Art Health and Safety

Art Health and Safety 

1. How is art changing with technological progress? 

growth of technology has resulted in a gradual shift in artistic conceptions and the manner in which art is made, shared and displaced. Through their innovative expression, outstanding artists have gained wider access to a wider network of audiences as never seen before in the world of art. Artists have always looked into new art forms and unconventional materials in which to display their creative artistry. With the progress of technology, there has been an emergence of artists who have presented new non-artistic materials as a perfect art medium. Such materials include outfits, magazines, books, household products, and daily objects. This triggered an evolution in art, giving rise to mixed medium art. This is a new age of art that believes a true artist can make art out of anything. 

Technology has changed the way art is displayed. With modern technology, virtual museum tours have been made possible. One is able to view the various arts in a museum of his choosing from the comfort of his sofa at home. Through the collaboration of google arts and culture and other several museums worldwide, art lovers can access arts through virtual tours (Alkhaldi, 2021). Art exhibitions can also be streamed with the assistance of new art technology. An example is the live stream of the Wayne Gretzky #99 which was organized by three Canadian galleries after they teamed with a tech partner. IoT technology also helps museum staff improve the visitor’s experience by providing them with useful statistics such as the most popular art among visitors and help in preserving artwork by measuring the temperature, light, and other conditions which can enable the staff to adjust the condition accordingly.       

Technology has also facilitated the art trade through online auctioning platforms such as Amazon or Artnet and Christie’s for artists who have gained recognition. This has helped the artist reach a larger audience which would not have been possible without technology. Technology has also been essential in improving artwork security. IoT sensors can be placed on doors and windows to enable guards to detect intrusions as well as around valuable art to send signals if someone touches the art.AI is also capable of detecting forgery in paintings as well as sense movements in museums if it is closed for visitors. Technology has also enabled art to be reconstructed and restored.  AI-based artistic technology is capable of restoring paintings. An example is the use of AI to restore the Night watch by Rembrandts in Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands. 

2. What are the digital tools that replace traditional media? 

In the current digital art, enhanced tools are used to reshape and bring change to various forms of art. There is the use of tools such as PicsArt, Aviary, etc. that enables students and artists to edit their photography projects, drawings as well as paintings. In the dramatic world, the use of drones, Smartphone film-making gears, 4K, and 3D live production cameras have made art learning quickly and has also enhanced the quality of films. There is also the use of robots and lasers. Robots that have been programmed using algorithms to generate unique and mind-blowing arts are used today. The robots are able to produce kinetic sculptures, dancing manuscripts as well as AI-generated portraits. Another tool that is used in digital art is the laser. Laser technology is used in glassware creation, wood carvings as well as jewelry making (Jackson, 2020). The use of Augmented and Virtual Reality has also been incorporated into digital art to replace the traditional media. The Augmented reality features information both visual and textual that was not included in original shots and is distinct from the environment it describes. An example is The Flower Matrix (2017) by Claudia Hart. The use of VR emerged as a result of joining video and installation art. 

3. What kind of health and safety issues are caused by working in front of computers?               

Most people spend a lot of time on the computer screen either while working or doing other activities.  Due to this prolonged period of working in front of a computer, there are various health and safety issues that are likely to develop over time. Prolonged use of a screen can result in eye strain and visual fatigue, repetitive strain injury, strain in legs and feet, arm and wrist ache, Skin complaint as well as upper and lower back pain due to incorrect screen settings, repetitive work, uncomfortable working posture, and carrying out work for long periods without pausing for a break.  Repetitive strain injury can be a result of intensive use of the mouse, prolonged use of the gaming pad as well as high-speed typing. Early signs entail numbness, pain in fingers, or a tingling feeling across the upper arm. Most people also find prolonged use of the computer to be stressful and result in fatigue.  This is due to the fact that the activities are involved and require a high level of visual concentration. Some people also find the use of computers annoying when they have to conform to hardware or software that restrict how they carry out activities or those that constantly crush or require them to wait for actions to complete (Barnatt,2018). Skin complaints such as rashes on the neck, face, or hands, itching, and dry skin affect a small percentage of people. This might be due to electrostatic discharge, dry air, and static electricity in workplaces with computer equipment. 

4. How to avoid computer-related health issues?               

There are several techniques to avoid computer-related health issues.  The risk of visual problems can be reduced by keeping the screen clean, avoiding glare from the lights and windows by repositioning the screen, and making sure the characters are sharp and visible and the screen colors are easy on the eyes. The contrast, as well as the brightness, should also be adjusted to suit the surrounding you are in. You should look away from the screen into the distance for some seconds in order to relax your eyes. In order to upper and lower back pain, you should sit in your chair in an upright position to ensure the spine is not strained. One should avoid leaning forward or slouching down into the chair. The lower back should also be supported by either a cushion or a chair to ensure comfort and a natural upright position (Petty, 2017). 

To avoid repetitive strain injury, enough space should be created in front of the keyboard to give support to the forearm and the wrist by the desk. The support is essential in preventing the arm from becoming achy or tired. You should also keep your wrist straight when typing and use wrist support if you have to bend your wrist upward while typing in order to avoid repetitive wrist injury. Finally, in order to avoid feet and leg strain, the desk should be positioned correctly to enable comfortable sitting with the lower leg vertical feet flat on the floor. You should ensure there is adequate space to stretch the leg and change position occasionally. You should use a footrest underneath the desk in case the chair is putting pressure on the thighs or if you need more support. These techniques are crucial in avoiding computer health-related issues.

 5. Do you think someday digital art will completely substitute traditional art? 

In my opinion, I think that digital art will not completely substitute traditional art. This is because most digital artists start by learning how to paint or draw in a traditional way. The concept they used is based on traditional mediums and paint. Digital art utilizes digital technology to create art that is inspired by traditional art, which employs mediums that have existed and have been developed and refined over time. It might take some areas that were previously dominated by traditional art but they don’t dominate the current art production. This is evident since paintings are still the most expensive and demanded art form despite the many several years of photography, videos, computer-generated arts, and movies.  Although digital art can use algorithms to manipulate images that are unique and produce desirable effects that cannot be achieved by traditional means, traditional methods can as well lead to outcomes that cannot be achieved by digital means. Each stroke of a hand-held brush can alter the paint surface in a way that is impossible to achieve by the use of digital techniques.  

Traditional art cannot be truly substituted by digital art due to the fact that the arts produced by a traditional artist are unique and one-of-a-kind art that cannot be produced in any way by the skilled hands of the artist. They are able to create something that cannot be exactly replicated even if the same artist tried to copy one of his previous works. The texture of paint on canvas is also not the same as a piece of work on screen. Traditional arts thus, therefore, create a sense of exclusivity because of their singularity and expensive nature. It creates a sense of prestige for those who own such kinds of arts. 

References

Alkhaldi, N. (2021, November 12). Technology is changing how art is made, displayed, and sold — ITRex.       ITRex. https://itrexgroup.com/blog/art-and-technology-changing-how-art-is-made-displayed-    sold/ 

Barnatt, C. (2018, June 17). ExplainingComputers.com: Computing health and safety.         ExplainingComputers.com by Christopher               

Barnatt. https://www.explainingcomputers.com/dse.html Jackson, A. (2020, October 15). 5 ways technology is changing how art is made.   TheNextTech. https://www.the-next-tech.com/entertainment/5-ways-technology-is-changing-    how-art-is-made/ 

Petty, L. (2017, June 7). Health & safety when working with computers. The Hub | High-Speed               Training. https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/computer-health-and-safety/