In the readings, Walter Benjamin and Douglas Davis talked
about how as art evolves and becomes more digital, it is loosing its aura. It
becomes more difficult to determine whether something is the original or not
which can take away some of the impact the art would have when experienced as
it was intended to be. As machines and robotics become a greater part of art
and design, each authors claims that the digital age is taking away from art’s
value.
However, in the video about Dirk the homeless robot, people
who encountered the robot experienced an eye opening and thought provoking
display, demonstrated entirely by a machine. While this experience was very
different from any traditional form of art, it got people thinking about how they
generally perceive the homeless. This display can be seen as a social statement on how we
often overlook certain people and see them as no different than robots. Many of
the onlookers didn’t even notice that the homeless man was not actually alive
unless they took the time to observe him.
Even as art is becoming more accessible to wider audiences,
it still requires the same concentration and interest to understand it. And while
the experience may be altered by technology, it is still possible to control
the viewer’s understanding in order to convey a specific or interpretable
message. Modern technology will surely continue to influence how we perceive
the world- many of the predictions Douglas Davis wrote about in 1995 have
already been invented and integrated into our lives- but it can also make art
and technology a more prevalent part of our daily lives, if we allow it
to.
"About
From Cave Paintings to the Internet." About From Cave Paintings to the
Internet. N.p., 16 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
Dirk
the Homeless Robot.
YouTube. YouTube, 7 Sept. 2008. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
Gabler, Neal. "Technology Changes How Art Is Created and Perceived." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 06 June 2010. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
The Costa Rican Times. Digital image. The Costa Rican Times RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
I found that the contrast you drew between the two readings and modern day technology to be fairly interesting. I agree that although art may be a little more reproducible than it had been in the past, it still takes quite a lot of effort, especially from someone with little artistry background and has a hard time understanding many art forms such as myself, to fully understand the beauty of artwork. Your example with Dirk definitely made an interesting point, especially about how much people seem to ignore the spectacular things happening around them as they carelessly walk the streets.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interesting read about Dirk! It makes me want to walk slower through campus or in Westwood just so I don't miss something as amazing as a robotic man just sitting in the street!