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You’ll be looking at art from 1968 to 2021.
Fluxus art is an avant-garde movement that emerged in the 1960s, characterized by its focus on the concept of art as an experience rather than a physical object. It often blurs the boundaries between different art forms, incorporating elements of music, theater, and performance. Fluxus shares many similarities with an earlier movement of the 20th century called Dada in how it questions the idea of art itself. It is an intermediary discipline, meaning that artists look to see what develops from mixing different forms of media. In many cases, like the examples below, it relies on assemblage.
Below is an example of Fluxus art:
View Elektronischer Dé-coll/age, Happening Raum.
Wolf Vostell was the first artist to use a television in a work of art. This electronic assemblage from 1968 was a fully functioning collection of contraptions set on a bed of broken glass.
Vostell coined the term “dé-coll/age” to describe his artistic process, which involved tearing, cutting, and altering existing images and objects to create new works. This method was a direct counterpoint to the idea of collage, emphasizing destruction and disassembly rather than construction. Vostell’s dé-coll/age works often involved billboard posters, newspapers, and other printed media, reflecting his interest in the media’s role in shaping public consciousness.
The following example is from the artist Nam June Paik, who is a pioneer in the field of new media art:
View Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska Hawaii .
Nam June Paik is considered to be the founder of video art. His Electronic Superhighway is a video installation and assemblage work comprised of televisions and neon lights in the form of a map of the United States, with each state displaying a different video loop.
The concept of the “Information Superhighway” reflects Paik’s visionary understanding of the potential for digital technology and global networks to connect people around the world. Long before the Internet became widely available, Paik anticipated the rise of a global communication network that would transform the way in which people share information, ideas, and culture.
In both examples, we see important elements of Fluxus art, such as simple designs and the integration of humor. Fluxus works of art are intended to be fun. Yet, in addition to humor, these works of art also anticipated the future.
Bio art is an art form that has developed in the last 25 years. Bio art involves the use of living organisms, biological processes, and biotechnology. One of the landmark moments in genetic manipulation, which plays a role in Bio art, was the birth of the first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, in 1996. The artist known as Stelarc is a pioneering artist who uses his body as an experimental tool in the name of art and science.
One example that’s not shown here is a work called Ping Body, in which electrons were hooked up to muscles in his body, and remote users could activate the different muscles over the Internet.
The project we see here goes by a number of different names, such as Ear on Arm, Extra Ear, or Third Ear:
The ear is a surgically grafted cell-grown ear, meaning it’s grown on a type of bio scaffolding as opposed to donated from a cadaver, that’s attached to his lower-left forearm. Stelarc has had the extra ear for some time and has used it in several different projects. One such project involved the insertion of a microphone behind the ear and then wirelessly feeding the recordings over the Internet so people could hear what his extra ear heard.
Eduardo Kac is a Brazilian-American artist known for his groundbreaking work in transgenic art, where he uses biotechnology and genetics as artistic media. His work is significant for its exploration of the ethical, philosophical, and aesthetic implications of merging art with life sciences.
This is GFP (Green Florescent Protein) or Transgenic Bunny:
The rabbit’s name was Alba, and she was a real rabbit, or close to it. She was an albino rabbit with a unique feature. She’s fluorescent green under blue light because scientists injected a fertilized albino rabbit egg with a green fluorescent protein from a Pacific Northwest jellyfish.
Kac’s art challenges us to reconsider what constitutes life and art. By creating living organisms as art, he blurs the lines between biology and aesthetics, prompting viewers to think about the role of art in understanding and shaping the world. His work raises profound questions about the nature of existence, the role of creativity in shaping life, and the ethical responsibilities that come with the power to alter life itself.
With the advent of the Internet and its expansion into almost every aspect of our lives, it was only a matter of time before people could live their lives in a virtual environment. Second Life is an online virtual world that was launched in 2003. It’s an ongoing development constructed by users and experienced vicariously through virtual avatars or people.
The Chinese artist Cao Fei developed a city within Second Life called RMB City, which opened to the public in 2009:
RMB City
2008
Virtual (vimeo.com/4272260)
RMB City was designed as a vibrant and surreal virtual city that combined elements of contemporary Chinese architecture, urban landscapes, and symbols of rapid modernization. It included iconic Chinese landmarks, such as Tiananmen Square and the Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium, juxtaposed with fantastical elements like floating buildings and oversized objects. This blending of real and imagined spaces created a unique environment that invited viewers to reflect on the urbanization and transformation of Chinese cities.
The participatory aspect of RMB City allowed users from around the world to engage with the artwork in real time, explore its spaces, and even contribute to its ongoing development. The interactive nature of the project emphasized the always-growing and dynamic relationship between the artist, the artwork, and the audience.
Beeple became a central figure in the non-fungible token (NFT) movement—a digital asset system that uses blockchain technology to certify the ownership and authenticity of a digital item. His work Everydays: The First 5,000 Days was minted as an NFT and sold at a Christie’s auction in March 2021 for $69.3 million. This sale marked one of the most expensive digital artworks ever sold and was a watershed moment for NFTs, signaling their potential to transform the art market.
Unlike traditional art forms, Beeple’s Everydays are purely digital creations with no physical counterparts. This emphasizes the significance of digital art as a standalone medium and challenges traditional notions of art ownership and authenticity.
View Everydays: The First 5,000 Days .
Everydays: The First 5,000 Days is a digital collage consisting of 5,000 individual images that Beeple created daily over a span of 13 years, from May 1, 2007, to January 7, 2021. Each image, or “every day,” reflects Beeple’s exploration of various themes, ranging from politics and pop culture to futuristic and dystopian visions. The project demonstrates his commitment to continuous creation and the development of his digital artistry over time. Below is one of the “days” of Everydays:
View Detail of Everydays: The First 5,000 Days .
The success of Beeple’s NFTs has had a profound influence on the digital art world. His work helped legitimize digital art as a valuable and collectible medium, shifting the perception of digital creations from mere online content to significant works of art with monetary and cultural value. This has opened new avenues for artists, allowing them to monetize their work in ways that were previously impossible.
Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY IAN MCCONNELL AND TAMORA KOWALSKI FOR SOPHIA LEARNING. PLEASE SEE OUR TERMS OF USE.
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