"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."
--Carl Jung

Ben Laposky, his oscilloscope
and an early "Oscillon"

The Dawn of Digital Art: Pixels, Pioneers, and

Paradigm Shifts In the 1950s and 60s

While most of the world was still marveling at abstract expressionism, a quiet revolution was brewing in the realm of technology. Artists, ever the adventurers, began to explore the creative potential of those hulking, room-sized computers.Picture this: Ben Laposky, hunched over an oscilloscope, coaxing ethereal patterns from electronic waves. His "Oscillons" danced on the boundary between science and art, leaving viewers to wonder if they were gazing at mathematical formulas or cosmic visions

Meanwhile, John Whitney Sr. was busy turning cold, calculating

machines into tools of artistic expression. His abstract films,

with their hypnotic geometric patterns, laid the groundwork

for computer animation as we know it today.

But the real watershed moment came in 1965.

The Howard Wise Gallery in New York, known for its cutting-edge exhibitions, took a leap of faith. "Computer-Generated Pictures" burst onto the scene, featuring the works of Bela Julesz and A. Michael Noll. For the first time, the art world was forced to confront the question: Can a machine create art? Julesz and Noll's pixelated creations challenged traditional notions of artistic skill and intent. Were these images soulless outputs of programmed algorithms, or were they a new form of human expression, mediated through silicon and code?As gallery-goers peered at these strange new artworks, little did they know they were witnessing the birth of a movement that would reshape the very definition of art in the digital age. The seeds of a revolution had been planted, and the art world would never be the same.

#computergraphics #cgi #digitalart #3d #retrocomputing #retrotech #vintagecomputers #earlycomputergraphics

#vintagecomputergraphics #retrocomputergraphics #8bitart #16bitart #pixelart

Susumu Endo: The Digital Master of Sublime Artistry

Susumu Endo, born in 1933 in Kofu, Japan, is a visionary artist who has redefined the boundaries of digital art and printmaking. His journey from a graduate of Kuwasawa Design School in 1962 to a globally recognized master of digital artistry is a testament to the transformative power of artistic innovation.

Endo's works are not mere digital creations; they are profound explorations of the sublime. His art transforms nature into objects and events with a powerful numinous character, as if crafted by an effortless spiritual magic rather than human hands. Every masterful touch in his compositions speaks of a deep understanding of visual art fundamentals, coupled with highly original applications of this knowledge.

Endo's artistic journey began with traditional printmaking but evolved dramatically with the advent of digital technology. His process is characterized by:

Photographic manipulation: Using a single photograph as the foundation, Endo digitally manipulates and enhances the image.

Blending reality and abstraction: He merges natural landscapes with abstract elements, creating surrealistic visions that challenge our perception.

Layering timelines: Endo constructs worlds where the real and unreal coexist by layering different timelines into a single composition. This innovative approach has positioned Endo as a pioneer in digital printmaking, influencing both Japanese and international artists in their exploration of digital media in fine art.

Endo's work has garnered international acclaim, with exhibitions spanning the globe from Japan to Brazil, Poland to the United States. His prints grace prestigious collections, including The British Museum in London and the Sao Paulo Art Museum in Brazil. Numerous awards, including the Purple Ribbon Award from the Government of Japan in 1999, underscore his significant contributions to the art world.

For many artists and art enthusiasts, including myself, Susumu Endo has been a source of mesmerizing inspiration. His mastery of digital media has given me the impetus to pursue decades of artistic creation, setting me on my own course of digital art creation.. Endo's work bridges the gap between graphic design, photography, and fine art printmaking, inspiring a new generation of artists to explore the boundless possibilities of digital manipulation in creating visually striking and conceptually rich artworks.

In essence, Susumu Endo's art invites us to participate in a timeless human endeavor to understand and express the ineffable, to reach for something greater than ourselves, and to share in the collective experience of beauty and meaning.

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hashtag#DigitalArtist
hashtag#ArtOfInstagram
hashtag#ArtistOnInstagram
hashtag#DigitalDrawing
hashtag#DigitalPainting hashtag#digitalnature hashtag#artcommunity hashtag#digitalartinvestment hashtag#contemporaryart hashtag#alanmckee

The Emergence of Computer Graphics (1970s)

The emergence of computer graphics in the 1970s marked a significant turning point for artists, as personal computers began to offer new creative possibilities. During this period, pioneering artists started to explore the potential of these machines as tools for artistic expression.

