TRAVERSING POSTDIGITAL ART: REIMAGINING HUMANNESS BETWEEN THE SPACES OF PAINT AND PIXELS An exegesis submitted by Catherine Bridget Fisher B. A., LLB., Grad. Dip. Ed., Grad. Dip. Legal Prac., M. Ed. C. A. For the award of Doctor of Creative Arts 2019 TRAVERSING POSTDIGITAL ART Reimagining humanness between the spaces of paint and pixels ABSTRACT ‘Traversing Postdigital Art: Reimagining Humanness between the spaces of paint and pixels’ This practice-led study explores the area of ‘Postdigital’ (PD) visual arts that is characterised by the visible inclusion and balance of the human hand in combination with digital technologies to create artworks. As artists can now create using algorithms and pixels instead of physical media, such as paint, there is a concern that the transience and infinite reproducibility of digital media is eroding the uniqueness, tactile materiality and authorship of artists’ work. It removes us from the art object, and changes the reality of making and experiencing art. This sense of digital disenchantment is the focus of many PD artists work (Cramer 2014). My long-standing art practice, which traverses both analogue and digital media, has provided me with important insights into the artist’s presence in the PD art world. In my practice I combine digital and traditional media to create a transitional zone between the real and virtual and haptic and generative. This is in order to decrease the perceived dissonance and demarcation between the traditional and digital by including specific references to the human element within these works. The inclusion of the human hand, such as by including intentional aesthetic ‘glitches’, which are normally used by PD artists to highlight the unintentional system errors, failures and disruptions of digital, becomes a critical essential part of the artworks and encourages the viewer to consider the artist’s presence in a form which is usually devoid of such elements. i Using bricolage and visual ethnographic methodologies, I explore themes such as privacy and surveillance, feminism, the environment, globalisation and the impact of technology through my practice which draws from traditional practice to create PD artworks and incorporates my presence as the artist. Given the limited research available on PD art practice (Roestenburg 2018) this study is also informed by a visual analysis of selected PD works, an international and national survey with PD artists and a series of in-depth interviews about their art practice. Drawing from this data, a set of guiding principles has been developed to assist the viewer in appreciating the particular characteristics and qualities inherent in PD art, including the critical importance of humanness in this type of artwork. References: Cramer, F 2014 ‘What is Postdigital?: Typewriters vs. Imageboard Memes’, A Peer Reviewed Journal About (APRJA), vol. 3, no. 1 n. p., viewed 5 September 2017, http://www.aprja.net/what-is-post-digital/ Roestenburg, N 2018, ‘Let’s Get Physical? Post-Digital Discourse and Artistic Practice’, Netherlands Institute of Cultural Analysis, n. p., https://www.nica-institute.com/lets-get-physical-post-digital-discourse-and-artistic-practices/ Keywords: Analogue; art object; authenticity; bricolage; critical events; digital art; digital painting; drawing; fine art; humanness; hybrid; installation; materiality; mixed-media; multi-media; narrative; new media art; painting; postdigital art; practice-led research; sculpture; thematic analysis; tradigital art; video; visual art; visual ethnography. ii CERTIFICATION OF THESIS This Thesis, of creative works and exegesis, is original and entirely the works of Catherine Bridget Fisher. The thesis has not previously been submitted, in whole or in part for any other award, except where acknowledged. Copyright Rights and Compliance: Unless otherwise stated this work is protected by copyright with all rights reserved. I provide this thesis in the expectation that due acknowledgement is made of all images and text ⓒ Catherine B. Fisher. 2019. Copyright compliance is consistent with the University of Southern Queensland policies and regulations. Student and supervisors’ signatures of endorsement are verified and held at the University of Southern Queensland. Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Margaret Baguley Associate Supervisor: Dr. John Hetherington iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In completing this thesis, which I have thoroughly enjoyed as an enlightening milestone in my life, I gratefully acknowledge and thank the following people for their ardent help, guidance, gentle persuasions, encouragement and support: Supervisory team Associate Professor Margaret Baguley (Primary supervisor) and Dr. John Hetherington (Associate supervisor) for their expert insights, guidance and understanding in the professional development of my practice, exegesis and fine critiquing of my artworks. USQ DCA Coursework team – Associate Professor Beata Batorowitz and Dr. Nike Sulway. USQ Confirmation and Ethics panel members. My USQ DCA student colleagues 2016-2019 for their fine opinions and wonderful, collaborative inspirations. The Australian Commonwealth Government for my Research Training Program (RTP) funding. Postdigital artists surveyed and interviewed, who provided their valuable time and thoughts on art and life. Dr. Rebecca Scollen, Mr. Brodie Taylor and the exhibition installation team (USQ Artworx Gallery). The staff of Sutherland Library Home Library Service. Messrs. James and Ron Gallacher, family and friends who provided ongoing support, and The Dharawal and Wiradjuri peoples, as traditional custodians of the lands I inhabit. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract i Chapter Three – Methodology within the phases Certification of Thesis iii of the project 47 Acknowledgements iv 3.1 Phase One - Practice-led Research 47 Table of Contents v 3.1.1 Interpretive Bricolage 48 Chapter One – Introduction 1 3.1.2 Autoethnography / Visual ethnography / 1.1 Scope of the Exegesis 1 Narrative / Critical events 52 1.2 Aims and Objectives 7 3.2 Phase Two - Data Collection 55 1.3 Introducing the Participants 7 3.3 Phase Three – Analyses 57 1.4 Central Research Premise 8 Chapter Four – The Role of Postdigital 1.5 Theoretical Limitations 10 within my Creative Practice 60 1.6 Overview of Chapters 10 4.1 Introduction: A history of Critical Events 60 Chapter Two – Creative Practice 4.2 Privacy and Surveillance 67 Literature Review 13 4.3 Feminism and Self 73 2.1 Introduction 13 4.4 The Environment 77 2.2 Qualities of Postdigital art 26 4.5 Globalisation and the Impact of Technology 82 2.3 Postdigital and Humanness 29 4.6 Humanness 86 2.4 Contributions to the Postdigital scene 36 v Chapter Five – Findings and Discussion 98 5.4.1 Summary: Furthering concerns and observations of PD Artists 119 5.1 Introduction 98 5.5 Postdigital Guiding Principles for Artists, Art 5.1.1 Visual Analysis 99 Educators and the Viewing Public 120 5.1.2 Thematic Analysis 100 Chapter Six – Conclusion 123 5.2 Survey Questionnaire and Semi-structured 6.1 Overall Summary: The Role Postdigital Art Interviews 101 Plays in Furthering the Recognition 5.2.1 Key Characteristics and Observations 101 of Humanness 123 5.3 Visual / Contextual & Thematic Analysis 6.2 Key Implications for Practice 128 of my Practice 107 References 132 5.3.1 Privacy and Surveillance 108 List of Figures 161 5.3.2 Feminism and Self 110 Hyperlinks 171 5.3.3 The Environment 110 Charts and Tables 172 5.3.4 Globalisation and the Impact Terminology 204 of Technology 114 Abbreviations 207 5.3.5 Humanness 115 5.4 Discussion of findings: Response to the Research Question 117 vi Appendices 209 Appendix 1 Ethics approval 209 Appendix 2 Survey questionnaire 212 Appendix 3 Survey questionnaire transcriptions 214 Appendix 4 Semi-structured Interview questions 227 Appendix 5 Interview transcriptions 229 Appendix 6 Postdigital Guiding Principles 243 Appendix 7 Digital Hardware 245 Appendix 8 Digital Software and Applications 246 Appendix 9 Analogue Media 247 Appendix 10 Promotional Material / Supplementary Research Outcomes / Exhibitions 249 vii CHAPTER ONE - Introduction 1.1 Scope of the Exegesis concern that the transience and infinite reducibility of digital media is eroding the uniqueness, tactile materiality ‘Traversing Postdigital Art: Reimagining humanness and authorship of artist’ work. It removes us from the art between the spaces of paint and pixels’ is an exploration object, and changes the reality of making and of my Postdigital (PD) visual art practice which experiencing art. As Freedman and Stuhr (2004, p. 818) addresses the critical importance of the human presence argue that: in a ubiquitous digital world. The term ‘Postdigital’ in visual technologies allow people to create, copy, visual art practice describes the merging of digital and project, manipulate, erase and duplicate images analogue (non-digital) media into a unified and unique with an ease and speed that challenges distinctions of talent, technique, and the conceptual location of aesthetic. Through this approach artworks and objects form. (p. 818) are conceptually and practically shaped by the internet This sense of digital disenchantment with digital and digital processes, yet are often incorporated in the information systems (Cramer 2014, para 7). is the material form of traditional objects such as paintings, impetus for the PD movement. sculptures or photographs (Paul 2018). As artists can now create using algorithms and pixels instead of physical media, such as paint, there is a 1 The exegesis provides a reflexive