Home on the Internet

Post date: May 23, 2011 11:41:32 PM

A project by Kevin Kelly on the Flickr image sharing website

This is a slideshow of about 50 static images out of the 2000+ submitted entries. Most, but not all, are black and white drawings. The time frame was 2006 to 2007.

I think that if this project were repeated now, in May 2011, it would not elicit dramatically differently results. Well, maybe some would be more fearful. It isn't easy to convey a sense of menace, even for a skilled artist! Simple imagery can suffice though. I suppose this is what distinguishes a political cartoonist* from a fine artist:

Fine art does not need to convey a message or mood. It can exist as beauty for its own sake. Sometimes it also conveys an essential truth of time or place.

Political or socially aware images** ONLY need to convey a message or mood. Sometimes they are beautiful, surprisingly so.

* Sorry for the poor word choice, it has pejorative connotations, but I can't think of a better alternative.

** Perhaps that is appropriate usage of one of the most puzzling of internet concepts, the "meme"?