Reading Exercise: Art in the age of digital distribution

1.      Dada and New Media Art both described as “reactions”. What did they “react” do?

Dada reacted to the industrialization of warfare and the mechanical reproduction of texts and images. New Media Art reacted to the information technology revolution and the digitization of culture forms.

2.      What are some similarities of New Media Art to Dada, Pop and Video Art?

New Media Art reuse the strategies of Dada artists, such as the photomontage, collage, the readymade, political action and performance-as well as Dada artist’s provocative use of irony and absurdity to jar complacent audiences.

Similar to many Pop painting and sculptures, some New Media Art refers to and is engaged with commercial culture.

The introduction of new technology catalyzes the popularization of Video Art and New Media Art as an art movement. The invention of portable video camera and PortPak are relatively inexpensive and affordable to artists. As a result, it encourages the artist to develop Video Art. The introduction of the Web browser intensified the birth of New Media art as a movement. Therefore, this two art forms aims to make use the accessible artistic tool (Web Browser or portable camera) to explore the changing relationship between technology and culture.  

 3.      When Net Art was first included in a major exhibition: Documenta X in Kassel, Germany?

Net Art was first included in the Documenta X exhibition in Kassel, Germany since 1994.

 4.      Is new media art focused in one country? Why or Why not?

New Media is not focused in one country.

New Media Art is world-wide movement. E-mail and Web Sites served as alternative channels for the discussion, promotion and exhibition of New Media art work, enabling artists to form an online art scene that is available to worldwide contemporary art and digital culture. Its worldwide nature can be indicated by the proliferation in the 1990s of international biennial exhibitions, including the Johanneburg Biennial and the Gwangju Biennial.

 5.      Why were many artists drawn to new media art from other disciplines?

Advances in personal computing hardware and software attract many artists drawn to new media art form other disciplines. In the mid-1990s, the personal computers becomes affordable and able to manipulate images, render 3D models, design Web pages, edit and mix audio with ease. Also, the first generations of artists have grown up with personal computers and videogame was coming of age. They are familiar with the new net technology.