If We Use Technology Can It Still Be Called Fine Art?

This month I was invited to the National Sculpture Society conference to talk and share about my new book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting and Milling and to sit on a panel about art and technology. The panel had six guests, I was the female energy of the group.  Sculptor Tuck Langland moderated the group.

I was not sure what I should expect. I’ll post more about the question and comments later,  but I thought I would share two pages from my book in which other artists have expressed my opinion much better than I.   I’m delighted that the incredible work of Erwin Hauer is in my book. I originally had seen this quote at SIGGRAPH many years ago and new I had to use it in the book. Erwin’s work is being brought back to life by the use of technology.  The other quote is from Sophie Kahn. One of the questions asked of the panel is if you scan someone and 3D print them is it still called art? Sophie’s quote from the Gugenheim Museum conference on art and scanning seems to tell it perfectly.  Some people also commented about Barry X Ball’s work and so I’m including that page as well.

The other quote I used was originally from an article by Christiane Paul called Fluid Borders and was said by Keith Brown. “Art should, in any case, transcend the medium. Technique always has been and probably always will be confused with art. ”  ( Page 44 of 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft… chapter A World Turned Upside Down.)

The book is available for preorder and comes out in Sept.The publisher is Focal Press.

So, I’ll pose the question to you… If you use a computer in your process can you still call it fine art?