Technology is the mortal enemy of art

Technology is not the enemy of art. Oppositely, they exist side by side and play a part together. Gustave Flaubert said ‘Art and science always meet at the top of the mountain.’

It is true that we have a lot of ways to draw and take the place of hand-drawing. Such as using the computer software. In fact, I think the feeling that using the digital board is completely different to traditional art. It doesn’t have the natural texture when we use pencils to draw in the paper and also limits artist establishing the direct interaction.

However, the technology also promotes new field to express art, such as net.art, new media art, New Aesthetic and post-internet art. Whitechapel Gallery held an exhibition called Electronic Superhighway (2016-1966) for artists to think about how to cope with the evolution of technology.  The exhibition name comes from the video artist called Nam June Paik. He created the world in 1974 to introduce the fast development of technology and some ‘traditional’ art is out of style.

Art also can promote the development of technology. For example, Edward Ihnatowicz is an engraver and artist. He exhibited SAM (Sound Activated Mobile) at ‘Cybernetic Serendipity’ in London in 1968. Da Vinci, the most famous man who was not only an artist but also was a successful scientist. He drew the first robot design is based on his extensive knowledge of human anatomy accumulated through drawing.

Therefore technology and art can help each other. The designer needs to balance the way use technology to help designer molding the project.

Benthall, J. (1972). Science and technology in art today (p. 59). Thames and Hudson.