Digital Art In Vogue

In March 2021, an artist called Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) sold a digital collage for a staggering USD 69 million which began a new trend on the art scene. The collage was a form of NFT (Non-Fungible Token) which is an intersection of digital creativity (such as art, music and video) and blockchain technology. NFTs trended in 2021 which led to frenzy in the art scene wherein there was news of record breaking sales on a daily basis. But from a meteoric rise, the trend then went into a steep decline by 2022. Yet, despite the fact that NFTs have waned in their influence, digital art is still going strong. 

Digital art has become trendy fetching not just sales but also buzz. It is evolving today as more and more artists are going digital. What then is digital art? According to Wikipedia, "Digital art is an artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as a part of the creative or presentation process.” Various names have been used to describe the process including electronic art, computer art or multimedia art, since the 1960s. Today, it falls under the umbrella term called new media art. And anyone with access to technology can create digital art. 

For example, there is an app called Procreate which allows artists to create art digitally on electronic devices. Such art scene is gradually morphing along with technology as it continues to see an immense growth. While there are traditional artists who showcase their work in an exhibition, today artists increasingly seek to find their feet in the digital platform. Even museums and galleries have started to consider digital art as permanent fixtures. 

Art has been around human civilisation since the Stone Age, as evident through numerous cave paintings. And the world has come far from Stone Age paintings to modern expression. The history of art has seen several stages; for example, Renaissance art was popular in the 16th century in the West. In fact, the West has undergone different stages in culture that set about prominent artistic revolutions. And each epoch of art has witnessed unique trends. The Renaissance featured the experience of an individual and paid homage to the mystery and beauty of nature. It also had a profound religious expression. 

Fast forward to the twentieth century and Pablo Picasso popularised a new trend called cubism. His paintings were bold and so creative that they still fetch millions in sales. Anyone with enough determination, interest and persistence can gain artistic knowledge and insight. It is considered a hallmark of education to identify great works of art and even understand the underlying meanings, context and the artist's perspectives behind masterpieces. Unsurprisingly, there is a sort of fascination with art and its cultural impact amongst the Western elite.

Art isn't just about creation, expression and monetisation driven by sales and numbers. It is also about connecting with oneself as a unique part of the natural, cultural, traditional and social narrative. While amateurs are daunted by the challenges of creating art, they can evolve through practice. Today there are many ways to learn and practice art. And when it comes to its creation, there is not just freedom of expression but also evolving platforms for creative artists.