Contemporary Art Issues: Digital Art in Malaysia
Introduction
Digital art started around 1952 in US when Ben F. Laposky produced Oscillon Number Four. Artist always eager to produce something that beyond limitation of technology and mostly, artist at that time is computer programmer because no graphic software was available at that time. Herbert W. Franke, John Withney Sr. and Ben F. Laposky are one of the pioneers in digital art.
Ben Laposky has created first graphic image generated by an analog machine. A mathematician and artist from Iowa, he produced this image by using manipulated electronic beam display across the fluorescent face of an oscilloscope's cathode-ray tube and then recorded onto high-speed film.
Malaysia Era of Digital Art
Digital art in Malaysia started in 1980’s when Dr. Kamarudzaman Md Isa produce a self potrait artwork tittled “Self potrait” (1984) using BASIC Language programming. Then Ismail Zain appeared with “Al Rumi”, “Happy Birthday, Mr Parameswara” and “Alkesah”. He used to be recognized by his composition drawing example DOT: Detribalization of Tam binti Che Tom (1986).
The first exhibition of electronic art were held in National Art Gallery in 1997 curated by Hasnol J Saidin and Niranjan Rajah to introduced digital art which create public awareness about digital art development and impact towards art in this revolution and information era. Today, digital art is not only for programmer but also for illustrator, graphic designer and multimedia, thanks to development of graphic softwares.
Issue Discussed
Issues of discussion here is about perception of society towards digital art which is the art of computer; is digital art, art? This is a very interesting subject as society still underestimates of digital art as “easy to produce” and “have less authentic and aesthetic value”. As people always think that Figure 1 is a painting, hence it is produce using computer software and added a hand touch as finishing. It is clearly stated that value of art would be more
Digital art started around 1952 in US when Ben F. Laposky produced Oscillon Number Four. Artist always eager to produce something that beyond limitation of technology and mostly, artist at that time is computer programmer because no graphic software was available at that time. Herbert W. Franke, John Withney Sr. and Ben F. Laposky are one of the pioneers in digital art.
Ben Laposky has created first graphic image generated by an analog machine. A mathematician and artist from Iowa, he produced this image by using manipulated electronic beam display across the fluorescent face of an oscilloscope's cathode-ray tube and then recorded onto high-speed film.
Malaysia Era of Digital Art
Digital art in Malaysia started in 1980’s when Dr. Kamarudzaman Md Isa produce a self potrait artwork tittled “Self potrait” (1984) using BASIC Language programming. Then Ismail Zain appeared with “Al Rumi”, “Happy Birthday, Mr Parameswara” and “Alkesah”. He used to be recognized by his composition drawing example DOT: Detribalization of Tam binti Che Tom (1986).
The first exhibition of electronic art were held in National Art Gallery in 1997 curated by Hasnol J Saidin and Niranjan Rajah to introduced digital art which create public awareness about digital art development and impact towards art in this revolution and information era. Today, digital art is not only for programmer but also for illustrator, graphic designer and multimedia, thanks to development of graphic softwares.
Issue Discussed
Issues of discussion here is about perception of society towards digital art which is the art of computer; is digital art, art? This is a very interesting subject as society still underestimates of digital art as “easy to produce” and “have less authentic and aesthetic value”. As people always think that Figure 1 is a painting, hence it is produce using computer software and added a hand touch as finishing. It is clearly stated that value of art would be more
Bibliography: 1. Wartenberg, E. T. (2007). The Nature of Art 2nd Ed. Thomson Wadsworth US. 2. Popper, F. (1993). Art of Electronic Age. Thames and Hudson Ltd, London. 3. Barasch, M. (1998). Theories of Art, 3. New York University Press. 4. Corporate website. Retrieved April 9, 2008 from www.thecore.nus.edu/post/singapore/arts/painters/malaysia/zain/1.html 5 6. Dr. Hasnizam Abdul Wahid. (2005). The Culture of Art and Technology in the Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. Retrieved April 9, 2008 from http://www.symbiosisonline.com/aug05_art.htm ----------------------- [1]Douglas Davis, “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction,” The Nature of Art (Thomson Wadsworth 2007): 342 [2]Frank Popper, “Computer Art,” Art of the Electronic Age (Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, 1993), 78.