One notable figure in this emerging field was Harold Cohen, who developed AARON, an innovative AI painting program. AARON represented a groundbreaking approach to computer-generated art, as it could independently create original artworks based on a set of rules and algorithms defined by Cohen1.

As personal computers became more accessible, artists increasingly incorporated them into their creative processes. These early digital tools provided artists with novel ways to experiment with color, form, and composition. The computer's ability to generate complex patterns and iterate quickly opened up new avenues for artistic exploration that were previously impractical or impossible with traditional media1.

This period saw the birth of algorithmic art, where artists like Verah Molnár and Manfred Mohr used computers to give shape to abstract visual systems they had been exploring. By crafting algorithms, these artists could introduce elements of chance and randomness into their compositions, pushing the boundaries of traditional art-making2.

The 1970s laid the foundation for the digital art revolution that would follow in subsequent decades, as artists began to recognize and harness the creative potential of computers in their work.

My own work with computers grew out of the advertising industry which was an early adopter of computer graphics and digital files for print media. Large businesses were only too glad to leave the cumbersome technology of analog printing behind. In fact, in a number of cases I introduced digital technology to national brand clients with whom I worked.

hashtag#computergraphics hashtag#cgi hashtag#digitalart hashtag#3d hashtag#retrocomputing hashtag#retrotech hashtag#vintagecomputers hashtag#earlycomputergraphics hashtag#vintagecomputergraphics hashtag#retrocomputergraphics hashtag#8bitart hashtag#16bitart hashtag#pixelart

Digital Art in Museums; Major institutions collect

and exhibit digital art The "Electra Exhibition' (1980s)

In the 1980s, major museums began to recognize and exhibit digital art, marking an important shift in the acceptance of this emerging medium.

Early Exhibitions

One of the landmark exhibitions of this era was "Electra" at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris in 1983. This groundbreaking show explored the intersection of art, science and technology, featuring works that incorporated electronic and digital elements1. It helped introduce digital art to a wider audience and signaled that prestigious institutions were starting to take this new form seriously.

Collecting Digital Works

During this period, forward-thinking museums also began acquiring digital artworks for their permanent collections. In 1984, the Museum of Modern Art in New York purchased Charles Csuri's "Hummingbird," a computer-generated animation, marking one of the first digital acquisitions by a major museum5.

Artist-in-Residence Programs

Some institutions took an active role in fostering digital art creation. In 1984, IBM awarded John Whitney Sr. an artist-in-residence position, allowing him to further explore computer animation techniques5. This type of program helped legitimize digital art and provided artists with access to cutting-edge technology.

Challenges and Considerations

Museums faced unique challenges in exhibiting and preserving digital art. Unlike traditional mediums, digital works often required specific hardware and software to display properly. Curators and conservators had to grapple with issues of technological obsolescence and how to maintain works created on rapidly evolving platforms.

Growing Acceptance

By the late 1980s, digital art was gaining wider acceptance in the museum world. The 1989 "Art and Computers" exhibition at the Cleveland Gallery in Middlesbrough, UK, which toured for 12 months, demonstrated the growing interest in and recognition of digital art forms5.

As museums embraced digital art, they played a crucial role in validating the medium and introducing it to broader audiences. These early efforts in the 1980s laid the groundwork for the explosion of digital art exhibitions and collections that would follow in subsequent decades.

hashtag#environmentalart hashtag#ecoart hashtag#sustainability hashtag#climatechange
hashtag#contemporaryart hashtag#installationart hashtag#recycle hashtag#landart
hashtag#ecofriendly hashtag#environmentaljustice hashtag#green
hashtag#artivism hashtag#climateaction hashtag#FridaysForFuture
hashtag#ClimateStrike hashtag#SaveThePlanet

Internet Art of the 1990s: The Rise of Net.Art

The 1990s marked a pivotal era in the evolution of art, as the widespread adoption of the Internet and the World Wide Web enabled the emergence of a new and innovative form of artistic expression: Internet art, or more specifically, the net.art movement.

The Net.Art Movement

Net.art, which gained

traction in the mid-1990s, was characterized by its use of the Internet as a primary medium for artistic creation. This movement was not just about creating aesthetically pleasing web pages but about harnessing the novel power of the Internet to explore new forms of interaction, communication, and artistic expression.

