There is no doubt technological advancements have characterised this generation with digital and online capabilities at the forefront of our modern society. The correlation between customised fashion or fine art and the technological and scientific advancements in today’s society are closer than it may seem. The industrial revolution greatly hindered craftsmanship, with manual crafting (like an artist). However, today with the capabilities of digital media major fashion brands like Nike are offering customised goods through the capabilities of digitalisation. Shoes are customised by “selecting colour, fabric, laces and adding your name or ID” from your computer. It is contradictory to think mass produced goods like shoes can operate whilst offering customisation. The lines are blurred between the traditional forms of craftsmanship and mass production (…ahh contradictions, this is what the digital age allows).
Fine art has seen a dramatic shift in the norms of the art making practice, in which fine art pushes the boundaries experimenting in technologies that will be normalised in the future. They are the forerunners where craftsmanship meets technology.
A small snapshot of what the digital capabilities are in contemporary art.