ALICE WASS
Exploring Media
Postdigital Aesthetic
Entry Three
The ‘Postdigtial Aesthetic’ topic explored new ways of seeing. This is important as humans see before they read, for example: babies understand facial expressions and emotions before they learn to read and write. Aesthetic is used to describe the essence of an object. In our postdigital society it means that we change as our technology changes. This links into ‘The work of art in the age of digital reproduction’ by Bertman Bruce (2000). Exploring how reproduction of art has not only changed the aesthetic experience of art but also art’s political functions, value, and our social relations constructed around it. The most perfect reproduction of a piece of artwork lacks one key element, its presence in time and space.
The main concepts of postdigital aesthetic can be split into six sections. The first is multiplicity, the ability to be in multiple places at the same time, with the focus on space time movement. An example is virtual reality games when we are physically present in one reality but are virtually present in another simultaneously.
Temporarily is the concept meaning only lasting for a short time. An example is posting images on social media, which someone else might view later, but in their minds, you are there in that instant, when in reality you have moved to another space. Another example which I have noticed on social media, is when people mark themselves safe on Facebook after a natural disaster or terrorist attack. As the person viewing this information I presume that they are currently still there but safe, when most likely they have already left the danger zone.
The concept of computation, focuses on statistics because our everyday life is becoming digitised. There are many examples ranging from shopping to activism, which have moved online and can be turned into statistics. This occurs through representation, as we have the ability to represent our lives digitally.
Similarly, gamification focuses on a points structure, suggesting everything is now a numbers game. This is seen through the number of ‘likes’ or ‘followers’ people have on their social media. A good example is YouTube, where YouTubers compete for more subscribers to win awards.
Normativity is the idea that people are simplifying history, due to reliance on numbers. This concept is explored in the reading by Ross Parry, ‘The end of the beginning’ (2013), looking at accepting the existence of normative digital media in museums. This is not necessarily normative in other situations but there no longer has to be a choice between digital and non-digital, as they can blend together.
Upgradia, is linked to the constant need for progression through updates. It is seen through the most recent Snapchat update, redesigning the layout of the app, causing much controversy and annoyance with its users, suggesting that progression is not always for the best!
To explore the topic of postdigital aesthetic further, our group looked into the concept of multiplicity. We discussed using mobile phones when out with people; we may be physically with them but we are socially elsewhere. We played the VR game, ‘IT’, to experience multiplicity. Whilst two members of the group played, the others watched making notes. What was most interesting was how, for the players, the virtual and the reality blended. As it was a horror game there were lots of scary visuals, when the door of our room opened, they jumped, as they heard the noise within the concept of the game. This task helped develop my understanding of postdigital aesthetic in a fun and interactive manner, and the topic has made me aware of how living in the postdigital age has affected our development. I gained further insight into VR after experiencing the VR recreation of Modigliani’s home at the Tate Modern.
References:
Bruce, B.C. (2000) "The work of art in the age of digital reproduction", Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 66-71.
Parry, R. (2013) "The End of the Beginning: Normativity in the Postdigital Museum", Museum Worlds, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 24-39.