Technology
The 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
Artifact (original post link):
In this week’s reading, “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” by Beverly J. Jones, it describes how the technology and art are combined or related to each other. I think the primary thesis of “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” is “New forms of art and technology are frequently cast in the mode of old forms, just as other aspects of material and symbolic culture have been.” (Jones, Page 21) Throughout this week’s reading, Jones mentions this thesis several times in different sentences, but the same meaning. There are three historical examples that Jones provides.
One of those three historical examples is the earliest computer graphics by Ben F. Lapofsky and Herbert W. Franke. In the reading, Jones says “Ben F. Lapofsky and Herber W. Franke were among the pioneers creating these images. Franke’s graphics were phase forms, presented as events rather than as static imagery. Lapofsky’s Oscillon No. 4 was included in the first edition of Franke’s book, Computer Graphics – Computer Art. His work continues to explore similar forms.” (Jones, Page 22) Although the technology has been developed dramatically, the work of Ben and Herbert continued to be commonly used by others until today.
First thing that comes into my mind when I think about technology and art is Photoshop and Powerpoint. One illustration of Jones’ thesis at work in today’s culture is Cohen’s work. In the reading, the author says, “Cohen has constructed a series of computer programs that direct the activities of a drawing turtle. He attempts to describe the process by which human beings read symbols and images. His programs imitate experts who know aspects of picture making, such as shading, spatial distribution and determination of inside and outside of forms…. Cohen’s work extends earl attempts to produce computer simulation of the step of artists such as Klee, Hartung and Mondrian. Cohen also attempted stylistic simulations of Bach’s musical style.” (Jones, Page 25) Just like Jones’s thesis, Cohen created new form of computer programs based on earlier attempts.
I think “Old Media, Digitized, Make New Forms” by Martin Gayford support Jones’s thesis statement. In the article, Fischer says “”People see I sue computers, so they say I’m making computer art,” he said. “It’s not about making computer art; it’s just using the new thing. Everybody uses it.”” (Martin, 2012) Fischer is definitely working in a new form of making art; however, the new form is “casting in the mode of an old form.” By using computer when making his own art, it might seem like a completely new form, but it is actually staying in the old form but processed in different way.
Reflection:
While working on this art, games, and technology research assignment, I realized that there is a deep connection between technology and art. Before reading the assigned reading, “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” by Jones, I was one of those who think that technology eliminates the original artworks and generates an evolution in the art field. The technology related to the art, however, is actually based on the original art form and develop or improve its form based on them.
There are several evidences that technology evolves based on the original form. One is the earliest computer graphics by Ben F. Lapofsky and Herbert W. Franke. They created a computer graphics in a form of phase. Later on, the computer graphics developed and had a form of static imagery. But the static imagery was developed based on the original, the phase form. (Jones, Page 22) If we see a well-developed technology, we might have thought that it came out of nowhere; however, there is some base form that the “new” technology is originated. This assignment made me think that there are no such things that are not useful or meaningful. Although things are getting out-dated and faded away from us, those are bases of something else that we use or know.
Future Goals:
I used to prefer new materials to old ones. Now I know that the new ones are based on the old things. I am going to value more on the originals than I did before. From now on, I will keep it mind that the new things exist because of the originals, and I will appreciate the existence of the originals.
Click here for the YouTube video link for the computer graphics technology by Ben F. Lapofsky and Herbert W. Franke.
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