Homework 2

The numerous articles concerning GIFs discuss (and sometimes answer) several questions related to the file format. For me, the question that stands out as being the most interesting and heuristic is: Are GIFs art? I believe that the answer depends on three different factors - the intention of the creator, the use of the GIF, and the general interpretation of it by the audience. In class, we have discussed that responsibility in art falls not only on the artist to create, but also on the viewer to perceive; I believe that the matter of whether or not GIFs are art is also dependent on these two roles.

For example, take the GIF Super Mario Clouds, created by Cory Arcangel. According to the Artnet article, when Arcangel produced Super Mario Clouds, his work was significant to himself as a reminder of his days of hacking Nintendo games. If I were to see this GIF with no prior knowledge of it or its creator, I may have just thought to myself "huh, clouds. That looks nice." However, since I viewed this GIF accompanied by background information, I understand the intentions of the GIF and appreciate it as "art".  Others may appropriate this GIF, and give it their own personal meaning - but the fact that it was created with an express, artistic intention and is further used in other artistic circumstances means that this GIF is a piece of art - at least, in my opinion.

Another example of a GIF, one not taken from the articles is shown below:

In case you aren't familiar with this weird man making a weird face (if you aren't, I HIGHLY recommend that you go and watch The Office), this is a fictional character named Jim Halpert, who is known for often making memorable faces, such as this one. GIFs that are appropriated from TV shows, such as this one, are not art. While this GIF may be used by someone to convey his or her facial expression through social media (or something), they're not giving the GIF any new meaning, and in making the GIF they did not produce express artistic intent. So to me, GIFs that have been appropriated with no perceivable change are not art. However, as I said before, I believe that overall it's a matter of intention and perception.