Continuing on my journey to understand the role of technology in the history of art, perhaps to try to grasp a bit more the natural progression of AI in this new stage of technology, or to broaden our horizons when discussing technological applications beyond what we may be accustomed to.
In the previous article, we discussed how photography revolutionized art and how impactful it was, motivating an entire generation of painters to "initiate" a new movement, no longer seeking to represent figures perfectly, but rather marked by vague contours and quick brushstrokes, now known as Impressionism.
Below, we can see what was considered the world's first permanent photograph:
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, "View from the Window at Le Gras" (1826-27)
Still following that very similar model of large cameras and photos taken by professional photographers, a period where it was even common for postmortem photography to be taken if individuals had never been portrayed in life.
But by the end of the 19th century, cameras became increasingly portable, democratizing their use significantly, with artists using them to represent their works, document, and sell; thus promoting their work.
Thomas Eakins, "Study of Human Motion"
It was interesting to note that people who wanted to be models and portrayed simply had their photos taken, and painters were in charge of painting them, without the person needing to pose for hours. It was also common during these times for jewelry and accessories to be loaned to these artists for a more faithful representation.
Franz Xaver Winterhalter, "Eugénia de Montijo" (1853)
In the 20th century, particularly in contemporary art, photography also serves as a lasting record of ephemeral arts that naturally expire. Sometimes it portrays an artist performing an action they will not repeat forever; sometimes it captures interventions in nature, graffiti on condemned buildings, and many others... with the work having its perishable character in general.
The work goes away, but the record remains. (?)
Anne Imhof, "Faust" (2017)
Richard Long, "Sahara Circle" (1988)
Now, photography as an art form took a long time to become popular, finally achieving this around the 1980s with the so-called fine art photography.
Cindy Sherman, "Untitled #96" (1981)
It's interesting to think that color photographs date back to the mid-1870s, but they were only widely adopted almost 100 years later. For a long time, color photography was considered amateurish by various photographers and photojournalists, where contrast and light were more important for "True Photography", and colors could detract from these main characteristics. Something similar happened shortly after with the emergence of digital cameras, where professionals often chose to stick with their analog cameras, not embracing the new technology.
One of the most well-known photographers who transitioned from analog to digital was the Brazilian Sebastião Salgado.
Sebastião Salgado, photograph from the series "Amazônia" (2013-2019)
It's worth noting that each stage in this chronology did not compel everyone to change their way of making art or invalidate what came before. Each means of expression, whether photo, painting, or writing, is strictly linked to what the artist seeks to convey, and each carries its clear criteria.
Technology often does not destroy or replace art, and it's undeniable that it can change the way art is made, often expanding its horizons.
Much is said about photography as a protagonist of technology in the art world, but we must always remember that it was not the only one.
Video art, for example, derived from photography, also carries its permanent record character of something ephemeral, transmitting and preserving for the future.
In this regard, we can mention well-known artists who dabbled with and embraced technologies, such as Dali and Picasso, who also had their involvement in films.
Scene from Un Chien Andalou, by Salvador Dali and Luis Buñuel (1928)
In the 1950s, TV became increasingly common, and by the 1960s, we had the rebirth of Hollywood. Undoubtedly, this greatly contributed to this artistic model being widely consumed.
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And after cinema, what we have most recently are the so-called Video Installations.
Works with modern features, as seen below, where the artist doesn't show just one video, but a series of them, displayed simultaneously on televisions, organized within the states that make up the map of the United States of America, outlined by neon lights.
Nam June Paik, "Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii" (1995)
Below, we see another example of a technological installation boasting lights and projections... First, because it's fun, and second, because it further demonstrates the artist's mastery of technology and the possibilities it promotes.
Janet Echelman, "Dream Catcher" (2001)
Imagine yourself in an empty room with white walls, you can already express yourself there in some way; now imagine you were given a pencil... now imagine you were given a brush and paint... now imagine you were given a camera, a camcorder... imagine you were given a sound device... imagine you were given a projector... Do you see how the possibilities follow technological advancements?
One very interesting thing is also to see how sometimes artists cannot realize an art they envisioned alone, and they need support from others to achieve this end, something very present in Contemporary Art.
What we see below is an example of this, an installation located at the Inhotim Museum, MG, Brazil. Where the artist Janet Cardiff had the support of a sound engineer to build this acoustic room, where strategically positioned speakers reproduce the voice of each member of a choir, singing "Spem in Alium" by the English composer Thomas Tallis.
Each speaker containing the voice of only one person reproduces the idea of being in the presence of the entire choir, especially when we approach a certain corner of this room, an installation that I have visited and highly recommend.
Janet Cardiff, "Forty Part Motet: (A reworking of 'Spem in Alium' by Thomas Tallis 1573)" (2001)
And, finally, I couldn't fail to mention the impact of technology on the study of art, which you are probably using now. It can show us at any moment a work of art of our choice in details and colors. Not long ago, this was something exclusive to books that often contained artistic representations only in black and white, and people had to imagine the colors.
And these were some of the examples I based on to discuss a bit about how technology emerges and contributes to art in various ways. I could even say a little more, citing more recent examples, such as mapped projection works, using projections on sculptures to simulate their movement; virtual reality arts, like those by artist Marina Abramovic; interactive, immersive artworks, and much more.
For me, it's very interesting to know all this and to be present in this world of possibilities. Because it shows how technology is not just what we use and debate as programmers when we see a new innovative framework or a more optimized solution for our specific needs. But rather, how versatile it is and how capable it is of promoting evolutions at both individual and collective levels, and it does so very well.
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