Date: Fri, 29 May 1998 12:39:59 -0400 From: David Knoebel Subject: What's new in new media? Dear Ted, We are still inventing the new media. We are even inventing the tools we use. In the midst of all this, it's difficult to say precisely what's new. Responding to your question "What is new in new media?", I find myself thinking of day-to-day, rather than philosophical, issues. New mistakes are inevitable. An artist seizes the mistake and exploits its expressive potential. How often have you clicked the wrong button in Photoshop, or written a block of code that didn't do what you intended? How often has such a mistake revealed a useful possibility that you hadn't considered? Cycle time is important, too. In a short time, the computer allows us to try many variations on a piece. By saving the interim files, we can compare the results. We cycle more quickly what we learn from others as well. No longer do we have to journey from city to city to experience original work; it's on the Web, and so are the artists. An art work is the interaction of mind and medium. With charcoal and mud, Neanderthal artists depicted their experiences. When oil was the new medium, artists developed techniques such as scumbling and sfumato that enlarged the possibilities for expression. Using the computer, we discover new ways to externalize and codify our thoughts. Those of us who work with code are excited by the possibilities of a do-while loop, just as artists working in watercolor may be excited by a transparent wash. We have invented something strange, something that is almost like thinking itself. Nevertheless, we still share in the wonder felt by the first artist who scraped burnt twig against a cave wall. That's not new. Best wishes, David Knoebel The Click Poems