Shanbaum, P. (2017). The Interface Is Obsolete: A Critical Investigation of the Digital Interface in Interactive New Media Installations (Doctoral dissertation, Goldsmiths, University of London).
A shorter paper explaining her findings can be found here
Phaedra Shanbaum’s article, “The Interface is Obsolete,” explores the role of the digital interface in interactive new media installations. From the perspective of internet culture, this article addresses the following key points:
- Interface as a Mediator: The article emphasizes that the digital interface is not just a technical point of interaction but a complex mediator that influences the relationships between viewers, artists, and artworks. It highlights how the interface shapes the way we engage with art and technology.
- Aesthetic Aspect: Shanbaum discusses the aesthetic dimension of digital interfaces. She draws on digital aesthetics theories to argue that aesthetics is not about ideal beauty but a mode of engagement with art. The digital interface plays a crucial role in mediating this aesthetic experience.
- Case Study – “Lorna”: The article uses the interactive new media installation “Lorna” by Lynn Hershman Leeson as a case study. This installation combines performance, narrative, and audience participation, offering a non-linear, complex experience. It challenges the viewer’s relationship with technology and the medium while highlighting the importance of interfaces in interactive art.
- Temporality and Complexity: Shanbaum underscores the temporal nature of digital interfaces and the complexity of interactive new media installations. These works are not limited to specific attributes but can encompass various elements, making them challenging to categorize within a unified aesthetic theory.
- Reflection and Redefinition: The article concludes by asserting the significance of exploring the aesthetic aspects of digital interfaces in interactive art. It encourages critical reflection on the relationship between viewers, artists, and technology, aiming to redefine the concept of a digital interface in this context.
In the context of internet culture, Shanbaum’s article highlights the evolving and dynamic nature of digital interfaces in interactive new media installations and their profound impact on our engagement with art and technology. It underscores the need to reconsider the role of interfaces in shaping our online experiences and interactions.
In this text, the author discusses the concept of the digital interface in the context of interactive new media installations, using an example of an interactive artwork called “Lorna” by Lynn Hershman Leeson. The text delves into the various meanings and functions of the digital interface, its role in mediating relationships between viewers, artists, and artworks, and how it influences the overall experience of interactive art.
The author highlights the complexity of the digital interface, emphasizing that it is not merely a technical device but a dynamic, hybrid, aesthetic process. They argue that the interface is a threshold, mediator, and boundary, shaping the way viewers interact with artworks. The example of “Lorna” demonstrates how the interface can influence the viewer’s engagement with the artwork, creating a unique and non-linear experience.
The text also touches on the concept of aesthetics in digital art, emphasizing the importance of understanding the digital aesthetic of an artwork and the role of the interface in mediating this aesthetic. The author suggests that aesthetics in this context is about the mediation between the artwork, the audience, and the world, and it is deeply intertwined with the concept of time and temporality.
Overall, the text explores the multifaceted nature of the digital interface in interactive new media installations and its significance in shaping the viewer’s experience and understanding of art in the digital age.
Phaedra Shanbaum presents several key ideas in her article “The Interface is Obsolete.” These ideas revolve around the role of the digital interface in interactive new media installations and how it affects our engagement with art and technology. Here are the key ideas from the author:
- The Mediating Role of Interfaces: Shanbaum emphasizes that the digital interface is not just a passive means of interaction but a dynamic mediator that shapes the relationships between viewers, artists, and artworks. It influences how we perceive, interact with, and interpret digital content.
- Aesthetic Dimension of Interfaces: The article discusses the aesthetic aspect of digital interfaces, drawing from digital aesthetics theories. Shanbaum argues that aesthetics in the digital realm is not solely about achieving ideal beauty but is a mode of engagement with art. Interfaces play a central role in mediating this aesthetic experience.
- Case Study – “Lorna”: Shanbaum uses Lynn Hershman Leeson’s interactive new media installation “Lorna” as a case study. This artwork combines performance, narrative, and audience participation, offering a non-linear and multifaceted experience. It challenges traditional notions of viewer-artwork relationships and underscores the importance of interfaces in interactive art.
- Temporal and Complex Nature of Interfaces: The article highlights the temporal nature of digital interfaces. It discusses how interactive new media installations can be temporally dynamic, and they encompass a variety of elements and experiences. This complexity makes them challenging to categorize within a unified aesthetic theory.
