Avi Rosen

Supervisor: Dr. E. Ishai Wilson

Recent technological developments, particularly in computers and telecommunications, have dramatically changed many aspects of our lives. These developments have even affected the world of art, so that today many artists make use of advanced technological tools such as computers and the Internet in their work. Nonetheless, the art world is still far from recognizing computer art as a legitimate art form.

The basic assumptions of this research are:

1. Art should reflect its era.
2. In today's computer-dominated world, computerization should play a role in art as well. Thus, computer art distributed over the Internet can be considered a natural development of 20^th century art.

To prove the above assumptions, four components of the art world were examined:

1. The artist.
2. The artistic creation.
3. The art establishment.
4. The art consumer.

For each of these components, relevant and timely criteria were selected. These criteria were used to prepare a comparative compilation of art works throughout history, until the present day. In addition, 100 student computer art works were selected as a sample and investigated.

The above comparative studies indicate that art using computers and the Internet is a natural evolution of traditional art forms. Moreover, these new computer art forms reflect recent trends and are an integral part of modern society, technology and culture. Technological innovation enables artists to enjoy the benefits of interactivity, multimedia, widespread distribution, low cost, equal creative opportunity, accessibility and simplicity. Thus, computer art helps overcome technical, financial, political and environmental issues that have traditionally limited artistic creation.

Today, many institutions and functions are being shifted to virtual space, and the field of art is no exception. Computer art enables individuals to express themselves without censorship and to circumvent the traditional art establishment that until now had dominated the field.

The findings of this study suggest that the art world is on the verge of a revolution that will completely overturn artistic conventions and, in fact, our entire perception of art. Computer art is accessible, multisensual, and interactive; it varies over time and is conscious of the art consumer. These salient features of computer art call for a reassessment of our entire conception of art.