Cyber Animism

Water Lily Venice Dawn Spring Flowers North Wind Autumn Flight Whispers of Spring

A project for my Art Appreciation class
Create a new type of art for the new millennium

Midnight arrived in The Pacific, then the wave of the year 2000 rolled peacefully on as Australians fired off instant messages to loved ones across the sea, at lightning speed through cyberspace. In peace it spread to Japan, China, onward to the Middle East, the Internet airways alive with the good news, as 2000 reached Europe, crossed the Atlantic, and finally came to rest in the peaceful islands of the Pacific. To the surprise of the prophets of doom, the new millennium did not bring with it the demise of the planet or destruction of the communication system that links the modern world. With the year 2000 came not only a peaceful, joyful celebration, but also a new hope for mankind. Man, who first appeared in Africa well over 2 million years ago, has multiplied and filled the earth with a splendid diversity of humanity. Members of the human family speaking over 5000 different languages, have fought with each other, destroyed each other, suffered, prospered, and died in turmoil throughout the ages. In his path, mankind has left a trail of art describing the journey, from primitive cave paintings, mighty pyramids, the magnificent Renaissance, to the wild abandon of the abstract and post modern art of the 1990s. Through his art, Man described his quest for understanding of the world, and his search for his creator in the wonders of nature.

With the dawn of the new millennium comes the dawn of the reunification of the human family. Man is no longer isolated in tiny tribes, or walled villages struggling for survival, living in terror of the neighbors. Today, the magic of cyberspace brings communication to all people through light speed electronics that will ultimately remove the veil of misunderstanding that has impeded man's progress since the first family separated eons ago in the forests of Africa. With this understanding comes a new art that reflects the hope and opportunity of this glorious age. Man no longer delights in the horrors of war. With two World Wars behind him he searches diligently for peace. Man now extends his concern for life beyond himself to the other creatures, and devotes much of his resources and energy to saving the beasts and the environment of the planet. The new millennium brings with it a new appreciation for the earth. Concern for planet earth is reflected in a gentle return by many to the delicate and wild beauty of nature.

In 2001 the technology is so diversified that the materials used for art are practically unlimited. The very technology that brings the world back together as a family also provides the most sophisticated artist medium of all, the digital world of cyberspace. Now the artist doesn't have to seek museums or please the art critics to display his artistic expression. He can, with the stroke of a key, place his artwork in cyberspace for the entire world to enjoy. Planet earth, with the help of the Internet, is now his gallery.

Primitive man was animistic and believed that all natural things, such as plants, animals, rocks, thunder, and earthquakes, have spirits and can influence human events. 21st Century man has now rediscovered this truth so often forgotten in the human worldwide journey. Today, the world of nature has once again been seated upon the throne of royalty in the eyes of thinking people. As in all cultures, the issues of the time are reflected in the art. The art of this century combines its sophisticated high-speed digital technology with the fragile splendor of the world of nature. A new movement called Cyber Animism that combines the ancient philosophy of animism and the technology of computer animation has been launched. It is created by a simple process that combines artistic digital photographs of nature's splendor with various elements of digital technology. As the observer ponders a piece of Cyber Animistic art, clues to the meaning are delicately presented by the addition of simple Haiku poetry that drifts across the photographs as they transform on the computer screen.

The hope of this Cyber Animist is that the message to respect the souls of all that is natural and alive will become the passion of the 21st Century, so that our beloved planet can live on as we continue on our path towards peace and brotherhood for all mankind.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the first examples of Cyber Animism in the links below:

Water Lily
Venice Dawn
Spring Flowers
North Wind
Autumn Flight
Whispers of Spring