Even though I wouldn’t consider myself an early adopter of technology or particularly an artist, the last couple of years of my life have definitely been hyper-digitized. The pandemic pushed even my freshmen high school learning to a digital platform. Almost like every teen I know, out of a combination of boredom and curiosity, I downloaded many apps where I am able to create my own version of digital art — from the photos I curate to post on Instagram to the short videos I create for TikTok. I often lose track of time when I am scrolling through these creative digital arts whether it’s a feat of photography, videography, music, dance, or comedy.
“As humans and machines become more enmeshed than ever, digital art once again asks us to consider what art can be and how it can be experienced,” says Dr. Patricia Daigle, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. “Digital art is any artwork created through digital technologies. Digital art continues to be created today as our world becomes increasingly digital.”
Digital art can be loosely defined as any art that uses digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process. Artificial Intelligence (AI), augmented reality, and virtual reality have opened up many possibilities allowing artists to create surreal, unique experiences and virtual worlds that transcend traditional boundaries.
Kenneth Wayne Alexander II, 'Tower of Babel', 2021. Digital video. Courtesy of the artist.
The “Another Dimension: Digital Art in Memphis” exhibition at the Brooks provides a glimpse into the growing digital art scene in Memphis and features works by Kenneth Wayne Alexander II, Karl Erickson, Coe Lapossy, Sarai Payne, and Anthony Sims. “The exhibition includes works that are purely digital, a combination of the digital and physical, and work that is made digitally for a material existence,” explains Daigle.
“They range from finely rendered animations to the decidedly low-tech or intentionally glitched. In this context, the digital is not only a tool but a space in which artists can create alternative physical and psychological environments or states of being.
“For this exhibition,” continues Daigle, “I wanted to feature artists who were working in digital mediums who were from Memphis. There are several artists in our community engaging with digital art in different, interesting ways. Several of the artists in the exhibition — Kenneth Wayne Alexander II, Sarai Payne, and Anthony Sims — were born and raised in the Memphis area and had wonderful, influential art teachers in the public schools they attended.”
As I walked through the exhibit, I was intrigued by the montage of the variety of digital art marking a shift away from the traditional art forms and mixing the traditional and the digital, whose style and content both reflect changes in society. I immediately noticed a huge sewer cap on the floor. You can peer through this “trap door” to watch a video of the choreographed art.
Another featured artwork, King, is a sixteen-panel digital collage inspired by Memphis’ street art. When you walk past it, you notice the intentional glitch in the artwork and a skull wearing a crown. “I [thought I] should try and do something to recognize and commemorate the city that really helped me become an artist,” says King creator Anthony Sims.
“This city and the community mean a lot to me. The background in the artwork, I actually made it in 2019 when I was living in Memphis,” Sims says. “The character is kind of an ode to street artist Birdcap. I usually like throwing an ode to Latin American culture in my art. The blue squares I liked because that’s the color of Memphis: blues [music], Grizzlies is blue, the University of Memphis is blue — that’s Memphis. I titled the piece King because of the crown, which was inspired by an Inca crown.”
With a boom in everything digital, young artists can release their artistic skills through many mediums. Today there are creative tools from open source programming to apps that artists can use to hone their skills digitally. “I started as a physical artist, that is my realm. I am a physical painter,” says Sims. “Just because you are passionate about something doesn’t mean that you need to put yourself in a box and stay in that box. Once I started making digital art, everything in my life changed. I made the most money and met with most media success through digital art. Never limit yourself as an artist. Don’t be scared of new technologies.”
Daigle adds, “I would also strongly encourage students in grades 7-12 to participate in The Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards, an annual juried student art exhibition presented by the Brooks Museum League and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
“It’s a great experience even if you don’t win. Just putting yourself out there and going through the process is important and beneficial — from submitting your work for evaluation to making connections with judges and other young artists to seeing your work displayed in an art museum.”
All school-aged children and a parent can explore nine local institutions, including the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, at no cost through the duration of the 901 Student Passport program, which runs through November 30th. A one-page “passport” can be downloaded by visiting 901StudentPassport.com.
Another Dimension: Digital Art in Memphis runs through September 11th at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
For more information on the Another Dimension exhibit, visit brooksmuseum.org/exhibitions/another-dimension-digital-art-in-memphis