To the boomers, digital art was largely confined to 8-bit Atari graphics or that Metal Gear Solid video game they regrettably purchased for their kids. Today, however, the medium has skyrocketed past its early childlike associations to be incorporated in almost every function of daily life — from simple emoji avatars and virtual reality programs to the infinitely manipulatable capabilities found in Photoshop and artificial intelligence.
London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has released a new book that chronicles the growth of digital art from its early beginnings in the 1960s to the present. Written and edited by curators Pita Arreola, Corinna Gardner and Melanie Lenz, the publications draws from the V&A’s extensive archives to trace the work of mathematicians, computer animators, video game designers and contemporary artists, revealing “the interconnected histories from which the field has grown,” Lenz tells It’s Nice That.
Today, a number of artists are leading the march at the growing intersection of physical and digital, opting to delve into virtual means, before even a traditional pen and paper. Take for instance, Austin Lee, the Brooklyn-based artist who creates surreal environments through AR and VR, Keely Majewsi‘s promiscuous subjects to Gao Hang‘s retro-inspired abstract portraits.
“Working on the book has made me think a lot about the impact and the role of artists in an age where there is an abundance of automated creativity,” Lenz added. Artists highlighted also include Analívia Cordeiro, Frieder Nake, Trvor Paglen, Anna Ridler and Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley.
Digital Art: 1960s to Now is available to purchase online and select bookshops for $59 USD.
