For centuries, art has been used to inspire, challenge our
current perspectives and to present an alternate reality. New media joins the
art world with digital technology and opens up a new area of possibilities by asking
the audience to join in.
Art and new media are illusive concepts. What makes a
picture art? What makes a video on a website new media? Their definitions are
subjective. But both concepts span multiple disciplines to create something
new. Art draws upon history, politics, philosophy, and other areas for
inspiration. New media spans across the same disciplines but adds modern-day
skills to the mix, including photography, web design and filmmaking.
Innovative technology and software are being developed that
will allow us to communicate with our viewers and listeners in a way that
traditional art could have only dreamed of. New media will not replace art; it
simply transforms it into its next form on the evolutionary scale.
Still developing
One of the most intriguing aspects of new media is the sense
that this new medium is still developing. We can participate in this digital
revolution. The boundaries are still being drawn and there is still time to
sneak in.
As the entrance fee into the art world lowers, and the cost
of production crashes, art once again belongs to the masses. The abundance of
cheap, portable and easy-to-use technology and software has opened the doors to
millions of people to allow them to become creators of new media and not just
consumers.
Not everyone would agree. But just like art, the world of
new media is subjective.
