Social Media has been the prime topic of my design studies as of late. I've always been plugged in, one way or another, through Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, Twitter, Plaxo and so on. Up until recently, I haven't explored Social Media for art or design purposes. Surprisingly, there's a wealth of creative efforts popping up throughout social media, giving us instant access to contemporary art and artists across the globe. I recently stumbled on Art 21 through a friends' Facebook page. It's a series produced by PBS to capture contemporary artists from the 21st century. It's definitely worth checking out. http://www.pbs.org/art21
It's an amazing glimpse into the world of emerging and established contemporary artists, giving the viewer a indepth look at the design process itself as well as the perspectives of the featured artist. This series, produced by PBS lends itself to developing a greater awareness and appreciation for art. Artistic endeavors often times go unnoticed simply from lacking awareness of the intention behind the process and the more symbolic meanings implied by the artist. The art I've come to love did not transpire simply from a visual appreciation, but by understanding the meaning, efforts and intentions of the artist. The segment on "Systems" is a great look into the artistic process and the different hidden dilemmas and constraints each artist is up against. The segment featuring artist Julie Mehretu is an especially interesting take on the process due to the enormous scale of her work being showcased. The massive form of the piece shown (30X80') dictated much of the process, requiring a special studio with ample space in Berlin and many assistants working fervently with a time constraint of one year. So interesting and insightful! It's only being shown until 11/13/09 so look it up soon.
Here's to Social Media and the Arts!!
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