Art In The Era Of The Internet: The Impact of Kickstarter, Creative Commons & Creators Project

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am loving what PBS is doing with their online series. And here is episode two of the second season of Off Book. 

The internet has intensified connections between people across the planet. In this episode they take a look at the impact of this new interconnectivity on the art world. Traditional funding models are dissolving, new forms of expressing ownership have arisen to accomodate for remix culture, and artists are finding ways to connect physical art experiences and traditions to the internet. In the digital era, the experience of art from the perspective of the artist and the art audience is shifting rapidly, and bringing more people into the creative process. 

Featuring:

Yancey Strickler, Co-Founder of Kickstarter
Lawrence Lessig, Co-Founder of Creative Commons
Ciel Hunter, Creative Director of Creators Project
Julia Kaganskiy, Editor of Creators Project

Previously:

Animated GIFs: The Birth of a Medium
Off Book Series One: The Complete Series

Creativity Top 5: March 27, 2012

The Path To Smarter Creativity

Last week I talked about Jonah Lehrer’s new book Imagine: How Creativity Works and shared some interviews he had done in anticipation of the release of the book. Having finished it I think it is worth revisiting the book and share another interview. If you are interested in learning how the brain works, how creativity happens, and want to learn how to recognize creatively productive behaviors you really should read this book. 

WHERE do good ideas come from? For centuries, all credit for these mysterious gifts went to faith, fortune and some fair muses. But to assume creativity is some lofty trait enjoyed by the few is both foolish and unproductive, argues Jonah Lehrer in “Imagine”, a smart new book about “how creativity works”. Drawing from a wide array of scientific and sociological research - and everything from the poetry of W.H. Auden to the films of Pixar - he makes a convincing case that innovation cannot only be studied and measured, but also nurtured and encouraged. 

The roots of creativity: Throwing muses | The Economist

 (via NPR’s Fresh Air)

The PBS Renaissance, Mario Bros. and Surrealist Art

It would be easy to think that when I say PBS is having a renaissance that I mean the recent success of tv shows like Downton Abbey and Sherlock. Yes, Downton Abbey had better ratings than many cable darlings, including Mad Men and the truly clever modernization of Sherlock Holmes has led to CBS launching their own version of the Holmes stories, with Lucy Lui cast in the role of Watson for a twist. 

But the renaissance I am talking about is how PBS has embraced the internet. For more than a year PBS.org has been the home to some fantastically produced online-only programming that enhances the vision and mission of the tv channel exploring relevant cultural and technological themes and ideas in ways that would not necessarily make sense on the tv channel. 

Until the end of the month they are hosting the PBS Online Film Festival. They have already produced a season of Off Book, an original series that expands on the definition of art, and have released the first episode of the second season. Recently they launched the Idea Channel, a new show that examines the connections between pop culture, technology and art. Watch the premiere episode below: 

We all know who the Mario Brothers are but have you ever stepped back and tried looking at those games from a fresh perspective? Like you’ve never seen or heard of them before? Pause for a second and don’t think about the gameplay you remember fondly. Think about it. There are armored turtles who stand on their hind legs and steal princesses. There are bullets with faces. Mario Bros is not just a game or nostalgic memories of playing with friends, Mario Bros is surreal art at its best. Surreal art you can play. 

Hosted by Mike Rugnetta
Made by Kornhaber Brown 

(Thank you Lisa Romagnoli for the introduction to the series.)

How Creativity Works: Jonah Lehrer Says It's All In Your Imagination

(via NPR All Things Considered)

I am a huge fan of neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer. He seems impossibly young for someone that has studied and published so much already. I devoured his books Proust Was A Neuroscientist, How We Decide and have already gotten halfway through the just published Imagine: How Creativity Works. His Wired blog Frontal Cortex is also a must read for anyone interested in the brain. Besides his obvious intelligence Lehrer has the talent to understand and convey deeply complex science in narratives that are engaging and thought-provoking without diminishing the power of his research. Highly recommend you take a look at his books.