Over the last decade or so, technology has changed our world and daily lives. It has created great tools and resources, putting information at our fingertips. Modern technology has paved the way for devices like the smartphone. Today, computers are faster, and you can take them anywhere. Suffice to say, technology has made our lives easier, faster, and better.

Digital technology has changed what people call media. The influence of new technology on the media is apparent.  You may still turn on the big news channels for information, but chances  you got it first on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter.

Factually, there are now nearly 3.2 billion people who use the internet (almost half of the world’s population).  Millions of smartphones are sold around the world daily, and the amount of information we share with each other is unbelievable.

Before the advent of mobile technology, you had to search through the dictionary to find the meaning of a word. Now all you have to do is Google it or use a dictionary app.  Beyond words, you can search for literally anything on the Internet and find exactly what you are looking for.In the past, writing a letter, sending a fax or finding a rotary phone were the best ways to connect with someone remotely.  Now, thanks to Zoom, email and cell phones, you can connect with someone in society at any time.  You can instantly send a message on social media, text someone, or put a call through.

Communication has even evolved beyond mobile devices and now you can even send a message through your smartwatch. You can receive notifications, track your physical activity, set alarms, and even call and text directly through these wearable devices.

Jon Rafman is an artist who uses video, photography, sculpture and installation to examine the place which technology holds in contemporary life.Jon Rafman’s inspiration comes from the Internet and video game culture.

He’s not the only artist whose art is inspired by technology.  There are so many others like Gretchen Andrew, one of the pioneers of virtual reality and art.  Gretchen created Alternate Reality, touted as the world’s first virtual reality art show. Only one piece of her art actually hung on the wall.  The rest were exhibited through a VR replica of the space.  Gretchen wants to use her knowledge of technology to continue exploring the artistic world.

Additionally, the Dream Logic, a community of “artists, technologists, designers, experimenters, and entrepreneurs” produces virtual and augmented reality art shows that center around a specific theme. They launched a show, The Art of Dying, and asked more than 500 participants and two dozen artists to reimagine what it means to be mortal.

Technology continues to influence the world’s artists and it will be interesting to see what new and unusual forms they come up with in the future as digital advances further.

Joyce Laroche