The forum has been archived
While the forum may not be active, the community still lives on Discord! Click here to join us.

Discussion - Glitchy Stuff Is Art? -

Chat about anything
Post Reply
User avatar
Phantomboy
Moderator
Posts: 5417
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 11:04 am

Discussion - Glitchy Stuff Is Art? -

Post by Phantomboy »

I did this a while back after watching an Idea Channel video. This week the topic was talking about what glitch-art says about our love for broken bits of technology and the general ascetic surrounding it. A broken tape, malfunctioning video game, flickering TV and wavering synthesizer are all horrible things when you need that device, but are honestly very cool when you want them.
Image
Mike talks about how this occurrence shows our desire to "peer under the hood" to get a feel of when these technologies work properly as well as when it doesn't, forming a juxtaposition that in all honesty, we love. He also brought up the nostalgic effect it plays on. Many of the devices we have today are heavily digital tools that are either functioning entirely properly or broken past even turning on, whilst older things tend to work pretty well at not working entirely. Creating a time period that this art tend to come from and (lets be honest) I'm sure we all have those old devices sitting around that you've really wanted to see how they function.

For whatever reason we seem to find satisfaction in using things for what they were really never meant to do. Forcing a device to preform whilst not really preforming creates an odd style, that honestly seems to be quite popular.

I thought this was worth a post and I wanted to see the communities take on the matter :)
Image
User avatar
ThatOneFox
Moderator
Posts: 17612
Joined: January 20th, 2013, 5:53 pm
Design Competitions Voted: 1
Contact:

Post by ThatOneFox »

I must be a masterpiece creator then (yes, I did this to sonic 3.)
[media=youtube]1VpdXA-Yct0[/media]
:skull: :bungee: Keith Keiser has a better ass than you :bungee: :skull:
User avatar
ElectroYoshi
Well-Known Member
Posts: 11061
Joined: October 18th, 2012, 8:27 pm
Design Competitions Voted: 1

Post by ElectroYoshi »

In a world where Picasso and Van Gogh are looked at as two of the best painters to ever have lived, glitchy stuff that represents our love of technology doesn't strike me as being all that competitive.

You say that it represents how technology sucks when you need it, but is cool when you want it. I can see that representation in the image, but I don't think something trivial like that is really worth devoting entire works of art to. I like art to have a more in-depth meaning, so when I use the word "art" to describe glitchy works like that, I feel like I'm using it in kind of a loose sense. Like I said though, I get what it's trying to say, so I can see why some might think differently.

At the end of the day, it's all a matter of personal perception.
I need a shot again, that sweet adrenaline.
User avatar
Phantomboy
Moderator
Posts: 5417
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 11:04 am

Post by Phantomboy »

ElectroYoshi wrote:In a world where Picasso and Van Gogh are looked at as two of the best painters to ever have lived, glitchy stuff that represents our love of technology doesn't strike me as being all that competitive.

You say that it represents how technology sucks when you need it, but is cool when you want it. I can see that representation in the image, but I don't think something trivial like that is really worth devoting entire works of art to. I like art to have a more in-depth meaning, so when I use the word "art" to describe glitchy works like that, I feel like I'm using it in kind of a loose sense. Like I said though, I get what it's trying to say, so I can see why some might think differently.

At the end of the day, it's all a matter of personal perception.
Perhaps my wording on there was a bit fuzzy on my actual meaning, I wasn't saying that is what it represents. I was more so saying that those opinions are the two most common regarding malfunctioning devices. Such mediums can be art when they are used in someways and a device in normal use. Much how stone is a practical building material whilst also being a sculpting material under other lighting. It is a broad-term, which encompasses the methods used to create the art. However, the emotions of the art must stand on their own. It is simply the medium in which they reside.