- Reflection and Redefinition: Shanbaum concludes by stressing the importance of critically reflecting on the role of digital interfaces in interactive art. She encourages the redefinition of the concept of a digital interface in this context. This redefinition should take into account the evolving and multifaceted nature of interfaces in shaping our engagement with technology and art.
These key ideas collectively emphasize that digital interfaces are not merely functional tools but play a central role in shaping our experiences with interactive art and technology. They are dynamic mediators that have a significant impact on how we engage with and interpret digital content, challenging traditional aesthetic theories and calling for a reevaluation of their role in contemporary media art.
Phaedra Shanbaum’s definition of the interface in her article “The Interface is Obsolete” is based on the context of interactive new media art. She interprets the interface as more than just a functional or technical bridge between the user and the artwork; she sees it as a dynamic mediator that influences how users engage with and interpret digital content. Here’s how she defines the interface and where her ideas come from:
- Dynamic Mediator: Shanbaum’s definition of the interface goes beyond its traditional role as a passive medium for user interaction. Instead, she conceptualizes the interface as a dynamic mediator, actively shaping the relationships and interactions between the viewer, the artist, and the artwork. It plays a crucial role in determining how users perceive and interpret digital content within interactive art installations.
- Aesthetic Interpretation: Shanbaum’s ideas about the interface are heavily influenced by the field of digital aesthetics. She draws from digital aesthetics theories, which explore the aesthetic dimensions of digital media and their impact on the viewer’s experience. In this context, aesthetics is not just about achieving ideal beauty but is seen as a mode of engagement with art. The interface is central to mediating this aesthetic experience.
- Case Study – “Lorna”: To illustrate her ideas, Shanbaum uses Lynn Hershman Leeson’s interactive new media installation “Lorna” as a case study. “Lorna” is an artwork that defies traditional categorization, combining elements of performance, narrative, and audience participation. Through this case study, Shanbaum demonstrates how the interface plays a pivotal role in shaping the non-linear and multifaceted experience that users have when interacting with the artwork.
- Temporal and Complex Nature: Shanbaum’s definition of the interface also takes into account the temporal and complex nature of interfaces in interactive art. She acknowledges that interactive new media installations can offer temporally dynamic and multifaceted experiences, making them challenging to fit within a unified aesthetic theory. The interface plays a key role in managing these dynamic and complex elements.
Her ideas about the interface stem from her engagement with contemporary media art, digital aesthetics, and the examination of specific interactive art installations. She challenges traditional notions of what an interface is and calls for a reevaluation of its role in the context of interactive art, highlighting its dynamic and mediating qualities. Shanbaum’s perspective emphasizes that the interface is a critical element in shaping how viewers engage with and interpret technology and art in the digital age.
In her article “The Interface is Obsolete,” Phaedra Shanbaum’s ideas are influenced by a range of authors and scholars, particularly those within the field of media studies, digital aesthetics, and interactive art. It’s possible to infer the influence of various thinkers based on the concepts and themes she discusses. Some of the authors who might have influenced her ideas include:
- Lev Manovich: Manovich is known for his work in new media theory and digital aesthetics. His ideas about the database as a cultural form, as well as his exploration of how software and interfaces shape cultural expressions, could have influenced Shanbaum’s perspective on the interface as a dynamic mediator.
- Vilém Flusser: Flusser’s writings on communication theory, particularly his thoughts on the role of technical images and apparatuses in shaping human perception and communication, may have informed Shanbaum’s approach to understanding the interface as a mediator in new media art.
- Erkki Huhtamo: As a media archaeologist, Huhtamo has delved into the historical and theoretical aspects of media and interfaces. Shanbaum’s consideration of interfaces in a broader historical context might have drawn from Huhtamo’s work on the genealogy of media.
- Lynn Hershman Leeson: While not an author in the traditional sense, Lynn Hershman Leeson’s own work, especially her interactive art installations like “Lorna,” would have had a significant influence on Shanbaum’s ideas. Leeson’s art blurs the lines between different media and challenges conventional notions of interfaces and narrative.
- Digital Aesthetics Scholars: Shanbaum’s exploration of digital aesthetics suggests an engagement with a broader body of literature in this field. Authors like Oliver Grau, Sean Cubitt, and other scholars who have examined the aesthetics of digital media may have contributed to her understanding of how the interface affects the aesthetic experience of interactive art.
