I think the reason a lot of these arguments just go back and forth is because they're based on the premise that 'art' means something like a painting, or other accepted form. Sure, you can make a pretty picture with a computer, but is a 2D image really the computer's native medium?
I suppose you could argue it's one of them; certainly, you can create photorealistic images on your monitor, print them out with varying degrees of quality, and have been able to do so for quite some time. But what about 3D modeling, or hypertext fiction, or website design, or game programming? I think most people would agree that a virus detection program isn't an artistic expression, but so many other forms that computers make possible are far less clear.
I think if you want to talk about 'computer art,' 2D images are really just the legacy of a transition to much more 'different' media. I myself love to do 2D work on the computer, mostly with photo manipulations, and I see no reason this form couldn't become accepted. But I don't think these kinds of products are what people will look as the computer art of this era; I think they'll be looking at the more sophisticated hybrid forms, like entertainment software (and perhaps the 'artwork' within it), animation, etc.
The issue isn't that 2D computer-mediated art is too far from convention to be accepted. It's too close!
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I think the reason a lot of these arguments just go back and forth is because they're based on the premise that 'art' means something like a painting, or other accepted form. Sure, you can make a pretty picture with a computer, but is a 2D image really the computer's native medium?
I suppose you could argue it's one of them; certainly, you can create photorealistic images on your monitor, print them out with varying degrees of quality, and have been able to do so for quite some time. But what about 3D modeling, or hypertext fiction, or website design, or game programming? I think most people would agree that a virus detection program isn't an artistic expression, but so many other forms that computers make possible are far less clear.
I think if you want to talk about 'computer art,' 2D images are really just the legacy of a transition to much more 'different' media. I myself love to do 2D work on the computer, mostly with photo manipulations, and I see no reason this form couldn't become accepted. But I don't think these kinds of products are what people will look as the computer art of this era; I think they'll be looking at the more sophisticated hybrid forms, like entertainment software (and perhaps the 'artwork' within it), animation, etc.
The issue isn't that 2D computer-mediated art is too far from convention to be accepted. It's too close!
-Bako Bitz