What is Media Arts?

Definition of Media Arts:
Media Arts is an area in art that is specialized in "hybrid" forms of art. They are extended from the tradition art forms, including the formal paintings and sculptures. The artworks of Media arts often involve a special interaction/involvement with the viewer, including: interactive installations, performance art, simulations, and network art. Some special forms of media art involves laser projections and holography - which makes the viewers interact with the art pieces. Other forms include: video art, photocopy art, neon art, and computer graphics.  Definition of New Media Art:

New Media Art is a specific genre with artworks created by new media technologies, including: digital art, computer graphics, computer animation, virtual art, Internet art, interactive art technologies, computer robotics, and art as biotechnology. This type of art is completely different from the old visual arts including the traditional paintings and sculpture, etc.
New Media Art often involves various interactions and involvement between the artist and the observer of the art.
Examples of artworks of New Media Art includes conceptual, virtual art, performance to installation.

  

Example of Media Art/New Media Art: 

"A moment" by Phil Hansen.

Created: 5-2007 - 6-2007

URL: http://www.philinthecircle.com/amoment.html

Critique Questions:  Description (What do you see?)  - What is the name of the artist who created the artwork?The name of the artist who created the artwork is Phil Hansen.
- What kind of artwork is it?It is an artwork called "A Moment". Phil Hansen started off by asking people online to tell him a moment that changed their life.Then for 136 hours straight (with only restroom breaks), he wrote everyone's stories on a white, round board that is 120 inch in diameter, as he twirled it around 360 degrees while he wrote every story down.
- What is the subject matter of the art?The subject matter of the art is the women in the middle, who is wrapped around with hands around her face.
- What imaged do you see in the artwork?I see an image of a woman's face that is surrounded by four hands, which are only made out of alphabets.   Analysis (Why and How?)
- How are the Elements of Art (colour, shape, line, texture, space, form, value) and the Principles of Design (balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, rhythm, unity, pattern/repetition) used in this artwork?In this artwork, there are only letters (stories, describing moments that changed people's lives) on a around board. This piece has a grainy texture because it is created with alphabets. It is very balanced out, because there are two hands covering the woman's face on the top while there are two more hands covering the other half of the woman's face. In this artwork, the person's face is the first thing that captures you mind because it is the focus and it is emphasized. There is definitely a pattern made with alphabets that creates an entire artwork, showing a women wrapped around with hands.
- What grabs your attention in the artwork?The woman's face in the middle that is wrapped around with four hands, grabs your attention.
- What mood or feeling do you have when you look at this artwork?You get a heart-warming feeling when you look at this artwork because you see a person's face that is wrapped around with other people's hands. You also feel curious about the special grainy texture that the picture has, which are made by letters (it makes you zoom into the picture to look at the details without noticing).

Interpretation (What does it mean? What feelings do you get?)
- What is the theme or subject of the artwork?The theme of this artwork is "a moment that changed your life".
- What is the artwork about; what do you think it means?The artwork is about many people's moments that have changed their entire life.
- Why do you think the artist created this artwork?I think the artist created this artwork to show that many moments that have changed many people's lives can eventually create a peaceful expression on everyone's faces when everything is put altogether.

Judgment (Does it have meaning to you?)
- Do you like or dislike this artwork?I like this artwork because it has a deep meaning behind a simple looking piece of art, done on a round board.
- Do you think this is good art?Yes, I think this is a fabulous artwork because it is created by many people's stories which they send the author, talking about the moments that have changed their life (it was not just the author who created this artwork). - Do you think it is important art?I think it is important art, because every artwork should have a deep meaning behind it, whether it is about the author or the people who have contributed to the author's art.Check out Phil Hansen's other artworks at his official website: http://www.philinthecircle.com/