Key Figures and Works

Several artists played crucial roles in shaping the net.art movement. One of the most notable figures is Olia Lialina, a Russian artist who created the seminal work "My Boyfriend Came Back From the War" in 1996. This browser-based "netfilm" tells a fictional story through hyperlinked black and white images and simple text, focusing on narrative and emotion rather than technical complexities. Lialina's work prefigured the confessional mode of much digital art that followed.

Images from "My Boyfriend Came Back from the War by Olia Lialina

Another influential artist is Vuk Ćosić, a Slovenian net artist known for his pioneering work in the field. Ćosić, along with other artists like Jodi (Joan Heemskerk and Dirk Paesmans) and Alexei Shulgin, formed the core of the net.art group. These artists often used browser art to transform the structure of websites and the links between servers into visual material, creating unpredictable and innovative interactive experiences.

Characteristics and Impact

Net.art was marked by its subversive nature, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries. It defied traditional modes of art display by circumventing institutional settings and leveraging the Internet's accessibility. This movement was also characterized by its participatory and interactive nature, often involving the viewer directly in the artistic process.

The net.art movement was supported by various online platforms and communities. For instance, The Thing, founded by Wolfgang Staehle in 1991, and Turbulence.org, founded by Helen Thorington in 1996, provided crucial spaces for commissioning, exhibiting, and hosting networked performances4.

Technical and Conceptual Innovations

Net artists frequently employed software art, browser art, and other digital tools to create their works. Jodi, for example, developed programs that transformed PCs into unpredictable machines, mangling web pages by reading the computer's code in unconventional ways. Other artists, like Heath Bunting, used the Internet to create works that extended beyond the computer screen, such as "Kings Cross Phone-In" in 1994, which involved real-world interactions facilitated by the Internet.

Legacy

The net.art movement of the 1990s laid the groundwork for subsequent digital art movements, including post-Internet art. The innovative use of the Internet as a medium for art has continued to influence contemporary artistic practices, with many artists today using social networking platforms, search engines, and other online tools to create and distribute their work.

#Netartmovement #internetart90s #digitalart90s #newmediaart90s

#OliaLialina, #VukCosic, #Jodi, #AlexeiShulgin, #HeathBunting5.

#Artcommunity #digitalartcommunity #arthistory #internetarthistory

#newmediahistory

New Media Art

New Media Art flourished in the 2000s,

ushering in an era of innovative digital creativity and interactive

experiences.

This period saw artists embracing emerging technologies to push the boundaries of artistic expression.

Interactive Installations

The 2000s witnessed a surge in interactive installations that blurred the lines between art, technology, and audience participation. Artists like Rafael Lozano-Hemmer gained international recognition for their large-scale interactive works1. Lozano-Hemmer's "Pulse Room" (2006) featured hundreds of light bulbs that pulsed in rhythm with visitors' heartbeats, creating a mesmerizing symphony of light and human connection.

Virtual Reality and Immersive Experiences

Virtual reality (VR) emerged as a powerful medium

for artistic exploration. Artists began creating

immersive digital worlds that viewers could step

into and interact with. Jeffrey Shaw's "Place-Ruhr" (2000)

allowed participants to navigate a virtual landscape of

the Ruhr region in Germany, blending real and

imagined elements.

Net Art and Social Media

The rise of social media platforms in the mid-2000s provided new avenues for artistic expression and critique. Artists began producing works directly on sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, engaging with the evolving digital culture1. Olia Lialina's "My Boyfriend Came Back from the War" (1996) (see previous post) was continuously updated throughout the 2000s, adapting to new web technologies and serving as a seminal work of net art.

Generative Art and Algorithms

Artists increasingly employed algorithms and

computer-generated processes to create dynamic,

ever-changing artworks. Casey Reas, co-creator of the

Processing programming language, produced stunning

generative artworks that explored the intersection of

code and visual aesthetics.

Data Visualization as Art

The abundance of digital data led artists to explore

new ways of visualizing information. Martin

Wattenberg's "Map of the Market" (1998) and subsequent works transformed financial data into captivating visual representations, bridging the gap between information design and artistic expression.

Collaborative and Participatory Art

New media technologies facilitated unprecedented levels of collaboration and participation in art-making. The "Exquisite Forest" (2012) by Aaron Koblin and Chris Milk, though slightly outside the 2000s, exemplified this trend by allowing users to contribute to an ever-growing animated narrative4.

New Media Art in the 2000s was characterized by its embrace of cutting-edge technologies, interactivity, and a blurring of boundaries between disciplines. It challenged traditional notions of authorship, materiality, and the role of the audience, paving the way for the diverse and technology-driven art practices we see today.

