Computer technology has provided us another medium to express visual artistry at a whole new level of interactivity and immersion. Once, the most common computer programs allowed us to develop video games, websites and online applications but a new wave of artists have found a way to create art out of these technical codes and pixels. These “new media” or “digital” artists are computer programmers, poets, photographers, visual artists and designers who took it upon themselves to go the next level and explore the possibilities of what the new media can provide in improving the viewer’s interaction with their art.

What’s great about new media art is that you can enjoy the exhibitions at the comfort of your home and a majority of the collections are created to be actively controlled by you, a step up from just looking and studying a sculpture or painting.

One such museum that saw the potential of what new media artists has to offer is the Whitney Museum of American Art. They created Artport, a portal to net art and digital arts and an online gallery space for commissioned net art projects. From the site, you can select from a variety of exhibitions as they keep all of them in a archive. In a way, each of the new media pieces invites you to become part of the art, your interaction with the art creates visual meaning that you can connect with at a personal level.

What’s great about Artport is that it offers younger new media artists a chance to be inspired by their predecessors and continue breaking the boundaries of programming, video and animation within the Internet space. There hasn’t been that much activity going on in the site but you can see what’s displayed and perhaps you can push to have some of your work on there. It’s the perfect blend of art and technology.

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