Art & Technology: Can they Coexist?

At first I was skeptical on whether or not technology and art could coexist happily together. As Martinez (2017) observes in her article “historically, the art world has been decidedly reluctant to adopt technological advances as a means of creating and disseminating art” (para. 1). In truth art has been greatly influenced by new technologies with the advent of new materials, mediums, devices and technological advances in society changing the way artists express themselves (Rieland, 2014). Rieland (2014) identifies in his article the ‘Digital Revolution’ and explains how technology is reshaping what art is and how it is being produced.  

In the instance of Impressionism the invention of portable paint tubes redefined the art world by offering artists the new freedom of painting outdoors ‘en plein air’ (National Gallery of Australia [NGA], n.d.). This innovation allowed artists to leave the studio and create art that was inspired by the world around them (NGA, n.d.). It undeniably revolutionised the art world and helped bring to fruition the avant-garde movement known today as Impressionism (NGA, n.d.).

Just as new technologies have changed the art world, so too can it redefine the way we teach and learn about art in the classroom. During my own studies of art history I discovered the extensive benefits and support that technology could provide me. From learning how to pronounce difficult artists name such as those of Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky and early Netherlanish painter Hieronymus Bosch. I would frequently turn to pronunciation resources that were available online to improve my pronunciation of art specific terminology and names.

References:

Martinez, N. (2017, June 22). Exploring the Intersection of Art and Technology, Artrepreneur.

National Gallery of Art. (n.d.). Impressionism. Retrieved from https://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/features/slideshows/impressionism.html

Rieland, R. (2014, August 27). Seven ways technology is changing how art is made, Smithsonia. Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/7-ways-technology-is-changing-how-art-is-made-180952472/