Artists at the Human-Computer Interface

What forms of expression will be possible tomorrow,how do they differ from those of the past, and howcan we better prepare for them today? Theinvestigation of artists at the human-computerinterface (HCI), where artistic and cyberneticquestions meet, has great implications for criticalconsciousness, cultural evolution, and art education.The investigation of cybernetic art begins with atreatment of the art object as data. Our modes ofcommunication are converging, spaces and interfacesare transforming rapidly as digital technologiesaffect the ways we construct knowledge and behave. The HCI is the site of both cultural evolution andindividual expression. Art education has anopportunity to facilitate a critical dialogue aroundthese emergent objects, expressing the shiftingnature of human interaction and extrapolating meaningthat refers to larger sociological frameworks andbelief systems. This study offers a glimpse at theeffect of emergent objects on critical consciousnessin eight qualitative case studies of artistsintegrating digital technology into their studiopractice.