Hide or Display ?
(To be developed)
Should digital artists show the mechanics of their work, or hide it ? Both attitudes are present, with contrast, at Turbulences II, (Villa Empain, Brussels, 2/28 - 9/1 2013). It is parculartly clear with two works using dozens of small electric motors controlled by computers :
- motors are displayed by
Pe Lang, uses them to move small rings along horizontal lines
- motors are hidden by Elias Crespin Plano Flexionante Circular (2012), controls small rods suspended to strings whose length is controlle by computer. (See Pinterest)
We tend to think that, as soon as complexity becoms high, the hidden part of the work is growing. In particular when there is programming, since nothing is more opaque than code, even for the author itsefl, when he has not touched up the code for some monthes.
The theories of Greenberg about modern art could perhaps be transposed to digital art, who should only show the digital... a challenge !
Some ancient examples of works :
- showing the structure : Eiffel tower, collages by Ernst and surrealists, Cristo drawings, Mystère Picasso film, Tinguely machines, and specially the works of Alain Le Boucher, high level cuts montage in cinema,
- hiding the structure collages by Ingres, Israël works, photo touching up in general, low level frame cuttinf of time in cinema
- pleading for a just measure of showing/hiding, see Funck-Hellet.
DICCAN'S PARTNERS:
Paris ACM Siggraph, the French chapter of ACM Siggraph, worldwide non-profit organization of computer graphics.
Les Algoristes, an association of artists using their own algorithms in their work.
