Being Formal Without Being a Formalist

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    Abstract

    This paper argues for the value of using formal models within the (digital media) artwork. Eschewing the anti-formalism common to much of postmodernism, it argues for a more active engagement with formal concerns. Without embracing the totalizing theories of late modernist formalism, or discarding the idea of “the concept,” I argue for a more formal approach to the making of the (digital media) artwork. The goal is to point to models that can be used to intimately connect form and concept, rather than treat them as separate or warring entities. The paper critically explores three very specific digital media artworks that endeavor to bridge the gap between formalism and conceptualism, each pointing to indicative (but not exhaustive) methods for reuniting form and concept.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)625-630
    Number of pages9
    JournalLeonardo
    Volume54
    Issue number6
    Early online date11 Mar 2021
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2021

    Keywords

    • Formalism
    • Modernism
    • postmodernism
    • media art
    • audio-visuals
    • digital media
    • New Formalism
    • digital art

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