Assignment # 3 - Has Technology Killed Our Creative Instincts?

By: Lenie Lucci

I decided to tell a story with my photos. Showing that technology hasn't killed are creative instincts - despite being highly distracting. But really, everything is distracting for the easily distracted right? 

Throughout history, art and creativity have prevailed. Poverty, famine and wars didn't stop the inspired - so a little iPhone isn't going to cause worldwide creative ruin.

My thoughts are, like we saw with techno-biophilia, technology and art are more interrelated than you'd think. In fact, technology has helped create new kinds of creative expressions that have become staples of our time. Not to mention, the Internet and social media have opened the doors to collaboration giving artists access to creative ecologies and the opportunity to share their work - which is probably one of the most important factors in fostering creativity.

Flickr set link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122323602@N02/sets/72157643421856534/

This is what art used to look like. This is what it meant to be an artist.

Througout history, art has been used; to commemorate events,

as social commentary,

for story-telling,

and of course to depict beauty,

In a world where technology is king and face-to-face interaction with anything is limited, have we lost our passion for art? More importantly, Does technology distract us all from finding our inner artist?

No.

Actually technology has made it easier than ever to discover our inner artists.

Ok, yes technology is distracting and strong arguments exist that it makes us all passive viewers instead of active participants.

iPhones are the heroine of the 21st century, addictive and distracting from the world around us.

But creativity prevails for the inspired...

Technology can actually bring us closer to art allowing us to constantly discover and re-disover.

We are re-interpreting art through our devices, giving them new life. This re-interpretation, is in itself a creative endeavour.

We are creating new genres of art - for example the "meme". Creativity in a mediated outlet, that reflects technology and the means of social commentary today.

The canvass is different, but the desire to be creative remains. It's an evolution of the artistic mind-set, not a murdering of it.

We've explored the idea of techno-biophilia. We know that nature and technology and architecture work together. Well why can't technology work with art too?

Just because the way we paint is different...

doesn't mean the desire to paint is gone. In fact, technology brings creative ecologies to the forefront encouraging artistic work.

For those of us drawn to art, technology works to enhance our ability to be artists in a fast-paced environment. In fact, without technology, I'm doubtful that any of us would have time to be creative at all.

The open source nature of the internet means that we actually get to be closer to creative ideas - uninhibited by regulation and limited access. Also, making it easier to collaborate - which spurs creativity.

We can be our own publishers and get our work out there. Authors, artists and creatives alike have never had an easier time participating in creative ecologies. Sharing ideas.