The Future of Our Society
The Age of Digital Information
In this blog, I will be talking about the era of information technology. As we all know, many good things have come from technology. It has been a significant help in many areas of our lives. Technology has enabled us to communicate with people located across the world within a few seconds, purchase things online, buy items with plastic instead of cash, etc. While technology has helped us in many areas, it has hurt us in many areas as well. In this blog, we will see the different ways in which technology has been detrimental to the human population. The Age of Digitial Information relates to these art pieces because it raises awareness of technology abuse. We don't always use technology for good.
The location in which this piece was created is unknown. This art piece was created in 2016 by Andreas Gursky and it expresses the overstimulation we face on a day-to-day basis. The Age of Digitial Information relates to this picture because nowadays in society we have so many options to choose from. This is seen everywhere from dating to malls, the possibilities are endless. "Between online dating sites and dating apps we are inundated with options for how to meet potential partners. Not only that, there are numerous new sites and apps in the pipeline about to be launched that aim to provide us with yet more ways to meet people." This may sound like a good thing but it makes it difficult to make decisions, sometimes resulting in over-consumption. Our society is made up of consumers and now we can consume in the comfort of our homes from our electronic devices. You can order anything online, very different from the older times. "Ironically, electronic consumerism has erased any connection we might once have had to notions of earthly plenitude". This art piece is not as interesting to me as the other ones. It can feel overwhelming to look at which is the point. It is meant to show how we are overwhelmed with a variety of options every day.
Color- The color on this art piece is primarily white, it is then filled with a variety of different colors which are the objects being sold. Most of these objects are electronic devices. This is very different from what we would see in a shop 70 years ago.
Repetition- There is repetition in this piece as there are many of the same products just in different versions.
Texture- Although a lot is going on in this art piece, the texture seems smooth.
Placement- There are many items in a very small space but the placement allows the items to look like they are staggered. The different sizing also allows the illusion of the objects being staggered.
Amazon
This image was taken in Pheonix, Arizona in 2016 by Andreas Gursky. It captures the overwhelming amount of consumption that our society takes part in. This relates to the age of digital information because it shows just how easily we can order things within seconds. We have so many options to choose from on Amazon and they have just about anything you need. "What is exposed is the extreme individualization that results from consumerism, which, here, ominously approaches chaos." This is negative because we as humans are over-consumers due to the ability to order anything, anytime, anywhere. "What Gursky gets at are the unyielding, mindlessly cruel forces of global capitalism. Despite the promise of individualism through consumerism, people are lost in the crowd, in a world of excess and waste."
Color- There are many different colors in the image but a constant color is brown. The brown represents the amazon package delivery box.
Repetition- This is a big thing in this piece. Although no two boxes look the same there are many packages.
Textures- This seems to have a smooth texture.
Placement- The items are smaller in the back and bigger in the front allowing us to see just how big the warehouse is, further exemplifying the overconsumption in modern society.
Alone
The facts on where and when this art piece was created is not available online. This art piece by Pawel Kuczynski is quite interesting to me, it expresses how technology can isolate us. We tend to get online, scroll through social media and talk to strangers which gives us a false sense of connection. I say false sense because you will only see what somebody wants you to see on social media. There is nothing more genuine hat physical interaction. However, social media and technology rip us away from a deeper connection with mankind. "...from technology moguls as gods, from psychosocial loneliness in an ever “connected” age...". Many consider this the connected age but we have become so isolated with a false sense of social interaction. "Isolation—perceived or actual—is an omnipresent risk and chronic, long-term reality. " I can only hope that our society embraces human interaction more and let go of technology for a few hours out of the day.
Color- The color is mostly bland which accentuates the feeling that accompanies loneliness; sadness.
Repetition- There is a lot of repetition in this art piece. There are many wifi signals which show that wifi makes up most of what we know in modern society.
Texture- The texture seems smooth.
Placement- Towards the back the wifi signals begin to overlap which signifies the overbearing that we seem to face on a day-to-day basis.
Periscope
This art piece by Pawel Kuczynski was created in 2013. This is another interesting piece because it shows how we have fallen into a false sense of reality. "The real problem is that social media distorts our perceptions of the public sphere. By targeting users with droves of content meant to resonate specifically with them, it causes us to create a false mental model of society." Individuals on social media never seem to feel like their life is good enough because of the way others glamorize their life. "When people share things on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media sites, they pick and choose their best moments to make themselves look better. They may take 25 photos and choose less than 5 to post while using photoshop themselves or hiring an editor to do it for them. Many people use these tricks to boost followers which can lead to other people feeling depressed about their looks, social status, and many other factors." They become so consumed with other people's lives that they begin to ignore their own. This image brilliantly captures this. This image relates to The Age of Digital Information because it shows how easily we can look into others' lives.
Color- The colors are primarily dark which signifies that we can't "see anything" without getting on social media. This is where we go for news, weather, etc. There is a light that contrasts the darkness coming from the gated square which represents social media.
Repetition- Many stars represent the infinite nothingness without social media.
Texture- The texture seems rough because of the stars.
Placement- The window is far too high for the individual to reach without using a stethoscope. This represents how we feel out of reach without social media and technology.
