Table of Contents

Introduction; the roots of electronic art; laser and holographic art; video art; computer art; communication art; art, nature and science; social and aesthetic implications of the art of the electronic age; conclusion; notes on the text; acknowledgments.

Reviews

While the aesthetic experience has always meant some interaction among artist, creation, and viewer, the current ``electronic age'' allows a truly two-way involvement, with the possibility of input from both sides altering the creation. Popper ( Art-Action and Participation , New York Univ. Pr., 1975) examines the interplay of art, craft, and technology in five major categories: laser and holographic art; video art; computer art; communication art; and installation demonstration and performance art. At a time in which simulation and reality become interchangeable and humans and machines are intellectually connected, Popper grounds these examinations in a traditional focus on origins, artists, and aims. He also looks at the social and political impact of the rapid communication of ideas, experience, and images. The illustrations often explain the phenomena far more clearly than the text and help to point out how the techniques have evolved as well as the unique qualities they possess. Recommended for both lay readers and scholars.-- Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib . , New York