Collaboration in Art
No area of society is exempt from the power of the internet. Art defines our culture and our culture is defined by its art. If our twenty-first century society is based on connectedness, our culture is being brought closer together even if we aren’t in the same country.
Art, as much as every other part of society, is being dramatically effected by networked technology. We now have websites where musicians, writers and other artists can collaborate and critique each other online. Art is no longer a product but a service. The digital age has allowed art to be done to you and with you.
It is not that art has necessarily changed, the main forms of art such as sculpture, dance, writing, music etc. are still the same. What has changed because of networked technology is art creation. From artist in the creation of their art to artists learning from each other, getting criticisms on their work all add to the art creation. Being able to learn art theory and technique from home makes art creation available to the masses. This networked revolution of creation was predicted by Walter Benjamin 74 years ago.
For centuries a small of writers were confronted by many thousands of readers. … an increasing number of readers became writers … And today there is hardly a gainfully employed European who could not, in principle, find an opportunity to publish somewhere … Thus, the distinction between author and public is about to lose its basic character. The difference becomes merely functional … At any moment the reader is ready to turn into a writer.
As expert, which he had to become willy-nilly in an extremely specialized work process, even if only in some minor respect, the reader gains access to authorship. … Literary license is now founded on polytechnic rather than specialized training and thus becomes common property.
Walter Benjamin, 1936.
This quote shows how the number of art creators increased as these new tools are being made available to them and we see the same thing happening in the 21st century, in the age of social media and collaboration. It is not that more artists are being made, it is that more are being found. In a clever quote by Andy Warhol in 1968 he says:
In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.
With mashups and parodies all over Youtube, the collaborative possibility in a globally connected world is beginning to be realized and soon everyone will become famous.
Could we be looking at one of the many ways collaboration might be used in the progression of music? They already have websites where musicians can meet online and share parts to each others songs, and this only takes that concept one step further.
Author: David Paul Williams – Hi, I am a second-year Marketing student at York University who is passionate about marketing, social media and changing the world. I believe the future of the world is a more connected and transparent one.
Dude, proof your stuff! Good article, but all the errors are distracting. I say this as one with the same affliction: typo-itis!
To the point: I'm a musician and songwriter and I LOVE the Internet, but not for real-time collaboration. There's still too much lag in the 'net for two musicians to jam together over a, say, an iChat connection. That said, the internet is amazing for non-real-time collaboration. In other words, maybe someone sends you lyrics, you write some music and lay down a scratch vocal and send the result back, the other guy comments, you debate via email and phone, you settle on something, you get the tracks to your guitarist in LA, your drummer in Oregon and your local singer and away you go. At least, that's how I do it. And I am forever grateful that the 'net makes all this possible, because my brain injury keeps me somewhat housebound! Here's a sample track (it's free!):
http://jeffshattuck.bandcamp.com/track/demons-s…
To everyone out there who gives this a listen, thank you! The song yours to share as you wish.
Jeff