Owned
This art piece by Steve Cutts is my favorite one out of all of them. It was created in 2015 in the UK. I love he captured the meaning so perfectly. it shows how we think we are in control of social media and technology but in reality, it controls us. Many people are addicted to the use of it and addiction is not something easy you can control. We see this even in the smallest of children when they throw tantrums because Mom's phone died in the middle of watching Coco Melon. "Essentially, the French author writes that technological progress has enabled people to escape all of their problems and stop reflecting on crucial issues". With technology and social media, we have instant gratification so we can easily block out any real issues that we may be facing. This is unfortunate because it is one of the main reasons that people now lack individuality. It is so easy to get online and see what the latest trends are as opposed to embracing your uniqueness and following whatever your heart tells you to. "Ultimately, this extreme dependence on technology has led people to abandon their unique personalities and become 'the same' ". Individuality has plummeted and it just keeps getting worse.
Color- The primary color here is red which represents doom because of how technology and social media control people.
Repetition- The chain around the neck is repetitive and it shows control.
Texture- This piece has a smooth texture.
Placement- Like a rat to a cat, a human can be easily consumed and controlled by social media. This is represented by the placement, the phone is the highest in the chain.
Gotta Catch 'Em All
This art piece is interesting as it represents society playing a game that was quite popular a few years ago. It was created in 2017 in London. This piece relates to The Age of Digital Information because it shows hows easily consumed we are. "Additionally, the widespread adoption of cheap communication devices such as mobile phones caused people to develop an addiction to them and their social media news feed." As I said before, humans have developed a real addiction to technology. There have been countless amount of car-related injuries due to phone distractions. They occurred simply because an individual could not put their phone away and focus on the task at hand whether it be driving or crossing the street. "The crane driver mentioned above assuredly knew much of this and did not want to risk missing a rare Pokémon, so he continued to play even while driving. A 2017 survey of adults who play Pokémon GO found that 27% of players were “likely” or “very likely” to play while driving. I once spoke to a graduate student who confessed to stopping his car on the highway to capture a particularly rare Pokémon." This shows just how addicting video games can be.
Color- Everything seems rather bland except for the bright yellow pokemon who is apparently in control.
Repetition- There are people in a line doing the exact same thing and headed for the exact same doom. However, they are unable to realize this because they are consumed by the game.
Texture- The texture is smooth but it is rocky.
Placement- The individuals falling off of the cliff have been completely consumed and you would think they are setting an example but the people behind them are in too deep to realize their doom.
Citations
Lynne, Kira. “Dating and the Illusion of Endless Options.” Kiralynne, 11 Dec. 2015,
Maxwell , Richard. “High-Tech Consumerism, a Global Catastrophe Happening on Our Watch.” The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2022
“Amazon.” Amazon - Andreas Gursky | The Broad
“Andreas Gursky's Amazon: Immensity of the Image and the Enterprise.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 26 Jan. 2018
Nihologist. “Paweł Kuczyński & ‘The Surreal Reality That Surrounds Us.".” Tony Robert Cochran, 11 Oct. 2017
Bop-Admin. “Only the Lonely...social Isolation in the Modern World.” MPulse Mobile, 16 Nov. 2022,
“The Problem with Social Media Is Not Content but Its Distortion of Reality.” Big Think, 20 May 2022,
Staff. “How Social Media Presents an Unrealistic View of Others' Lives.” Media Power Youth, 15 Dec. 2021
“‘Gotta Catch 'Em All.’” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers,
Hi Kadeline!
ReplyDeleteYou chose a great topic that is relevant to what society faces these days. It is upsetting to see that we are consumed by technology, especially social media. People can be addicted and spend most of their time with it. Although technology is not overall bad because it helps our life easier, we still need to be reminded that it can control and affect our lives. The artworks above are great examples to raise awareness of its adverse effects on society and encourage people to make a change. The last image caught my attention. I am also one of the people that got addicted to Pokemon Go. I remember going to different places till midnight to catch rare Pokemon. I'm glad I deleted the app after realizing I was unproductive most days. Thank you for sharing!
Kd,
ReplyDeleteThe digital age is the most relevant cultural influence of the 21st century, and you chose great examples. In my mind, works such as the ones you've chosen operate similarly to political comics, for their commentary. I have to say though, I'd disagree with the notion that the technology itself is the problem, but rather the practices running underneath it, which are ultimately reflective of capitalism. Everything is about commodities, attention, advertisements, entertainment and consumerism, which are all motivated by monetization. In the first two works, consumerism is reflected through organizations of massive products and waste, which I think is demonstrated effectively.
I think the last four focus more on the relationship of person-to-device, where I start to disagree with the sentiments and stylization. Pawel Kuczynski's style is actually quite cohesive, and incorporates iconography, such as the universal Wi-Fi symbol and the Facebook logo. I'd have to disagree with your interpretation of "Periscope" though, because I think it's supposed to allude to surveillance by tech companies. It utilizes brutalist motifs in the geometry, which I think are significant because Pawel Kuczynski is polish (Poland is an ex-communist country), and brutalism is associated with communist rule and national surveillance in Eastern Bloc countries.
I get the sentiment with the last two pieces' messages, but from their art style crossed with their concepts and execution I find them incredibly ugly and gimmicky. As a personal aside, I have a strong dislike for cartoon art styles that are derivative of Pendleton Ward (Creator of Adventure Time). I do think that the systems of monetization and attention grabbing associated with phones are a real issue and are detrimental, but I think how they are demonstrated here focuses on completely wrong aspects. All I'm getting here is: "I lack personal restraint and rely on my phone for entertainment and happiness" PHONE = BAD. VIDEO GAME = BAD.