Today we’re taking another break from fine art shipping to talk about technology and the impact it has had on the art world.
So, grab a cup of tea and let’s have a look at how technology and the world of art are interacting.
Consuming Art Digitally
Using technology to create and distribute art isn’t exactly new, but innovations that have developed rapidly, in the last decade particularly, mean most of us can access art of any type, at our fingertips, wherever we are, when we want!
This applies to pretty much ALL forms of art too…you don’t have to go to a gallery to see Old Masters anymore, you can view them on your phone in seconds. You can watch theatre performances, ballet, even live streams of art galleries from the comfort of your own home. You no longer have to walk around a park to find a sculpture, again, you can just look at it on online. Live music can be enjoyed from home via live streams too, and of course, in your phone you have access to pretty much every song ever.
In the past, to experience or view these types of art, we would have had to leave the house, but we have a much broader range of ways to interact with art in the 21st century. That level of access became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic when we were confined to our homes. Being able to access the art world, and live performances or viewings in particular, was a lifeline for many.
But is the ability to have art ‘on demand’ a good thing? For some people the answer is no, nothing on their phone or laptop will ever be the same as the real thing. Have you really seen the Mona Lisa if you’ve only ever seen her on your phone?
However, there is a strong argument to be made in favour of online access to all types of art. On-demand art means accessibility is greatly enhanced. Being able to access certain types of art online can open up a whole new world to people who may typically have been excluded in the past, people with disabilities, for example, or people with tighter budgets or no means to travel.
The ability to distribute art digitally also has benefits for artists too. Artists can distribute their works to a wider range of people and get the type of exposure 19th-century artists would have dreamt of, in just a couple of minutes. The downside though, is where unlimited online access hits an artist’s pocket. People viewing your art may enhance your profile, but it doesn’t pay unless it has been monetised specifically. Even when monetised, artists regularly complain about low fees – think about Spotify for example. An artist can generate millions of plays on a song and earn just a few pounds.
Overall, the ability to consume art online has changed the relationship people have with art and how they value it, which isn’t a good thing. But the benefits can’t be ignored either.
Technology And The Art Process
Technology has also impacted the way artists can create art, and this is particularly pronounced in the world of digital art. You no longer have to put paint on canvas or pastel on paper, as digital methods offer new mediums. Creating digital art can be just like painting or drawing but can be done on a screen such as a laptop or iPad.
Many traditional artists have adapted to digital ways of making art or use digital aids in their creative process.
David Hockney is perhaps one of the most recognised artists and early innovators in digital art. Always experimental, David began to use an iPad to create art on an iPad in the early 2000s and managed to translate his style into this new medium. His drawings created on an iPad are still recognisably ‘his’.
A more recent and slightly more controversial discussion in the art world is the use of artificial intelligence (AI). With AI, artists can now generate art based on prompts they feed into a platform. Much debate is currently happening around whether this is destroying the creative process or whether it enables more people to create art. There are arguments for both sides of the debate.
Another technology impacting the world of art, although many people think of it as a passing ‘fad’ is the use of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Whether it’s a fad or not, people are making millions of pounds selling digital art in this way, including many celebrities. NFT art means no physical asset is ever created and you never physically receive the art you buy. The art, usually bought using cryptocurrency, comes in the form of a token that can be saved on your phone or laptop. Even though you own the token, it can be saved and displayed by anyone else. Crazy right?
Aardvark Art
We hope you enjoyed our thoughts on digital art and how technology has affected the art world. One thing we’re certain of is that digital art has only expanded the art world because many, many people still prefer traditional art forms and ‘in person’ experiences with art. This is evidenced by galleries that are still packed with people, and the amount of physical art still being bought and sold.
That’s where we come in as fine art shippers – we’re still here to help artists and collectors move their art around the country in a safe way. We can’t handle digital art or pack NFTs into crates for shipping, but we can certainly take care of shipping your painting for you! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you ned a quote.