history of internet art: blog

Article: https://www.artforum.com/features/web-work-a-history-of-internet-art-2-162477/ 

Considering digital art in comparison to many other art forms is interesting. Digital art is obviously newer, and that is why I believe it remains undervalued, as well as taken less seriously as art. This reading covers it all, starting with Net.Art. I think art is the most purely human thing. Visual art, poetry, music, storytelling all of it is fundamentally human. In the article, the author states that, “building an equitable community in which art was conspicuously present in one’s everyday activities was a collective goal”. I think this is a very valuable and powerful way to approach bringing the arts into a new system that had not yet experienced this kind of creative innovation not geared toward utility. It was also interesting to see how social movements played out across the digital art world. The online feminist movement was impressive, art has always been used in social movements to convey powerful messages, however doing it on a completely new platform was different, and introduced a whole new method of activism into the world. The internet is the most widespread method of communication in the world. Through that, there is always a risk of money-motivated infiltration. The article states, “originally conceived as an alternative social field where art and everyday life were merged, net.art may now seem threatened by its own success—that is, likely to give in to its own increasing institutionalization.” Although those who sacrifice creativity for profit will always try to control every new system, the online art space has done an impressive job placing value on their creativity. The exchange of art online is the exchange of ideas, language, and humanity across seas and continents. The internet allows for this to be accessible to so many, as well as efficient. Digital art is continuously creating new opportunities for artists across the globe.