Maybe the aesthetic value of internet art is measured by its ability to help us see the internet, just as as a novel can help us see language.
I really like the mentioned “rainbow effect” which we can see in satellite images, as it gives us an insight in how exactly satellite imagery works (which is, mapping aficionado as I am, something right up my alley):
Fast moving objects, such as aircraft, when seen in satellite imagery often show ghosting or a ‘rainbow effect’. This is caused by the way satellite cameras work taking several photos in succession using different wavelengths of light. The separate images are later combined to produce the full colour images we see in Google Earth. If anything moved between shots then we see an image for each of the three primary colours in slightly different locations and usually a fourth, slightly higher resolution image, in grey-scale.
The effect looks like this:
Linking back from the internet to art, it inspired James Bridle to create his “Rainbow Planes”:
Neat!
Leave a comment