Glitch Art Critical Analysis
The image file that I chose to corrupt originally depicted an airplane taking off with the Boston skyline receding in the background. The resulting image was a sort of spliced and a doubled version of the picture. The doubled image had sort of a coppery hue to it and the bottom left corner of the picture showed a monochromatic boxy shape.
I chose this particular image to comment on the globalization process and its larger influence on the global community. The airplane in the original image represents this spreading of ideas throughout the world. I think that globalization is altering our world by combining elements of distinct cultures to result in something entirely new, while still trying to preserve the origins. The glitched image illustrates this in that the original picture is completely transformed but you can still identify its original elements on the left hand side.
I chose very specific words and characters to corrupt the file in order to communicate particular ideas about globalization. I inserted questions marks into various parts of the code to demonstrate that we can’t fully understand the effects of globalization because we are so immersed in the process at the moment. I also deleted huge chunks of the code to illustrate the more negative interpretations of globalization. Some people view it as a completely negative process that is essentially deleting important cultural traditions and practices. The blending of cultures is often viewed as the elimination of certain identities. Maybe we ought to be thinking more critically about both the negative and positive effects that globalization is having on modern society. Too often we just accept technological and economic advance as a positive without even considering the possible downsides.
I included dollar signs within the code in order to criticize the substantial role that money plays in the globalization process. Many big corporations use international or global spaces as a way to circumvent the taxing restrictions in their native countries. They are often able to use the term international to justify operating unregulated on a massive scale.
Inversely, I used the dollar signs to communicate that money doesn’t necessarily have the monopoly on globalization. The internet allows people from vastly different geographical and cultural locations to exchange and spread ideas. Essentially, the internet affords the average person the opportunity to be represented in this new global marketplace of ideas, perspectives, and images.
I also wrote my own name in to the code because I feel that I am an obvious product of globalization. I a mix of a lot of different cultures and races. I am African American, French, Dutch, Irish, Native American, and Creole. Both the way that I look and my upbringing reflect this blending of different cultures and colors. Due to this personal connection, globalization has always been a topic that piqued my interest.
As I corrupted the file’s code I had no idea what the resulting image would look like but it ended up aligning perfectly with the message that I was trying to convey. It represents multiple different perspectives while still being part of one cohesive larger picture.
