As far as some are concerned, technology and art are on opposing sides of the human experience. After all, technology has to do with concrete and absolute concepts like numbers and scientific inquiry. Art, on the other hand, embraces the abstract and is subject to interpretation at every turn.
Techology Innovation and Art – The truth is that the two influence themselves much more than you would imagine. In fact, a look at virtually every great tech innovation will reveal some level of artistic influence within it. Whether these Innovations are pushed because of artistic use or were created with art in mind, here are some of the ways the two are interconnected:
Technology Created Via Art
Humans are always looking for more ways to connect with and consume art, and many of the biggest technological developments have this in mind. Take blockchain-based assets like cryptocurrency and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). They’ve become one of the most popular asset classes in the world today and are highly profitable.
Trending cryptocurrencies can see hundreds of millions of dollars in investment, and while this might seem like the financial market pushing a new technological concept, art is at the very center of this. The most common manifestation of NFTs is artwork, whether pictures, videos, or even songs. One of the biggest reasons NFTs took off the way they did is that they allow for creators and consumers to trade and connect. A look at cryptocurrencies will show that artwork for various ecosystems is a major selling point. Without the visual and artistic side, cryptocurrency would have been much less engaging for audiences and thus would not have succeeded on the scale which it has.
Technology Enhancing Art
Another major driver of technological innovation has been within artist-centred communities. A good example of this is Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technology. While on the surface it might seem like simply a tool for better human engagement and completing tasks, its artistic roots are impossible to ignore. VR and AR have been heavily used within the gaming sector, and this is used to deliver hyperrealistic visuals, which are essentially animated and 3D rendered imagery. Whether this technology is used to aid in surgery on humans or to deliver the next hyperrealistic video game, it is clear that its consistent use to deliver artistic materials has been a driver of its innovation and success.
Art As A Technological Philosophy
Besides the actual application, it is worth noting that the philosophy of art has been applied within technological spheres for decades. Take user interface and user experience concepts. Some of the most important things involve color harmony on various web pages, legible text, engaging and visually appealing buttons, and placements that mirror the principles of art. There is a reason why web design courses have much artistic philosophy infused in them. This is because, regardless of all the technology and the world, experiences in the digital sphere cannot be delivered without taking into consideration the principles of art.
Art As A Sort Of Technological Motivation
Even if you are not a tech-savvy or tech-forward person, there is it chance you have some idea of what the future of tech could and should look like. Whether this is autonomous robots, flying cars, or terraforming other planets, you likely got many of these ideas from artistic endeavours.
Many people enjoy reading sci-fi novels, watching movies, listening to music, and engaging with other artistic ideas. Many of these artistic ideas look at the ethics, potential future, and application of technology. Scientists would agree that their idea of what they can do with technology was influenced by artistic expression. The average artist might not know how to code or build robots, but they can create outputs that feature imaginations of these concepts.
It can be argued that scientists inspire artists or the other way around. Either way, it is clear that as long as we have technology and we have art, they will continue to inspire each other. In turn, consumers never have to choose between the two but instead, can enjoy products and services that are both and neither.