Digital art is an umbrella term for a range of artistic practices that involve the use of digital technology. It was created in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when numerous advances in computing technology enabled artists to experiment with new forms of expression.
Digital art is often associated with postmodernism, a movement that emphasizes the importance of subjective experience over objective reality. This is because digital art focuses on the manipulation of digital elements and media, rather than traditional materials such as paint or clay. The emphasis on the manipulation of these elements is what sets digital art apart from traditional art forms.
The precursors to digital art can be found in earlier experiments with computer graphics and video, which were conducted by computer scientists in the 1950s and 1960s. However, it was not until the 1970s that artists began to adopt these technologies and use them for creative expression.
One early example of digital art is Nam June Paik’s “Video Sampler” from 1972. This work featured multiple televisions displaying abstract patterns and shapes, which were generated by a custom-built video synthesizer designed by engineer Shuya Abe. Another notable example is “A Computer Perspective: Background to Future” by Edward Zajec and Harold Cohen, which used computer-generated imagery to explore themes such as technology’s impact on human life.
Since then, digital art has continued to evolve rapidly; today it encompasses a wide range of techniques including animation, 3D modeling, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), generative art, algorithmic art, fractal graphics, and more. In recent years there has been an increased focus on interactive installations and immersive experiences that combine physical components with virtual elements—for example, interactive sculptures that respond to viewers’ movements or large-scale projection mapping installations that transform physical spaces into virtual worlds.
Digital art has become an increasingly popular form of expression over the past few decades; it allows artists to create works that are both visually stunning and conceptually complex. It also gives them access to tools that enable them to express themselves in ways they would not be able to do using traditional media such as paint or clay.
It’s clear why digital art has become so popular in recent years—it provides a unique platform for creativity and exploration that can’t be matched by any other medium.
In conclusion, Digital Art was created in the late 1960s and early 1970s when advances in computing technology enabled artists to experiment with new forms of expression using computer graphics and video technology. Since then it has evolved rapidly into an incredibly popular form of artistic expression due its unique combination of visual aesthetics and conceptual complexity.