Hopefully that clears things up ;P
Image
User avatar
ElectroYoshi
Well-Known Member
Posts: 11061
Joined: October 18th, 2012, 8:27 pm
Design Competitions Voted: 1

Post by ElectroYoshi »

Phantomboy wrote:It is a broad-term, which encompasses the methods used to create the art. However, the emotions of the art must stand on their own.
I agree that the emotions/meanings need to have individualism to them, but the way the art was created can play a pretty big role in actually getting a such things across. Think about The Scream:

Image

Think hard here. Painters don't just slap colors on canvases and hope for the best. They pick out which colors would best fit the situation they are depicting and the point they're trying to make. The Scream uses a lot of darker colors, and brighter ones, I feel, would largely kill the "Doom and Gloom" feel it gives off. Would the same painting with happy-go-lucky bright colors be as engrossing? It might, but my guess is that it wouldn't be. What I mean is that how a painting is created can play a big role in making the point apparent, and can also make it stand out alone.
I need a shot again, that sweet adrenaline.
User avatar
Phantomboy
Moderator
Posts: 5417
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 11:04 am

Post by Phantomboy »

ElectroYoshi wrote:I agree that the emotions/meanings need to have individualism to them, but the way the art was created can play a pretty big role in actually getting a such things across. Think about The Scream:

Think hard here. Painters don't just slap colors on canvases and hope for the best. They pick out which colors would best fit the situation they are depicting and the point they're trying to make. The Scream uses a lot of darker colors, and brighter ones, I feel, would largely kill the "Doom and Gloom" feel it gives off. Would the same painting with happy-go-lucky bright colors be as engrossing? It might, but my guess is that it wouldn't be. What I mean is that how a painting is created can play a big role in making the point apparent, and can also make it stand out alone.
In a way we are disagreeing about agreeing here. I can understand that some may interpret glitch-art in accordance with "slapping colors on canvases" but their is some control given to the artist. Arguably not at much as traditional art - but often working under constraints such as bending technology to produce and image or sound you are pleased with can craft a beautiful work of art you may have over looked without those constraints, such as Stravinsky's twelve-tone music.
Image
User avatar
ElectroYoshi
Well-Known Member
Posts: 11061
Joined: October 18th, 2012, 8:27 pm
Design Competitions Voted: 1

Post by ElectroYoshi »

Phantomboy wrote:but often working under constraints such as bending technology to produce and image or sound you are pleased with can craft a beautiful work of art you may have over looked without those constraints, such as Stravinsky's twelve-tone music.
I can understand that. The constraints of technology in comparison to a canvas really don't need to serve as roadblocks when making art, or really anything.
I need a shot again, that sweet adrenaline.
User avatar
Phantomboy
Moderator
Posts: 5417
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 11:04 am

Post by Phantomboy »

ElectroYoshi wrote:I can understand that. The constraints of technology in comparison to a canvas really don't need to serve as roadblocks when making art, or really anything.
I suppose in a way they are only a constraints if they artist believes they are, I cannot be sure as to how many artists actually do not view the constraints of their medium as roadblocks however the majority I have seen don't seem to. A digital-glitch artist doesn't complain about the amount of sorting and tweaking is required to achieve the desired look. Just as a painter doesn't complain that his canvas is flat and he must painstakingly skew his paintings, mentally to give them depth. It seems to, as a lot of things are with art and like you said are simply a matter personal taste and what works best for them.
Image
tta
Well-Known Member
Posts: 2211
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 5:01 pm

Post by tta »

ElectroYoshi wrote:I agree that the emotions/meanings need to have individualism to them, but the way the art was created can play a pretty big role in actually getting a such things across. Think about The Scream:

Image

Think hard here. Painters don't just slap colors on canvases and hope for the best. They pick out which colors would best fit the situation they are depicting and the point they're trying to make. The Scream uses a lot of darker colors, and brighter ones, I feel, would largely kill the "Doom and Gloom" feel it gives off. Would the same painting with happy-go-lucky bright colors be as engrossing? It might, but my guess is that it wouldn't be. What I mean is that how a painting is created can play a big role in making the point apparent, and can also make it stand out alone.
The Scream is visually appealing because the colors are deep and rich, and they, being orange and blue, directly contrast eachother. Same with the use of dark and light shades of those colors. And not only that, but the way the piece is presented is very hazy and dreamlike.