#NewMediaArt #DigitalArt #InteractiveArt #ArtAndTechnology #MediaArt #ContemporaryArt #ArtActivism #VirtualRealityArt #DataVisualization #BioArt #GlitchArt #PerformanceArt #ArtInTheDigitalAge #TechInArt #CulturalCritique

Beeple's 69 MILLION DOLLAR NFT MASTERPIECE, Everydays: The First 5000 days

NFTs-Explained Blockchain Technology: A Digital Revolution

(2010s-Present)

The rise of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology has transformed the digital landscape, creating new opportunities for artists, collectors, and investors alike. This revolutionary technology has its roots in the early 2010s and has since evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry.

The Birth of NFTs

The concept of NFTs can be traced back to 2012 with the introduction of "Colored Coins" on the Bitcoin blockchain1. However, it wasn't until the launch of the Ethereum blockchain in 2015 that NFTs truly began to take shape. Ethereum's smart contract functionality allowed for the creation of unique digital assets, paving the way for the NFT boom we see today.

Key Milestones

2014: The first NFT artwork, "Quantum," was created by Kevin McCoy, marking a significant moment in the history of digital art1.

2017: CryptoKitties, a blockchain-based game, gained widespread popularity, demonstrating the potential of NFTs in gaming and collectibles.

2021: Beeple's "Everydays: The First 5000 Days" sold for a staggering $69 million at Christie's, catapulting NFTs into the mainstream consciousness.

The Technology Behind NFTs

NFTs are built on blockchain technology, primarily the Ethereum network. Each NFT is a unique digital asset with a distinct identifier stored on the blockchain, ensuring its authenticity and ownership4. This technology allows for the creation of digital scarcity, enabling artists and creators to monetize their work in unprecedented ways.

Impact on Various Industries:

Art: NFTs have revolutionized the art world, allowing digital artists to sell their work directly to collectors without intermediaries.

Gaming: In-game assets can now be tokenized, giving players true ownership of their virtual items1.

Music: Musicians are using NFTs to release limited edition albums and experiences, creating new revenue streams.

Real Estate: NFTs are being explored as a means to represent ownership of physical properties in the digital realm.

Market Trends and Challenges

The NFT market experienced explosive growth in 2021, followed by a significant downturn in 2022-2023. However, experts believe that this is part of the typical cycle for emerging technologies: hype, crash, and plateau3.

Despite the volatility, the NFT space continues to see billions of dollars in transactions annually, indicating a sustained interest in the technology.

The Future of NFTs and Blockchain

As we move towards Web 3.0, NFTs and blockchain technology are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the digital economy. The integration of NFTs with the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to new applications and use cases4.

While challenges remain, including environmental concerns and regulatory uncertainties, the potential of NFTs and blockchain technology to revolutionize ownership, authenticity, and value transfer in the digital world is undeniable.

As this technology continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how it reshapes our understanding of digital assets and ownership in the years to come.

Traditional Valuation Challenges in Art

Valuing traditional art involves a complex interplay of subjective and objective factors. Several challenges make this process intricate:

Uniqueness and Comparability: Each piece of art is unique, which complicates finding comparable sales to determine value. This lack of direct comparables requires appraisers to rely on their expertise and judgment3.
Subjective Influences: The value of art can be significantly influenced by subjective factors such as the reputation of the artist, the artwork's provenance, and its historical significance. These aspects often lead to a premium beyond the objective assessment of the artwork's physical attributes34.
Market Dynamics: The art market is illiquid, with infrequent transactions that can lead to volatile pricing. Auction houses play a significant role in setting price expectations, but these can be skewed by factors like celebrity ownership or recent high-profile sales3.
Authentication and Provenance: Establishing the authenticity of an artwork is crucial for its valuation. Misattributions or lack of provenance can significantly devalue a piece, while confirmed authenticity can enhance its marketability and price.

An illustrative artwork depicting the merging of two mass tokens on the left and an equation explaining how the merging principle works on the right. Image source: niftygateway.com

THE MERGE NFT is a unique dynamic NFT collection that was created by a digital artist called Murat Pak and featured on the leading NFT marketplace Nifty Gateway in December 2021. The collection that commemorates Ethereum’s transition from Proof-of-Work to Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism netted over $91.8 million during its brief 48-hour sale. This makes The Merge not only the most expensive NFT collection ever sold, but also the most expensive art piece sold by a living artist on a public sale.

