Art is not a thing; it is a way." Elbert Hubbard, artist
If art is not about the product or artifact, then artistic tools must be objects that help artists...
- portray their reality
- experience their reality
- or both portray and experience their reality
In the above video, Neil Harbisson uses technology to create a new way of observing the world. Since he cannot see colour, he experiences it through sound. Using our definition for artistic tools, this technology seems to help Harbisson both portray and experience his reality. The tag line of his very minimalist website is: "Art also lies in the creation of our own senses."
As expressed in his Ted Talk, Harbisson believes that he is indeed a cyborg. His belief centres around the idea of creating or modifying his senses. He subscribes to the Wikipedia definition of cyborg art. However, if you examine the references on the Wikipedia page, they are all articles about him and his working partner, Moon Ribas.
Harbisson and Ribas are self-proclaimed cyborg artists. Their belief centres around the idea that because they have modified their senses, they can experience the world in a different way. Thus, their artistic tools are used to experience their reality.
Do you believe that their experience is different than the artists you viewed on the millennials page?