The state of net art depends on the state of the observer
When we look at the state of network art criticism today we see two tendencies: either net art is approached as a specific school in media art which manifested itself from approx. 1995 to roughly 2000 (net.art), or net art is replaced by the latest developments in browser specific art (web art). These definitions ignore both the existing critical potential of contemporary net art and the variety of works that are still being created. What if we were to approach the network in net art from a broader perspective then either of these definitions do though? In what ways do artists use new media networks and in which way do those same networks influence the work of artists off line? If we look for the answers to these questions we will find that network activities are becoming an accepted and relatively familiar part of art practice. If the critical position of net art is left behind too soon we will see the rise of a generation of (net) artists who know very little about the (media) material they work with, both in the practical and political sense, and we would be ignoring the potential for 'cultural criticism' through art which is still there in the internet. The persistent internal criticism within the net cultural field is contradictive and self destructive. It seems like the critical position of some early net artists, critics and curators has turned against itself. Two things need to be done. One: it is necessary to accept the broadest possible definition of net art to escape the two tendencies mentioned above and avoid blindness for different art practices. Two: net art criticism needs to oppose the dominant (USA) discourse of web art in favor of hybrid art practices.
Some random related art projects:
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