Art and Technology
In “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origin”, Jones discusses the evolution of computer graphics, and examines the role that technology has increasingly been playing in the creation of art. She explains that the technology of today was built on the foundation of the technology of yesterday, and so on back in time, and in each stage of technology, it has been used to create art. She says “The 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”, showing that in the same way the symbolic culture builds upon itself, technology (specifically art from technology) is cast from the old molds, and altered (21 Jones).
Jones uses the example of computer graphics (or CGI) to illustrate her thesis. She talks about the origins of computer graphics, saying “In the 1940’s analogue computers were used to generate the earliest computer graphics and display them on oscilloscopes. Ben F. Lapofsky and Herbert W. Franke were among the pioneers creating these images. Franke’s graphics were phase forms, presented as events rather than as static imagery” (52 Jones). The earliest forms of computer graphics have lead to each technological advancement in the CG field, to the point where it is difficult to differentiate between real and computer generated content in video games and movies.
The best example I can think of that illustrates Jones’ point that technology builds on itself, even to the point of it being cyclical is vinyl records. At one point, vinyl records were the most technologically advanced means of distributing music (art), but was eventually made obsolete by technological advancments (8-tracks, cassettes, CDs, MP3s). That technology has seemed to found it it’s way into the mainstream once again. I myself love to collect vinyl records and listen to even new music on vinyl, and there are many people who share that sentiment. Vinyl record sales are up over 30% from last year. There are companies that are still building and selling turntables, and some of them have been modernized, and in my opinion, look awesome.
