Artifact 7: Art, Games, and Technology Research
Objectives:
– Learn about the history of computer graphics
– Examine the role of technology as force for cultural maintenance and change
– Discuss the validity of art created with the aid of machines
In “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins”, the author Beverly J. Jones examined the rapid and significant changes of computer graphics during times, especially from 1945 to the present. She also talked about the relationship between “specific image, object, event or environment to conceptual frames.” (P.21) which exist within art and technology, and she emphasized that “cultural patterns embedded in their material and symbolic form” The primary thesis of this article is even though technology development is rapid and significant, old cultural patterns do not die. As she said “They may fade or become more evident…they may be deemphasized or emphasized.” (P.21)
One of the three historical examples Jones provided as an illustration of her thesis is during the early years of computing. “…Working at Bell Labs in 1966, Knowlton and Harmon produced gray-scale images form drawings, photographs and real objects by using data from a photodensitometer. ” (P.24) Jones stated, “This instrument presents the scanned image so prevalent in contemporary work.” (P.24) This example just shown that even though technology was not that developed in the early years of computing, people today are still drawn to the artwork with the same old patterns. Just like Jones thesis “old cultural patterns do not die.”
Another example to illustrate Jones’ thesis at work in today’s culture would be the instant camera. Instant photography, “Invented at Polaroid during the 1940s. Company founder Edwin H. Land masterminded the development of a one-step dry process that produced a finished photography a minute after the picture was taken.”(Baker Library.) So before the invention of instant camera, people had to go to the dark room and make photo. However, nowadays people can just use the instant camera to take photographs everywhere and the photos would come out on the photo paper just in seconds. Compare to the old fashion and digital camera, instant camera seems to keep advantages of new technology and also continuing the fashion of old culture patterns.
Reflection:
(I took this picture, and I found the design of new MacPro is interesting. )
I chose this artifact because it led me learning the history of computer graphics that in the past decades technology became a very essential factor to promote our society and had great impacts on people’s everyday lives. I also learned the relationship between art and technology.
Nowadays, technology both developed and at the same time damaged people’s communication by providing many services such as texting and social media. The fact is people communicate to others more easily and convenient, but not face to face, or not in reality. So I assume that the communication skill would not be developed as before. When talking about the relationship between art and technology, I want to say that digital art developed rapidly and significantly, but the old cultural patterns do not die. Just as Beverly states in the article, “…They may fade or become more evident…they may be deemphasized or emphasized.” (P.21)
Even though I am not the one who plays computer games or watching TV shows a lot, but I can understand that people benefits from technology. So after watching the TedTalk, I understood more about the cultural changes made by technology.
Future goals:
In the future I want to see more objects that combine art and technology together, such as the picture I post above. The design of MacPro is new, fun, and creative. It definitely combines art and technology, in this case technology and art helped each other to develop.
Bibliography:
Table of Contents:
Artifact 1: First Blog Post- JR and His Exhibitions
Artifact 2: Life Values Assessment
Artifact 5: The Art of Personal Adornment
Artifact 6: Creative Spirituality
Artifact 7: Art, Games, and Technology Research