Digitalization Has Hit the Art Scene
Art Is No Longer Only About Paintbrush to Canvas
By Mitchell Kayal, Copy Editor
Lynn’s third Annual Student and Faculty Art Exhibition ,titled “Digitalism 2023,” was held on Sept. 14, 2023, at the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC). The event has left people wondering about the future of art — traditional and digital alike.
Art is one of many professions that have been affected as technology continues to advance. While digital art has continued to increase in popularity, it has only recently been shown in public exhibits.
“I’m looking forward to establishing connections, and really establishing myself as both an artist and an animator,” said Stephan Gude, a senior.
Following an all-female panel discussion featuring several notable digital artists and scholars,-including artist and New York University professor Carla Gannis the curator and founder of {ANTI]MATERIA, and Lynn’s very own film expert Dr. Nava Dushi, the panel discussion explored the ever-evolving nature of art as a form of expression and a career field.
While digital art, with its many forms including internet art, algrythmic and generative art and new media, has allowed art to take on new forms and expressions, some artists believe it is not given the respect it properly deserves.
“Digital art has been marginalized,” said Dushi. “The real question remains: What is art? To me, art is very complex, and it has a lot to do with my experience as a perceiver. Something happens between the artist and their work and the person viewing that artwork.”
This became evident when visitors of the exhibit were led towards the inspiring pieces of traditional and digital art displayed on the walls of Lynn University’s Non-Fungible Token (NFT) Museum. During this time, there was also live music, appetizers and beverages.
Lynn’s NFT Museum is revolutionary as it is among the first of its kind in the country to display the digital artwork of Lynn students and faculty of the College of Communication and Design. As NFTs, a unique digital identifier is recorded on a blockchain and is used to certify ownership and authenticity.
“The museum, and with it the exhibition also celebrates Lynn’s mission and commitment to making positive, lasting impact on a global scale by working toward five of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 5 – Gender Equality, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17 – Partnership for the Goals,” said artist and Dean of the College of Communication and Design Cesar Santalo.
This year’s event was a great opportunity for students to network, admire the art of their peers and professors and hear from industry professionals.
“There were some paintings where the canvas itself took a different shape than what I was expecting,” said Manuel Baeza, a senior. “I was inspired by the talent of my friends and professors.”
Recent advancements in technology have made it more accessible than ever for someone to become recognized as an artist and to make art a viable career. Lynn University and the College of Communication and Design continue to lead the way in promoting art as a platform for expression and empowerment in the 21st century.
Above: Digital art featured at the 2023 Faculty and Student Art Exhibition at the BRiC. Photo/Lynn University.
