Art and Technology: Joint or Conflicting Forces?

Technology and art are often thought of as conflicting forces in the worlds of invention and aesthetics. This is partially because, at first glance, art and technology appear to be wildly different. And in many ways, they are.

Technology is often viewed as a modern tool through which there are endless possibilities of invention and discovery. Smartphones alone enable you to have information on all topics imaginable, right at your fingertips. As well, technology is commonly perceived as a key part of our futures, since technological advancements have had a momentous impact on many career fields. STEM, for example, is a concept that is becoming increasingly popular in the media and education. In short, technology is seen as a necessity and a key part of our futures.

Art, on the other hand, is not seen as so much of a necessity. While many people do enjoy and have a basic appreciation of art, art is often thought of as an accessory to more academic subjects and fields, such as science and math. On top of that, in depictions of the future, art is an aspect that is often left out. In this way, art is seen as superfluous-- nice to have, but not necessary. Careers in the arts are rarely considered “jobs of the future.”

Source: Detail Technologies

Since people perceive art and technology so differently, it is not surprising that the two fields seem entirely disconnected from each other. However, technology and art are interconnected in many ways. In fact, technology has created new art forms.

Forty years ago, upon hearing the word, “art,” you’d likely think of paintings, sculptures, and other traditional forms of art. Today, however, you might also think of photography, film, and graphic design.

As advancements in technology have occurred, new digital opportunities for art have been created. Graphic design, animation, pixel art, digital photography, and manual vector drawing are among the many digital art forms that have arisen in the past few decades.

As smartphones, digital cameras, and tablets have gained popularity, technology has enabled more people to create art. Photography, for example, is an art form that everybody with a smartphone can partake in. In other words, anybody can be an artist. But is this a good thing?

On one hand, this allows more people to express their beliefs, feelings, and opinions through art, which encourages conversation on a variety of topics. However, on the other hand, the fact that so many people are creating and posting art on social media means that it is more difficult for artists to stand out. On Instagram alone, 95 million photos are posted each day. This means that professional artists are less likely to get much exposure for their art since they have to compete with millions of other creators daily.

Technology has also changed the influence that art has had on society. Although the average person can identify fewer influential artists today than in the past, art still has a meaningful impact on society. Social media and new technology-based art forms have caused people to be influenced by art in smaller ways, but more often. In this sense, art has the same, or an even greater, influence on society than in the past. However, what has changed is that more artists can contribute to this influence today. This is far from negative.

Although they may seem different, technology and art are intertwined in many ways. Rather than thinking of art and technology as two separate realms that can never be one, we should appreciate the fact that art and technology influence each other in many ways. The next time somebody asks you if you’re a technology or art person, remember that you don’t have to choose.

By Aaniqa Karmali