Virtual Reality

Reading the article Virtual Reality Art: Beyond Technology I thought about how we can live in a world of virtual reality. This is in fact pretty amazing and a testament to our technological capabilities. From the beginning the article discusses how virtual reality challanged the common way of thinking. Appearently, the word is only a couple centuries old and essentially means "in effect". Many people spend much of their time in an altered state of reality, within mediums like videogames, computer interactions and role playing games, more commonly known as RPG's. Millions of people between the ages of 18 - 35 are participating in this cultural shift. According to the article virtual reality is the art of illusion, and is designed to look artistically appealing and also believable and interactive. Artist have the ability to use this medium for relatively reasonable prices these days and that is why the common understanding of virtual reality players has shifted in recent years. The ultimate virtual reality experience is the 3-D experience where the entire body is engaged. Much of the technology has been moved along or designed for military strategists and not the layperson. The artist of the virtual reality has a particularly difficult tast because it is not art in the common sense of viewing it, but the new sense of living in it. One artist describes it as "a small world that evolves and changes with its own rules." The take home point of the article is that the technology is available and its up to the artist to truly free all that it is capable of.

Similar to the article Computer Graphics: Effects and Origins this article discusses the symbolism that is utilyze in many artistic works. Also, its interesting to consider the evolution of the use of the technology. Most mediums of art require a period to iron out the kinks and understand what that art form is really capable of, it is a growing up period. The class article emphasises how art forms are dependent upon their predecesors and may even be limited by them. That is why the Virtual Reality article was interesting in its take on "freeing" the art of technology to see all that it is capable of. Art is a fickle creation, styles come and go, but technology like computer graphic art is profound enough to truly alter the way art is seen and created.

Rush, Michael. Virtual Reality Art: Beyond Technology. Herald Tribune. 2006. retrieved on November 18, 2007 from http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/06/news/rush.php?page=2