Internet Art

After reading Introducing Internet Art to the Digital Art Curriculum, and browsing some of the sights suggested (Internet art), I was not surprised at the students difficulties in understanding this work. Although these students (teens) use the internet on a regular basis, I suspect their contact with conceptual and new media art must be limited. I often am confused when visiting Chelsea galleries, by some of the art I see, especially when looking at new media stuff, that I don't know how it was made, and sometimes am unsure of the message it is trying to convey, or even my reaction. As a graduate student, having gone to Parsons for Fine Arts, I sometime have to go home, digest the work, read the artist statement, talk about it over with a friend or read a review before having a more complete thought that I can verbalize, so if high school students have difficulties with this material it is to be expected. I think this is a great program to get students to think critically about art, and their society. I also think that the way she is going to present the project now, after doing this research, is going to be much more effective.