Saturday, June 9, 2018

Exploring The New Age Of Cyber Art

By Dennis Stewart


Artists can often work in one or multiple genres and media formats. For many, the computer and internet have opened up opportunities never before present in the art world. When it comes to cyber art, the artist typically works with computer based applications to create paintings, enhance photographs or use various applications and tools to create video performance or poetry.

The term, while relatively new and still somewhat vague has no other solid definition. In some cases, multiple pieces of art could be created in minutes through the use of a single art application tool. Whereas, other projects could be related to photographs which have been stored on a computer then enhanced through the use of various programs such as Photoshop and other photo editing software.

The Boston CyberArts Festival which began in the early 1990s helped promote this type of art. For, at the time everything from digital visual performance art and video to paintings and portraits were all the rage. In fact, the festival was the largest of its kind for almost three decades. One reason the event was so popular is because organizers allowed artists working in different areas, including mixed media to show and sell work on a regular basis.

As recently as 2007, 22,000 people were in attendance at the festival. A festival which was held once every other year in Boston, Massachusetts. During that time, artists from all over the world held galas and openings and shared work with those whom enjoyed digital art and video. It is most likely thanks to MIT and an award winning art school that the festivals were so successful.

While still in existence, the non-profit now focuses on showing digital art and other projects on a year round basis. The organizers still host a website in which the last effects of the festival can be viewed. Whereas, the popular CyberArts Gallery is still housed in a building which used to be the Axiom Center for New and Experimental Media in the south Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain which is easily accessible via the Orange line on the MBTA, the city's mass transit system.

While visiting the gallery can be fun, the non-profit also maintains an online presence of past Boston CyberArts festivals. The online galleries include online exhibits, archived art work and remains free of charge to interested parties. As a result, while the festival is no longer in operation, artists are still invited to submit work of this nature on an ongoing basis.

Originally located in Boston, Massachusetts, with a centralized office where artists could find information on events while attending opening night parties, the office has since moved. Whether due to MIT or the local art school, the festival ran successfully from the early 1990s to 2011. After which, the organization closed up shop and moved to Jamaica Plain, a neighborhood just south of the city which is a convenient location on the Orange line of the Boston MBTA mass transportation system.

While hosting a centralized office, festival events were held at some of Boston's most renown public spaces, universities, museums and art galleries. Even during the early onset of the internet, the festival would provide access to virtual events when and where possible. As such, it become the most well known and renown CyberArts festival in the country.




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