Technology and Art: Engineering the future

"Think art. What comes to mind? Maybe Picasso, Rodin, Dali.Now think technology - and you'll probably imagine a smartphone or a computer. Throughout history, technology has provided artists with new tools for expression."

Art and technology have become interlinked more than ever as technology has become a fundamental force in the development and evolution of art.

Thanks to new technology artists everywhere are developing new and original forms of art. 

Photographer Spencer Tunick is famous for his images of naked people

They are pushing the boundaries and looking outside the originally perceived "traditional" art forms. 

Art is becoming less and taking up many new shapes, from printing digitally created sculptures in 3D to flash-mobs to photographers lining up hundreds of naked volunteers on the beach.

Power of the web

Artist Ollie Palmer has created a machine to control the way synthetic pheromone directs ants - hoping this way to stage an 'ant ballet'

"Modern ways in which art is created, produced, distributed, marketed, preserved and supported have shifted as a direct reaction of the world's transition to a socially connected, digital society - to the age of the internet."

Traditionally, artists have been going to a gallery in order to share their artwork with the world. Now a few clicks on the webs and everyone can see it at their leisure. Services such as crowdfunding allow for artists to raise money online in order to pursue their ideas.

Sculptures created on a 3D printer look very different from what is known as "traditional" art

What is changing and probably - arguably - for the worse is that it is now easier to create "art". As a result of this, people are exposed to a lot more "bad" art being created. It is concerning that with this much dilution in the world of art we will loose our capacity to evaluate great art.

Every year, tinkerers, engineers and tech enthusiasts display their home-brewed art and technology projects at the World Maker Faire

Art and technology have always been interrelated, but now they are linked more than ever before

The essential goal of contemporary art is to choose art with new technologies should not  "extract" meaning from the technological platform, but rather use it as a base for new bold directions.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-19576763