There is quite a bit of on-line discussion at the moment about what has been termed ‘the new aesthetic’ – see for example Bruce Sterling’s article in ‘Wired’. The basic idea of this ‘aesthetic’ is that it involves the movement of visual phenomena from the virtual to the actual: the manifestation of the digital in the physical. Different things are being framed by this idea. Primarily it seems to involve a set of stylised representations of the digital as an aspect of the graphic designed and consumerist environment, alongside other examples of on-line graphics presented in some off-line context. Whether this constitutes a new aesthetic or a new way of seeing is up for debate. It seems persuasive to argue that computer based, virtual, digitised culture itself involves new aesthetic phenomena of a significant nature that requires in-depth analysis. However it is questionable whether some of this ‘new aesthetic’ stuff is really equivalent to this. Is it not just old fashioned graphic design, with a new digital influenced look? Go to the ‘New Aesthetic” tumblr and see for yourself.
Simon
Pretty images. Can you explain ‘on-line graphics presented in off-line context’?
BK