Also, I'd just like to point out that the only places that "Glitchy Art" has a home in are album covers for hipster alt-rock bands.
User avatar
Phantomboy
Moderator
Posts: 5417
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 11:04 am

Post by Phantomboy »

tta wrote:The Scream is visually appealing because the colors are deep and rich, and they, being orange and blue, directly contrast eachother. Same with the use of dark and light shades of those colors. And not only that, but the way the piece is presented is very hazy and dreamlike.

Also, I'd just like to point out that the only places that "Glitchy Art" has a home in are album covers for hipster alt-rock bands.
Fair enough, although I would say that there is many galleries, both online and physical that have displayed glitch-art. I don't think that digital distorted art really anything "revolutionary" to the art world, it is simply another style and it most certainly isn't threatening older ascetics. Just as Modern, Renaissance, Surrealism and Minimalistic art before it - there will be galleries that display glitch art and galleries that don't.

I am unsure if "hipster alt-rock bands." is meant to be a derogatory term or not as I haven't listened to many alternative rock bands. However, perhaps explaining a bit more of your opinion would make it clearer. As, with the information you gave - it has the connotation that you do not like it. However it is just as easy to say you highly regard alternative music and therefor it is an honor to put glitch art with it.
Image
tta
Well-Known Member
Posts: 2211
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 5:01 pm

Post by tta »

Phantomboy wrote:Fair enough, although I would say that there is many galleries, both online and physical that have displayed glitch-art. I don't think that digital distorted art really anything "revolutionary" to the art world, it is simply another style and it most certainly isn't threatening older ascetics. Just as Modern, Renaissance, Surrealism and Minimalistic art before it - there will be galleries that display glitch art and galleries that don't.

I am unsure if "hipster alt-rock bands." is meant to be a derogatory term or not as I haven't listened to many alternative rock bands. However, perhaps explaining a bit more of your opinion would make it clearer. As, with the information you gave - it has the connotation that you do not like it. However it is just as easy to say you highly regard alternative music and therefor it is an honor to put glitch art with it.
No, it wasn't derogatory. I didn't mean that all alt-rock bands were hipster, I was referring to alt-rock bands that are hipster.

FunFact: I personally LOVE alt-rock. (The Killers, P!atD, etc.)
User avatar
Phantomboy
Moderator
Posts: 5417
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 11:04 am

Post by Phantomboy »

tta wrote:No, it wasn't derogatory. I didn't mean that all alt-rock bands were hipster, I was referring to alt-rock bands that are hipster.

FunFact: I personally LOVE alt-rock. (The Killers, P!atD, etc.)
Not to drive this off topic, but I meant by you saying that the only home for glitch art is on hipster alternative music - are you saying that you do or don't like the art? I am confused.
Image
tta
Well-Known Member
Posts: 2211
Joined: October 9th, 2012, 5:01 pm

Post by tta »

Phantomboy wrote:Not to drive this off topic, but I meant by you saying that the only home for glitch art is on hipster alternative music - are you saying that you do or don't like the art? I am confused.
It's common for hipster people to put hipster glitchy art on their hipster album covers for their hipster bands.
User avatar
Aflysokat
Member
Posts: 73
Joined: February 12th, 2013, 12:58 am

Post by Aflysokat »

It's even more common when hipster people into hipster glitches put glitchy hipster glitches on their glitchy hipster hipster glitched hipster bands that had glitched up hipster music on it's glitchy hipster albums.
User avatar
LordFinnagin
Member
Posts: 96
Joined: October 31st, 2013, 4:44 pm

Post by LordFinnagin »

I'm a big fan of the PBS Idea Channel myself.

Not really I can contribute to this conversation.

Oh there's a music video by Watsky that I think applies.

[media=youtube]NNRGTmu5Sok[/media]

Datamoshing x3
Post Reply