicit the same response?  Does it follow the vision of the artist as intended or is it something else engineered by the viewer?  Again, is the artist a creator or simply a designer who develops a medium for the interactive party?

The last question of interest was the most simple: "Is it art?"  Is a video game art?  Does a technological work demonstrate a poetic quality? Does the work still convey the vision or intent of the artist if it can be changed?  Is the idea still original and creative?

I found this article to be absolutely fascinating!  It presented questions that are very pertinent to my work and how my profession will evolve going into the future.  The idea of art as an interactive experience is not a new one, but technology has taken that interaction to a whole new level.  Furthermore, we've only begun to scratch the surface of this dynamic new field.  It will be very exciting to see how it continues to develop in the future and the impact it wall have on my student's learning.