Art in the age of the internet 1989 to today

Museums have wrestled with the Internet--they are nearly dichotomous institutions. This volume and the 2018 exhibition it catalogues make a contribution by bringing together both well- and less-known artists whose work reflects or responds to cultural shifts through content (selfies, internet porn), medium (database, virtual reality), and/or effect on audience behavior (surfing, gaming) while demonstrating theoretical concepts (remediation, hybridity). A thematic approach, deftly contextualized by Respini (chief curator, Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston), allows works made from traditional materials (paintings, sculptures, photography) and works made from technology-based materials to commingle. The essays in the catalogue do not fully connect to the exhibition, but they nonetheless offer relevant reflections on cybernetics, interactivity, temporality, information overload, and persistent physical and philosophical challenges the internet poses to the museum. However, the catalogue text is disappointing. It efficiently explains concepts and technologies but largely ignores aesthetic dimensions of works and exhibition spaces. Celia Hempton's oil paintings of men exposing themselves in chat rooms, for instance, would benefit from a discussion of expressionism and color theory, while "white cubes" and carefully designed installations are themselves important remediating forces. More positive notes: a time line terminating with the abolition of net neutrality, transcripts of Skype conversations between artists, and an undercurrent of unease with the political climate. Summing Up: Recommended. With reservations. Graduate students, researchers, faculty, professionals. --Elizabeth K. Mix, Butler University