***  Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Forum1 Archive  ***
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   [Date]: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 23:11:49 -0500
   [From]: "Chris Drew" <cdrew#@orion.it.luc.edu>
     [To]: "Cultural Exchange via Internet" <forum1@hkw.kbx.de>
[Subject]: Re: [forum1] Re: The Shrinking Web and What to do about it.

Christy Sheffield Sanford wrote:
>At a University of Florida museum showing, the late Juan Downey said
>something I thought was astute. A student was asking about the viability
>of the film medium.
>
>Juan said he'd lived through the death of God, the author, the movie,
>and that they were all still alive!  Any inherently satisfying medium
>will live.  I love painting and I don't view the web as a threat to
>visual art.

This is, of course, an excellent quote. In a way it supports my statement
that artists are not required to migrate to the Internet or electric art. My
point was to react to Juan Jose Diaz Infante's statement that the artist's
of India were slow to explore the electronic arts. I suspect that a high
percentage of well formed artists are unlikely to leap to a medium that is
expensive and has a non-artistic learning curve that is technical in nature
and extensive. Certainly not without a push, a shove and a good reason.


I don't view the web as a threat to
visual art....... If anything, the web offers opportunities for
>cross-fertilization and, of course, exhibitions.
>
You are again correct. The web and electronic arts are not a threat to
painting, photography, wood cutting or any other art that has found
adherents.

To quote myself  "At least for the near future - I believe the Internet is
best used to promote artists' work." This is simply my choice as a person
and could change. I am, myself too short of time to delve into this medium.
Others with more time and interest will. Great. My time will be spent
promoting work done off of a computer using the Internet for now.



To back up a bit. Yes - there is great room for artist to create on a
computer using graphic software. This conscious choice is more
likely to occur when the artist is introduced to a computer early and/or
when the artist has easy access to the equipment and software. Out of the many
artists showing in our "Art of the T-shirt" exhibits most are not in a
position to explore graphical software because they lack the experience and
equipment. This is because of the cost of the equipment and of the training.
The time needed to learn new skill is a major consideration as well.

One of my goals is to build a community computer lab where these resources
can be made available to artists for free. So far this goal has eluded us inspite of much effort. Maybe the medium is not "elitist" but it is certainly a
difficult undertaking for many of us. Then we will seek out volunteer like
yourself to teach the software. Do you think we will have success find them
because of the love of the mission or will they expect high fees for their
rare skills?

Yes - film is the same way and then some. Those with great resources are
favored and those of us without must be smarter, more creative and with much
greater patience.



>I don't know that the phrase "elitist" was ever used for film and video
artists
>though those mediums are probably more expensive than the computer.
>There is a tremendous amount of energy and excitement about the web as
>an artistic medium.


"Elitist" - is a poor term to use. It begs your reaction. It is loaded with
accusation. You may not be an elitist while you pursue your electronic art.
Other, however,  will not have the same access that you possess. There is a
feeling that everyone must have access to computers and software today
because the price of hardware has come down.
My experience is that this is not the case - even in the richest country in
the world. Computer artists will remain an elite in the art world until this
circumstance changes. That does not mean that you are an elitist person. You
may be very down to earth.



>The fact that that is no commodity, (digital art) no tangible
>economic product, makes many suspect our intelligence!

Just wait. You will get some offers soon enough because the skills you are
learning are in great demand. Whether you choose to work commercially or not
is again - your choice.

>That we continue with a lack of respect is a tribute to the medium and some
kind of
>pioneer spirit.

Most artist work for decades to gain respect. Your art form is less then a
decade old. Your day will come. Do your thing.

Although I am not as excited myself by the computer as an instrument of art
(yet), I am very excited by it as a disseminator of the artist's message. The idea of creating online communities is exciting to me. The ability to interact
and promote art and to fund community art activity by marketing the work of
artists who previously could not be known to the world is enormous. One
problem we face in this is that our audience is not online yet. This is one
reason I am tempted to use the word elitist in regard to this medium of
communication. I am working to change this. I support anyone else who is as
well.

Chris Drew       <mailto:umcac@art-teez.org>
Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center
http://www.art-teez.org   We dress Chicago and the
Internet in t-shirt art.  Come get some! 773/561-7676