Techno-optimism in art
A few years ago I came across the Techno-Optimist Manifesto, an essay written by venture capitalist Marc Andreessen. The manifesto asserts a somewhat controversial claim that technological advancement is always positive, the key to human progress and prosperity, and a solution for humanity’s problems. I grew up in the Bay Area, so this idealistic brand of tech-enthusiast doctrine (Silicon Valley gospel, if you will) was quite familiar to me, and — while I don’t subscribe to the extremity of many of the techno-optimist claims, such as the aversion to regulations — in truth it influenced a lot of my own beliefs and ambitions growing up.
The manifesto presents a striking, utopian vision of technology as a force for limitless human potential. There is much more nuance to be had here, but there is one area where I believe in the techno-optimism: art and creativity. This is what I want to explore for my Major Studio project this semester — my hypothesis that technology will (and has always) expanded and enhanced the limits of human creativity, rather than stifling or replacing it.
Some of the key research areas I want to explore:
- What is the relationship between artistic evolution & technological breakthroughs?
- How have artists historically reacted to new technology?
- How have major technological shifts introduced new forms of artistic expression?
- Has technology played a role in making art more accessible & democratized?
- How has the intersection of art and tech impacted society and culture?
In class I mentioned my love for history, much of which stems from how learning about the past can influence our understanding of the present and guide our visions for the future. This project is built around the same core idea — what I love most about history is how it reveals a continuous thread of human ingenuity across time. From the earliest cave paintings, humans have always been driven to create art, and technological advancements are only proof of the very human desire to transcend our limitations endlessly.