"Art of the Digital Age" chapter 2

Chapter two of this epic tome is primarily a visual introduction into the art of digital imagery. While Bruce Wands does take up some page real estate in the first chapter to show off some examples of digital art, in the 2nd chapter, he goes all out. Many of the works are abstract, or abstractions of photographs, and only a couple of images with easily discernable subjects. The "wordy" part of the chapter is mostly a description of the various approaches to Digital imaging techniques. The chapter then goes on to display works from different artists as well as short quotes typed out in ALL CAPS, describing the approaches and attitudes of the artists whose work is displayed.

I read the chapter a couple of times, at first I was making split second judgements about the artists and their pieces but on second look I took my time to really investigate each piece. I feel that the art displayed is very much a reflection on the time in history from which the art was generated. Of course, there is the obvious conclusion that you might draw from that statement that I'm just referring to the technological aspect in some oblique way, but really I'm trying to identify the style, the over arching trope of the work as a separate character from the medium. I think that regardless of the tools used, the art is obnoxiously post-Picaso. Post-Van Gough. Post-Mucha and Matisse and Worhol. It's almost as if the only unifying elements are the  nods to recent history, and the concepts of modernity. I'm not saying that the works aren't original, just that many are derivative and very current. Only time will tell if they can survive into the future (both in the literal sense and in the sense of taste).

I was inspired to play around in Gimp, and the attached work is the product of a half hour of doodling.