NFT Blockchain Impact on Art Valuation

The advent of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) has introduced new paradigms in art valuation:

Digital Provenance: NFTs provide a secure and transparent record of ownership and provenance through blockchain technology. This reduces the uncertainty associated with traditional art authentication and enhances buyer confidence6.
Market Accessibility: NFTs have democratized access to art markets by allowing artists to sell directly to consumers without intermediaries. This has led to a more dynamic market where values can fluctuate rapidly based on demand and trends6.
Valuation Metrics: Unlike traditional art, NFT valuations are often influenced by digital metrics such as social media presence, community engagement, and the rarity of digital assets. These factors introduce new dimensions to how value is perceived and calculated6.
Volatility and Speculation: The NFT market is highly speculative, with prices driven by trends rather than intrinsic artistic value. This can lead to significant volatility, making valuation more challenging compared to traditional art markets6.

In summary, while traditional art valuation relies heavily on subjective assessments and market dynamics, NFTs leverage blockchain technology for transparency and accessibility but introduce new challenges related to volatility and speculative pricing.

CryptoPunks

Several CryptoPunks have sold for millions of dollars. These are 24x24 pixel art images of unique characters12:

CryptoPunk #7523: Sold for $11.8 million. Features an alien wearing a surgical mask.
CryptoPunk #7804: Sold for $7.56 million. An alien with a pipe, cap, and small shades.
CryptoPunk #3100: Sold for $7.51 million. An alien with a headband.

Beeple's "Human One"

A dynamic NFT artwork that sold for $28.9 million34. It's a 3D moving sculpture showing an astronaut-like figure walking through changing environments.

XCOPY's Works

XCOPY is known for glitchy, animated artworks24:

"Right-click and Save As guy": Sold for $7.09 million. A flickering figure with a skull face.
"All Time High in the City": Sold for $6.2 million. Shows a figure in a boat, reminiscent of the ferryman of the underworld.

These examples represent some of the most expensive and notable NFT artworks, showcasing the diverse styles and concepts in the NFT art world.

#NFTs, #NonFungibleTokens, #DigitalArt #CryptoArt #Blockchain #NFTMarket #DigitalCollectibles #CryptoCollectibles #Metaverse

#ArtMarket #VirtualAssets #Beeple #CryptoPunks #NFTCommunity #DigitalOwnership

NFTs and Contemporary Art Prices

NFT valuation has significantly impacted the art world, offering new opportunities and challenges for artists and collectors.

In my own circumstances as an artist, I find the possibilities of NFT trading challenging, as galleries do not represent the NFT market. The NFT markets are online with traders who are only experts in that specific medium. For novice buyers bidding on an NFT is a confusing entry, much like the first time one ordered sushi without any prior experience. It is often difficult to determine even what media has been used in an NFT. So imagine a first time buyer at an NFT auction trying to decide what to pay for a work without any precedents of any kind. My visual art and motion graphics are based on photographic images and computer additions and manipulations, but the sources are not always visible. See for yourself:

https://www.alanmckee.com/art-that-moves

The valuation of art in the past has often relied on historical events, sometimes hundreds of years in the past. Sometimes, when there were questions about authenticity or the truth of an event that occurred hundreds of years ago, valuation has been almost impossible. Now, with the blockchain and the ability to tie works of art with incontrovertible facts, valuation should become easier and more reliable. The definitive facts regarding NFTs, bids, selling prices and dates have also made art pricing a more democratic process. However, sometimes huge sales are made simply because of what one individual is willing to pay for a particular work. Often, the large amounts paid for NFTs are investments for the long term.

NFTs provide stronger authenticity and clearer provenance compared to physical art without a blockchain entry, as each token holds a digital record of its unique ID and transaction history in its blockchain code. This transparency and security can potentially increase the value of digital artworks.

The NFT market has seen dramatic fluctuations, with sales reaching $12.6 billion in early 2022 but significantly declining thereafter. Despite this volatility, the market is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of about 34% by 2030, potentially reaching $232 billion.

NFTs are changing the art market by providing new artists with new income streams and bypassing traditional gallery systems. This democratization of the art world may lead to a shift in how art is valued, with more emphasis on digital creations and the direct artist-collector relationships.

Challenges remain such as concerns about the environmental impact of NFTs and the potential for art theft in the digital realm. Time will tell.

#NFTArt, #ContemporaryArt, #ArtMarket, #DigitalArt, #ArtCollector