Readings - Miranda Beck
In 1987 when I was born, George Landow’s “Intertextualities” paved the way for the use of computer/viewer interaction in order to transform reading and writing into a unique individual experience. With hypertext, readers are able to read literary works that are ever changing before their eyes using both graphics and text phrases that allow the reader an endless range of possible interpretations. The meaning of what you see is entirely up to you and the route you take to using the hypertext is also entirely up to you. Grammatron is said to be the widely accessed hyperfiction work on the World Wide Web. Here is an example of a phrase that you would see from viewing it – “their computer-mediated environment announcing itself to the creative plureality of "being" that congregates before the Digital Altar.” This work reminded me of the action-novels I read in middle school where you could “pick your own journey” that would lead you to the end, but wouldn’t necessarily be the same as someone else’s experience. Similarly this concept is applied to hypertext art – allowing viewers to click on hypertext that leads them on a personalized path where they can expand on words that interest them. I agree with critics that have said this destroys the linearity of a work, but that is the point and it wasn't unintentional. Follow this link to view Grammatron: http://www.grammatron.com/index2.html
A decade and one year before in 1976, Robert Wilson created “Visual Theater.” Interestingly the reason he invented this new form of art was because he was “frustrated with the images in his head that were so much richer than anything he could get on canvas.” I think that a lot of artists probably feel this way when creating art. He worked with other famous people from artists to musicians to create a music theater experience integrating non-narrative drama, scenic beauty, music, sound, silence, and dance. Viewers were able to experience seemingly bizarre and out of place works such as Einstein on the Beach. I think it would have been exciting to go to a performance like this - something unusual and interpretive. I think more theatre performances have strayed in this direction since its initiation. Similarly to the hypertext fiction that was created 10 years later, this also made use of nonlinearity, so I was somewhat surprised to see this trend expanded over the years to incorporate new technology (computers) but still remained.
A decade from now in 2018, I imagine there still will be a trend of this non-linear perspective. Artists today seem to want to allow as much creative room for the viewer to participate in the meaning and presentation of the art as the artist himself. I would not be surprised if viewers were able to contribute to the artwork and leave a lasting impression on it in some way – more of a community collaborative artwork. The expansion of virtual reality will eventually become more accessible to the public and I imagine that participants will be able to create their own stories through this form of interaction that no other person will ever be able to experience in the same way. Maybe people will see artworks through virtual technology and be able to change it in any way they want while viewing it, but once they are done, it will be a completely blank canvas for the next person who interacts with it.