“Born Digital – New Materialities”.

Paul Thompson

This paper presents the findings of new research undertaken amongst contemporary printmaking practitioners to determine markers of transition between traditional and new forms of printmaking, framed by conception of “Born Digital – New Materialities” - where a print object is conceived and/or created wholly in digital form (The-Library-of-Congress, 2010) whereby artists, utilising digital technologies, demand new conceptions, forms and aesthetics – “towards a new printmaking materiality”. The research was undertaken through social network platforms to coordinate the collation and curation of a digitally mediated international exchange survey of contemporary “print” developed through digital mediation for digital exhibition, publication and editioning. The research examines notions of “new materiality”, set against new concepts of electronic consumption for the second generation of printmaking formed by “ a multiply produced object made with a new type of template” [Kushner 2009] or printmaking 2.0, driven by burgeoning demand[s] for electronic distribution of digitally mediated prints.

Conclusion

In its exploration of the practice of peer printmakers to detect transition between traditional and new forms of printmaking this research was able to ascertain that digitally mediated forms of printmaking and subsequent instantiation was commonly accepted as a valid printmaking form amongst the respondents. Whilst archival digital print on paper held a significant position as a chosen means of instantiation, nearly half of respondents were open to or proactively exploring alternative forms of instantiation. Given printmaking’s traditions and origins then the preference for paper based instantiation is not surprising however the identification of both physical and digital surfaces as being appropriate may suggest that respondents are beginning to see no difference for the instantiation of the digitally mediated print which as identified by Kushner it ‘is a multiply produced object made with a new type of template and printed on another material-often paper but not always so.’ ⁹.

The contributing artists expressed the potential of the medium, referencing flexibility, expressive potential, new opportunities and wider (international) audiences as being positive features of digital printmaking. However they also cited concerns over notions of ownership and copyright and the possible prejudice toward the digital medium within the traditional sphere. Perhaps in part these concerns are manifest in discussion over the potential for the presence of the ‘hand’ in the digital medium.

‘Born Digital – New Materialities’ was successfully facilitated through Internet based digital networks operating within contemporary art practice, wherein artistic collaboration over time and distance through de-materialised practice were made possible. These same networks also providing a significant context and ‘mode of consumption’ for print artists sharing their works and information about their practice. However, although the responding artists proactively used the digital medium for sharing and information exchange, few as yet are using on-line selling or e-commerce to any great extent.

The survey also sought to examine questions of authenticity and signature that have arisen within the production and distribution of digitally mediated prints. Respondents expressed a range of concerns, which included the continued need for signature (be if physical or digital) through to responses, which questioned the efficacy of any form of signature as opposed to allocation control and image rights in the digital context.
The artists’ submissions represent a significant snapshot of current digitally mediated print making practice. These works in this context provide artistic responses to the potential for new aesthetic pleasures and the aesthetic value that can stem from experiencing, owning and collecting original digital prints. Contextually the works submitted are as diverse as the artists themselves and through the evolutionary form of the digital print medium they make expressions relating to aesthetics and process, natural /environmental exploration, socio-political conditions, philosophy and the human condition.

Concurrent with the submission of the prints, artists provided meta-data for their submission offering a unique macro-holistic view of the print 2.0. Within these submissions the breadth of processes reflected within this collection encompass painterly, illustrative and lens based approaches utilising both bitmap and vector based methodologies, which feature image layering, manipulation and use of flexible processes inherent within the technology. Data analysis reveals (within this survey) a predominant use of proprietary software, (Photoshop) for the production of prints through Bitmap process for instantiation to digital archival prints on paper. Overall one draws the sense of mixed digital approaches reflecting the diverse contexts of the individual artists with each striving to evolve their own visual language.

The ‘Born Digital - New materialities’ digitally mediated exchange survey of contemporary ‘print’ gathered the practice of 49 international artists for digital exhibition, publication and editioning. The body of work collected provides a significant study of ‘emergent forms’, ‘Materiality & signature’ and ‘Modes of consumption’ within the contemporary practice of ‘printmaking 2.0’

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Conclusion