What is Digital Culture? Is it a reflection of a mental evolution? Perhaps a “pervasive technology” as Chris Pirillo puts it. Or is it simply an extension of our society’s capacity to expand? However you interpret it, Digital Culture is a compelling art form to dive into.
To Hans Weigand, a prolific Austrian artist, digital culture is a “data tsunami” or an overwhelming influx of detrimental technology and information. In Weigand’s collage of contemporary popular culture titled “Deep Water Horizon,” he exemplifies his unique opinion of digital culture and the effects it has on our society.
This elaborate double-sided collage staged at University Art Gallery from October 1 to the 27 of November in Muir College is an intriguing experience to say the least. I was personally dumbfounded at the sight of such a piece and lost for words at interpretation. This piece of art will ultimately challenge you to come up with your own perspective of what Weigands is communicating about digital culture because of the bizarre architectural and environmental details placed in the collage. Weigands puts together an assortment of abstract images of day and night atmospheres from digital photographs at various locations on the undistinguishable coastlines of California and Hawaii on each of six different backdrops. Each backdrop contains what appear to be arbitrary contemporary images such as the statue of liberty, a half broken bridge, Roman statues of cavalry, a dilapidated trailer car, and bizarre photographs of apes and baboons from the San Diego Zoo. Although focusing closely on the significance of those contemporary images, you realize they are accentuated meaningfully to show how new popular culture has catastrophically and nearly wiped away all that our human culture once was defined by.
Weigand’s array of images blasts my mind into a world of curious and pensive thought. I was most intrigued by the appearance of the silver surfer, a marvel comic’s hero, shown in complete isolation on one of the backdrops, so to say that he is the last sample of culture left from the contemporary media storm. Without hesitation, I strongly advise all to go witness Hans Weigand's display of digital culture.
-David Guinasso
This elaborate double-sided collage staged at University Art Gallery from October 1 to the 27 of November in Muir College is an intriguing experience to say the least. I was personally dumbfounded at the sight of such a piece and lost for words at interpretation. This piece of art will ultimately challenge you to come up with your own perspective of what Weigands is communicating about digital culture because of the bizarre architectural and environmental details placed in the collage. Weigands puts together an assortment of abstract images of day and night atmospheres from digital photographs at various locations on the undistinguishable coastlines of California and Hawaii on each of six different backdrops. Each backdrop contains what appear to be arbitrary contemporary images such as the statue of liberty, a half broken bridge, Roman statues of cavalry, a dilapidated trailer car, and bizarre photographs of apes and baboons from the San Diego Zoo. Although focusing closely on the significance of those contemporary images, you realize they are accentuated meaningfully to show how new popular culture has catastrophically and nearly wiped away all that our human culture once was defined by.
Weigand’s array of images blasts my mind into a world of curious and pensive thought. I was most intrigued by the appearance of the silver surfer, a marvel comic’s hero, shown in complete isolation on one of the backdrops, so to say that he is the last sample of culture left from the contemporary media storm. Without hesitation, I strongly advise all to go witness Hans Weigand's display of digital culture.
-David Guinasso
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