`Imaging the future' : issues of identity and authenticity of a work of Art.

Sue Gollifer, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Fine Art, The University of Brighton.

Abstract: Poster Summary

Mosaic / WWW will also be shown from the point of view of a practising artist.

The opportunity now for sending visual images throughout the world, allowing access and exchanges, raises one of the crucial debates surrounding computer-generated art the lack of tangibility of the artwork - `a visual artifact', one that can be packaged, marketed and sold. Another involves the concept of authenticity. Who `owns' it: does it even exist? Computer-aided art in its purest form is not concerned with artifact but with communication and interaction. Issues raised will include the mode of existence of the art object, and the identity of the artist in relation to the work.

Up until now most artists use computers mainly as a tool, deploying prepackaged software that mimics the traditional mediums of an artist's palette: paper, canvas, paint, pencils, and allowing for image retouching, collage and combinations of images and text.

If today's artists can achieve so much with the limited computer technology that's currently available can we look forward to a new renaissance as we move into twenty first century. The image- information product in the form of electronic codes is open up to most unlimited possibilities; manipulation storage and transmission. Visualisation will still provide the potential of manipulating vision, but what happens within a virtual space - it could be one of the most exciting challenges artists have ever faced. `Imaging the future' seems like a good metaphor to describe this, and Mosaic/WWW are just the first steps.

Biography:

Senior Lecturer in Fine Art / Printmaking, The School of Art, & Principal Researcher, RSRC, Rediffusion Simulation research Centre, Faculty of Art Design & Humanities, The University of Brighton. BN2 2JY. Sussex, England.

Some recent Group Exhibitions include:

1993

"Reflections" Anglo - Germany Exhibition, Landau, Germany.& Lyric Theatre, London.

"The Half Imperial Show", Scarborough Art Gallery,

"Contemporary Paintings and Prints, The Barbican Centre, London.

'Women taking liberties', a celebration of Women in the Arts, Brighton

`Artists Original Prints', Havant Gallery , Harrogate, Yorkshire.

1994

International Exhibition of Graphic Art, `4 Block', Kharkov, Ukraine.

`National Print Exhibition', Mall Galleries, London.

"Estampes D'Outre-Manche", Musée Adzak, Paris.

1994 British International, Minature Print Exhibition, City Gallery, Leicester.

National Open Print Exhibition, Scarborough Museum, &Lethaby Gallery, London.

14th Mini Print International, Cadaques, Spain.

12 Contemporary British Printmakers, Karelian Republic Art Museum, Karelia, Russia.

scg@vms.bton.ac.uk.