Websites Turned Into Art Simply By Ridding Them Of Content…Recognize Any?
Rafaël Rozendaal is a New York City-based "visual artist who uses the internet as his canvas." What that means is that Rozendaal literally takes the thing that has inundated our lives pretending to be full of the art we so desire to consume and actually turns it into a separate work of art. His latest installation is a project under the title of Abstract Browsing.
In Abstract Browsing, Rozendaal strips away the content of some of the web's most popular sites, revealing we're less than content.
It's a reimagining of your GMAIL inbox. You stare at this screen constantly more than likely, but the fact you possibly couldn't recognize it without it being on your (what the hell ever device) speaks volumes to how empty our lives have become. Rozendaal explained the installation's purpose:
"I want to be honest about modern life; we look at our inboxes much more than we look at mountains or forests."
You've done some intense scrolling and potentially trolling on this screen in your life. Recognize the void that we're all shouting into through this platform?
It's Twitter, and without all the jokes and story links that don't actually improve your life, it looks pretty boring, right? Well, the fact is: it is.
Plenty of people have gotten famous because you and millions of other users can't stop looking at this screen and double-tapping. That hint might have given it away, but do you recognize this work?
It's Instagram and it's also one of the things that have literally sucked the life out of living for so many people. Rather than embracing a sunset or a delicious brunch for what it is, people see those things through this screen. Feeling the emptiness settle in on you? There's more.
You're so bored with your career status you probably come to this site daily just to see what other people have done with their career.
This is IMDB, and you've probably been known to scroll through this mindlessly wishing you, yourself were the omnipotent face from many a screen yourself. Sounds rather lonely, doesn't it? That's what life is these days:
"Apparently browser windows are more fascinating than real windows."
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You can check out the entirety of Rozendaal's installation on his website or the Steve Turner website. Until then, don't forget to continue endlessly looking at all the screens that inundate our lives.