Blais, J. And Ippolito,
J. (2006), At the Edge of Art,
London, Thames and Hudson, Introduction, pages 7-13
In this particular
case, the work of Joe Davies is not alone other ‘artists’ have now started to
carry out similar experiments to the ones he has been performing to be able to
find out if art has become ‘embedded in a bacterial genome’[i]Joe
Davies in particular wanted to start carrying out experiments to uncover
similarities and different in works and how they be used to an advantage as
well. It is stated that ‘one reason is a shift interest from traditional forms
to new-media tools and technologies’[ii]
which would imply that artists and poets have become this way due to new
advances in technologies and they are almost trying to keep up with the forever
quickening pace of new discoveries.
Recently, again due to
advancements in technology the art world has gone more viral and more websites
are appearing connected to art; meaning that those ‘who would never set foot in
a gallery stumble across works of art’[iii]
by the off chance. Although this may seem like the end of galleries and museums
due to these websites but it could still be argued that you do not get to truly
appreciate that art anymore. When looking at an online image of artwork it may
be easier to access due to the Web being at our fingertips but the true
feelings for the artistry no longer; as brush strokes aren’t clear and it no
longer becomes a one off piece that can be valued and treasured.
In the text Art as Antibody there is speculation
into how much we actually need art in our lives. According to the text, we do
need it to survive. ‘Art may be temporally out of place, but society needs to
make place for it because society needs art to survive’[iv]
is an extract taken from the text and rather dramatically states that without
art we wouldn’t be able to cope. This is a unique argument due to the fact that
the society is ever changing and sometimes there is no room for art to be a
part of it; due to technology taking its place in some instances. But whether
or not to call art an antibody or liken it to an antibody could be taking it a
step too far in some cases and as stated in the text: ‘portraying art as a
virus may describe some of it proclivities but is misleading.’[v]
On the other hand, ‘a
better example of a cultural phenomenon that acts like a virus might be
technology.’[vi] We now bring a new
argument to the table from the text Technology
is a Virus. It states that ‘No artwork has ever brought us to the brink of
extinction’[vii]
which is a powerful statement to argue just how much of a killer technology can
be while artwork may cause controversy and spark debate amongst scholars and
the general public, it doesn’t have the physical capability to destroy mankind.
Differentially, what this text is trying to convey is how much damage
technology can actually cause as we have the power to press a ‘few buttons to
pound the worlds cities into radioactive rubble’[viii]
as the text has so crudely put.
‘The only way for art
to keep up with the energetic pace of technology in the Internet age is to
adopt many of its functions.’[ix]
The technology age that we are currently in means that art is being phased out
unless it uses some of the techniques technology has to offer. The age of art
needs to be redesigned and adapted so that it can successfully move forward and
find a place in the new world. In terms of whether or not we need art as part
of our community is another question and art needs to move onwards and upwards
with the times to have ‘lasting social impact.’[x]
‘So, what makes an
antibody different from a virus – and art different from mere technological
innovation?’[xi] In the short run there is
not a lot of difference between the two. Both arguments are pretty clear in a
way that an antibody will do its best to protect the body from the infection
and if need be take on aspects of the virus to be able to keep up with it. This
is the same with the art vs. technology discussion. In order to preserve itself
art has had to use aspects of technology to make it thrive in the ever
advancing world – even if it means taking on aspects of it to improve itself
further.
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