In my opinion, it is important to live with the times and learn to evolve in a world of rapid technological change. Personally, I have always been passionate about IT, digital technology and the possibilities that our time offers me to communicate about my art. Before the advent of social networks, it was difficult for me to promote my painting in Mauritius and it was practically impossible to make myself known abroad without a substantial budget.
I had the chance to study graphic arts including two years of photography and the knowledge acquired during these years was very useful to me in my career as a painter. For me, the invention of the internet is comparable to that of the wheel 6000 years ago. We can no longer imagine a world without the web and this instant global connection. The advantage of being a graphic designer allowed me to create and manage my website. Having a basic knowledge of photography, I reproduce each of my paintings which I immediately upload to my site.
I'm not telling you all this to brag, but to share with you the fact that it is important for the 21st century artist to be as versatile as possible. Knowing how the web works and learning the basics of photographic reproduction of paintings in the studio is a significant asset. Knowing how to create and manage your own website gives the artist the opportunity to regularly update their site. Added to this, knowledge of video and video editing is a plus in this world where visuals are essential. Knowing how to use a photography computer program such as Adobe Photoshop is also important. This knowledge will allow the artist to save money, because they would not have to rely on outside providers for all these tasks.
It is now very easy to learn thanks to YouTube and sites such as Udemy.com which allow artists to learn how to create their own website without needing to know programming. With the technical configurations of the Internet evolving very quickly, it is important to stay informed of developments of the web. Recent years have seen the evolution of SEO (acronym for search engine optimisation) and it is now vital to work on this optimisation to be discovered on search engines, particularly Google.
This era is one of excessive information and disinformation. We are overwhelmed by images and videos and it is in this digital chaos that the artist must try to make himself known and get noticed. Staying off social media and disconnected from the web is no longer an option if you want to exist as an artist. Whether he likes it or not, the digital world has become essential for the professional artist and it is evolving very, very quickly.
And that's just the beginning…
Yes, the web was made to bring the people together from all the over the world. I belong to a generation that saw all these changes. I used the typewriter before the computer, the land line before the mobile... The web helped me to get back in touch with people I had not talked to in decades. It is said that humans tend to resist to change. I don't think they should. The challenge is moore to learn how to make the best use of technology without being overwhelmed, finding ways for it to help you progress, but still remain true to yourself, to your sources of inspiration, to your talent. In other words, be yourself, ignore the negative, and…