Hybrid Artwork

The definition of artwork has become extremely broad in large part due to the new form of art called hybrid or digital artwork. Basically hybrid art is artwork that uses digital technology to assist in the creation of the art. The umbrella of digital art is large and includes things that would normally be considered “art” like paintings and drawings but also contains things like virtual reality and 3-D artwork.
Here is an example of digital artwork:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5yhxqkJiAQ&feature=player_embedded
Just like an actual novel made up of words and consisting of pages this video is an example of how some forms of digital artwork convey a story that can be analyzed through various literary devices.
This video has an interesting point of view. Unlike a standard video, the picture in this video doesn’t change. The scenery of the video never changes, much like a still photograph, however the viewer has the ability to virtually take a “tour” through the artwork. Having the ability to be a part of the artwork is something new to the realm of digital artwork. The viewer is able to experience the artwork in a way that makes the art seem more believable and realistic.
This video doesn’t show the viewer the whole scene all at once, rather in a well thought out way the director creates a complex plot from a single snapshot frame. The motif of the video is obviously the antagonists who are dressed in clown costumes and carrying guns. Simply by having these characters dressed in the same way they are in some way connected and the viewer knows that they are all in the same group. Similarly, the police officers are considered the protagonists and wear matching uniforms, which immediately creates the theme of good vs. evil. This theme of good and evil runs through out the entire video.
The very first image that the viewer sees is of a policeman yelling orders to what the viewer believes are his fellow policemen. The director selectively chooses what images are to be shown to the viewer in order to not fully give away the entire “plot” or the picture. Having only a specific section of the picture shown to the viewer at a specific time creates suspense and also allows for flashbacks. Because the video is filmed in a continuous loop the first scene also becomes the last. This flashback allows for the plot to do a complete 180 and for the division between the antagonists and the protagonists to become blurred. The policeman that the viewer originally believes is good is in actuality evil but this doesn’t become clear to the viewer until the video comes back on itself in the last frame.
The plot is mainly developed by the point of view. This new form of digital media is able to let the viewer experience different and more points of view than traditional two-dimensional artwork allows. Digital artwork is special because it is changing the ability viewers have to interact with art. This video has a plot and characters and a setting unlike some other forms of art.
Here is another link that shows the way that this video was created. It details how digital technology was essential in creating this video. This video is a fusion between real life art, actors and directions, and digital art, 3-D and computer animations.
http://live.philips.com/index.php/en_gb/video/carousel-the-making-of/22995594001