My generation is being inundated with digital media. We are drowning in a sea of information that so many of us believe we are in control of, but are in fact oblivious to its apparent control over us. Walking through campus at any given time of the day (even before my 8 AM classes - seriously, who could you possibly be messaging that is awake at that ungodly hour?), I'll see so many people immersed in their mobile devices, completely ignoring the presence of other human beings who are sharing their physical environment. When I attended Sarah Lawrence, where there were class sizes of no greater than 15 students, it would be impossible to slip a quick text or check e-mail while under the close observation by the professor. At the University of Oregon, however, where lectures can regularly exceed more than 100 students, it is not uncommon to see half the students covertly catching glimpses of their shiny beepy things. And even though it is academic policy in most classes that electronic devices are forbidden, students can't help the hypnotic allure of technology. Even I cannot deny that technology has had that affect on me at times.
Though I find myself being critical of the influence that technology has had over us, what I have seen in lecture over the past week has made me realize that technology may have some negative influences on us, but it can also be a powerful force for change. John Park, a digital arts faculty member, shared many of my same concerns in his guest lecture. His three biggest issues with digital media are:
1. It lacks the tactile experience. Digital media as we think of it is viewed on a two-dimensional screen and thus lacks a certain richness and depth that is seen in other mediums.
2. It is expensive. Because digital media is always getting upgraded and improved, it is one of the biggest money-making enterprises. A piece of technology that was considered top-of-the-line at its release could be obsolete within only a few years.
3. It's turning us into zombies. In addition to demanding an exorbitant amount of our time and attention, it simultaneously dehumanizes us in the process.
After seeing this, it was nice to know that someone else shared my similar sentiments, especially someone whose profession is in the digital realm.
After he presented the shortcomings of digital media, he presented examples of work by digital artists who were using the medium for making social statements.
One of the strongest pieces he presented was the collaboration of digital media with dance. Prior to Park's presentation, I never really made the connection before, but the combination of dance and digital media explores new creative avenues of dance that have never before been possible and has expanded my conceptual understanding of what dance can do. The work by Chunky Move Dance Company pushes these limits using interactive projections that change form and respond directly to the movements of the dancers. In this case, the digital media is a tool, as well as the dancers. The dancers are absorbed into the projections, no longer human but part of the media instead. It becomes uncertain whether it is the dancers who are controlling the projection, or the projection that controls the dancers.
Chunky Move Dance Company - Mortal Engine
Back when I was living in New York I saw another performance by Pilobolus Dance Theater at The Joyce. The Joyce Theater is a contemporary dance venue that presents work that explores new ideas in dance and performance and Pilobolus fits perfectly into this idea. who similarly use digital media and dance in their work. The performance, "Shadowland" uses the guise of a screen to create optical illusions and create new forms with their bodies.
Pilobolus Dance Theater - Shadow Land
There is a lot of other work being done in digital media that goes beyond dance. In addition to being spectacular, digital media can also be very interactive. David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame) created an installation at the Battery Maritime Building in Manhattan called "Playing the Building". He assembled an old organ to act as a trigger activating various devices throughout the space that created noises. This allowed the person playing the piano to not only experience the space in a new way, but to have control over the space as well. So much of the time if feels as though digital media has a hold over us, but in his piece, David Byrne creates an experience that gives us complete control over our environment.
David Byrne - Playing the Building
What I have learned from this week is that it can also be a powerful force for creating good. It is a pliable medium that can be applied in a seemingly infinite amount of ways. The debilitating qualities of social media end up being balanced out by the incredible innovations being made in art with digital media. It is a language that my generation has immediate access to and is familiar with. Therefore, the message communicated through digital media is also capable of being much more influential than traditional mediums. A final example of work is not digital media per se, but is a great example of social commentary in a digital media format.
Jersey Shore RPG Video Game
In conclusion, I have come to realize that digital media is only a tool, and it is up to us to decide how to best use it.
Now to end this post, I have to share with you something that my dad sent me in an e-mail. Despite all my railing on digital media that I have done, I have to say that this is definitely one of the most awesomest pieces of technology I have ever seen. I know that that is not a word, but it is the only way I can describe something so amazing. Click on this link for the Youtube video to watch. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=cuIJRsAuCHQ
Great connections and visual responses.
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