~The Progressive Morphing of Net Art~
A relevant topic in the History and Theory of Digital art is the discourse regarding what net art actually is. Over the short but rapidly evolving history of Digital Art, the boundaries of the definition of net art has blurred to include work that is contradictory to the actual conceptual definition of net art. Net art is not to be confused with net.art or art on the net. To complicate the situation even more, sometimes all these terms are used interchangeably. Net.art refers to a specific group of artists who worked in the medium of the Internet from 1992-97. Art on line can be any type of art viewed on the Internet. Initially, the definition of net art in the most exclusive sense referred to art that used the Internet as an artistic medium, and was experienced only on the Internet. "Art that uses the internet as its medium and that cannot be experienced in any other way."(MTAA , 1997) Net art was a very contained and interactive environment, an intimate Internet space, shared between the viewer and artist. As time has progressed, technologies have advanced, and the conceptual ideas of net art have changed, thus the earlier definition of net art has morphed. Presently, the term net art has begun to include combinations of other digital processes. At the Summary of the Mobile Studio, The Challenges of Curating Net Art Web Conference, May 26, 2006, Lauren Cornell, Executive Director of Rhizome and Adjunct Curator at the New Museum of Contemporary Art stated, “It is a different work now that the Internet has extended into space, onto bodies, and onto devices and off just only the Web a terrain of hybrid works has opened up.”
The theme of this curatorial project is to show the evolution of net art progressing from the original definition, art made on the Internet and experienced on the Internet, to the present expanded boundaries of the term net art, which involves the internet as a medium but can be explored in public space. The following five art work examples presented chronologically from 1996-2010, are indicators of the continuous morphing and progression of terminology, method, and of the creativity and innovation of net art. It appears that the older term net art is still being used by some but now there seems to be a transformation of this term to new media or new media artist.
In 1996, Russian artist Olia Lialina created If you want me to clean your screen, her early browser work is considered to be an important contribution to net.art history, and her work is also considered net art. If you want me to clean your screen was part of an exhibit called Miniatures of the Heroic Period, thought to be a very progressive exhibition for its time. To quote Lialina, “It was the first exhibition ever that explicitly offered net.art (technically web pages) for sale.” The piece may seem rudimentary compared to todays standards, but it’s really an intelligent work of art. A scanned image of Lialina’s hand, open and pressed flat against a screen is in contrast to a dark background. A stamp with the picture of a woman is in the palm of the hand facing the viewer. Text instructs the visitor, “if you want me to clean your screen, scroll up and down.” By placing an arrow on the hand, the viewer can move it up and down or left and right, stamp and all. It appears as if the hand is wiping the screen from the inside. However, as the viewer moves the image of the hand, the viewer becomes part of the gesture of wiping the screen. Interactivity is an integral part of net art. It’s funny, but there is social commentary, it’s possible she was referring to the women’s labor role in Russian society. In 2010, Lialini presently works at the Merz Akademie in Stuttgart, Germany as professor at the department of New Media She also writes on digital culture, net art and web vernacular. Link to 2010, Lialini
http://nimk.nl/eng/calendar/digital-folklore-book-presentation-by-olia-lialina
In 2004, Joan Heenskerk and Dirk Paesmans created Max Payne Cheats Only. These two artists work under the name of Jodi, or jodi.org (Jodi=The first two letters of her name, and the first two letters of his name). Jodi is part of the original “net.art” group and their work is considered net art. Their art is conceptually intellectual, the content difficult to decipher unless one understands the artist’s intent. In Max Payne Cheats Only, Jodi deconstructs the ultra violent and hugely popular vigilante computer game called Max Payne. By using absurd perspectives and effects to manipulate the game, the “mission” gets disassembled. For example in this link, the characters endlessly repeat meaningless actions, such as running in the same direction, no way out. In Jodi’s version, the game can no longer be perceived as an “alternative reality” or adventure because the “gamer” too is stuck with nowhere to go. In 2010, Jodi exhibited their on-line piece called http://mydesktop.jodi.org/ at the Network Noise not Noise Exhibition held at Western Front Gallery, British Columbia, Canada. Link it to 2010, Jodi
http://front.nfshost.com/noisenotnoise/?p=44
In 2006, Michael Takeo Magruder created Monolith. He is an American artist who lives and works in the UK. This piece is net art and an example of net art becoming more complex in content and design. Monolith juxtaposes England’s famous circle of stones known as Stonehenge and the British Broadcasting Company. Magruder provides the viewer with an approachable and virtual 3D world in which to view Stonehenge. He references the time of day, the viewers location on the Earth, and the position of the Earth around the sun. The earth’s colors alternate from bright green, red, and shades of black as the sky changes from sunrise to sunset. Magruder appropriates faces and random text from daily BBC Internet news items and overlays them on the stones, and doing so recombines the notions of art and media. “It’s his intention to analyze the interconnections which have been forged between the individual and the pervasive media network. ” Presently, the real Stonehenge can only be viewed from a distance and the original purpose of the circle of stones is unknown. Perhaps Magruder feels that way about the BBC, or news in general. In 2010, Michael Takeo Magruder exhibited Changing Room, A mixed reality installation, at Eastside Project's second gallery in the UK.
Link to 2010 Magruder
http://www.takeo.org/nspace/sl004/
In 2009, Natalie Bookchin began her art work Testament. Bookchin is a well known name in the world of digital arts and she has been producing socially relevant net art since the early nineties. She is an artist, lecturer, and teacher and holds a master’s degree in photography. Bookchin has created many online projects which can be accessed through her website. For example her early work includes Bookchin and Alexei Shulgan’s An Introduction to net.art (1994-1999) http://www.easylife.org/netart/, a “manifesto” about making art in an “online universe.” Her current work Testament really shows the broadening of the term net art. This interactive piece is produced by video and experienced on the Internet, but still comes under the heading of net art. Testament, is an ongoing series of multi-channel video installations made up of fragments of anonymous people simultaneously and intimately talking about their lives. In this link, they are talking about when they were laid off from work. The participant can’t see the viewer, but the viewer can see the participant. The viewer can also empathize, but can’t interact.
In 2009, Australian multimedia artist Kit Webster created Morphology. His work includes a combination of installation, mapping, digital, video, technology, and animation. Some of his work has been referred to as digital sculpture. One of his installation pieces is Morphology which combines sculpture, sound, and digital projection. He designed a geometric sculpture from stacked cubes and projected a series of motion graphics onto it with a digital projector. Along with rhythmic and synchronized sounds he designed an awesome kaleidoscope effect, a sequence of changing patterns. Although his incredible installations are shown in galleries, his art work translates very well on Internet sites such as Vimeo and his own website, and considered net art when viewed on the net. Regarding the future of digital art, Webster stated, “Complete digital control has taken over the environment... I really feel that there could be an infinite number of experiences that we are not yet equipped to discover. We are really on a threshold of technological discovery."
