Blog 13 (Cultural Context)

This is an image from Flicker by Altered Photos. As technology gets more advanced it begins to integrate itself in all aspects of everyday life, including art. Artwork can be done completely by computer manipulation today. This particular piece or art is classified as abstract art, more specifically it is modern digital abstract art. This is considered actual art and museums have started to collect this category of art. Digital art is categorized as computer generated art, of which digital abstract art is part of. There are several different kinds of digital art. Fractals, algorithmic art, and 3-D graphics are also considered digital art along with scanned photographs that are then digitally altered. Fractals are fragmented geometric shapes that can be split and reduced, but still remain a copy of the whole image. Algorithmic art is generated by algorithms which are mathematic sequences used for calculations and data processing.
It is important to understand where abstractionism came from in order to understand what it is. It is believed that abstractism began around the year 1910, though it has roots in the late 1800s. Wassily Kandisky and Piet Mondrian are believed to be the pioneers of modern abstractism. Kandisky is given credit for the first modern abstract art. Abstract art depends on forms within the picture instead of pictorial representation. Cubism shows the first characteristics of abstractism, but is not classified as abstractism. According to Wikipedia abstractionism is influenced by impressionism, romantism, and expressionism. The abstractism of the twentieth century was impacted by post-impressionism.
Lots of digital abstract art is done in programs like Adobe Photoshope, which can be purchased and used by anybody. I think that is some of the appeal of this art anybody can learn to create it. The vibrant colors and unusual shapes appeal to the visual senses. This piece of art appears to be a spinning vortex. There is black and white lightening radiating out from the vortex. Black, white, and grey light is being absorbed by the vortex. As the vortex sucks in the lightening there are blue wisps of light being emitted from the vortex. The light that is being absorbed is cut into four sections like a four leaf clover.

http://xylem.syros.aegean.gr/~modestos/pages/art+science/art_movements/art_movements.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/

http://www.harley.com/art/abstract-art/index.html

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/a/abstraction.html