- Félix Guattari and Gilles Deleuze: The concepts of rhizomatic structures and assemblages that Shanbaum discusses might be influenced by the philosophies of Deleuze and Guattari. Their ideas about non-linear and multifaceted structures in various contexts could relate to Shanbaum’s argument about the complex and temporally dynamic nature of interactive art interfaces.
The themes and concepts she presents align with the ideas and theories of various scholars in the fields of media studies, digital aesthetics, and interactive art. Shanbaum’s work can be seen as a synthesis and expansion of these influences to form her unique perspective on the role of the interface in contemporary media art.
Based on this bibliography, it’s clear that the author draws from a variety of sources, including books and references related to digital aesthetics, media theory, and art. Here’s a breakdown of the key sources and their potential influence on the author’s ideas:
- “Reading Writing Interfaces: From the Digital to the Bookbound” by Lori Emerson: This book likely contributes to Shanbaum’s exploration of the concept of interfaces, especially as they relate to the digital and their transformation over time.
- “Digital Aesthetics” by Sean Cubitt: This work provides insights into digital aesthetics and could have influenced Shanbaum’s discussion of the aesthetics of interactive art interfaces.
- “The Language of New Media” by Lev Manovich: Lev Manovich is a well-known scholar in the field of new media, and his book could inform Shanbaum’s perspective on the language and cultural aspects of digital interfaces.
- Lynn Hershman Leeson’s writings and art installations: Lynn Hershman Leeson’s work, including “The Fantasy Beyond Control” and “Lorna,” would have a direct impact on Shanbaum’s ideas, as Hershman Leeson’s art challenges conventional notions of interfaces and narratives.
- “Cyberculture” by Pierre Lévy: This book might influence Shanbaum’s discussion of the cultural and social aspects of digital interfaces, as Pierre Lévy is known for his work on cyberculture.
- “Cinematic Interfaces: Film Theory After New Media” by Soyoung Jeong: This source may contribute to Shanbaum’s perspective on interfaces in the context of cinema and new media.
- “A Companion to Digital Art” edited by Christiane Paul: This reference is a comprehensive companion to digital art and may provide broader context for Shanbaum’s exploration of digital art interfaces.
- Works by Random International and Victoria and Albert Museum: These are contemporary art installations and institutions that could have served as case studies or examples for Shanbaum’s arguments regarding interfaces in art.
While these sources don’t explicitly dictate the content of Shanbaum’s article, they collectively represent a wide array of literature in the fields of digital aesthetics, media theory, and art, from which she likely drew inspiration and context for her argument about the obsolescence of interfaces in new media art.
We can speculate some examples on the influences in this text:
- Influence from “Reading Writing Interfaces: From the Digital to the Bookbound” by Lori Emerson: This source likely influenced the article by contributing to the discussion of the evolution of interfaces, especially in relation to digital and book-based contexts. The article might have explored how interfaces have transitioned from traditional mediums to digital spaces.
- Influence from “Digital Aesthetics” by Sean Cubitt: This book may have played a role in shaping the article’s perspective on the aesthetics of digital interfaces. It could have contributed to discussions on how the aesthetics of interfaces impact user experiences and artistic expression.
- Influence from “The Language of New Media” by Lev Manovich: Lev Manovich’s work often delves into the cultural and communicative aspects of new media. The article might have drawn upon concepts from this book to explore how interfaces in new media are embedded in a larger cultural context.
- Influence from Lynn Hershman Leeson’s writings and art installations: These writings and art installations could have been directly referenced in the article to illustrate examples of how artists like Lynn Hershman Leeson challenge conventional notions of interfaces in their work. The author might have used Hershman Leeson’s work as a case study.
- Influence from “Cyberculture” by Pierre Lévy: This source could have shaped the article’s discussions on the cultural and social dimensions of digital interfaces. It might have provided a theoretical foundation for exploring how interfaces are embedded in cyberculture.
- Influence from “Cinematic Interfaces: Film Theory After New Media” by Soyoung Jeong: The article might have integrated ideas from this source to discuss interfaces in the context of cinema and new media. Concepts related to cinematic interfaces and their impact on storytelling might have been explored.
- Influence from “A Companion to Digital Art” edited by Christiane Paul: This reference could have been used to provide broader context for the article’s exploration of digital art interfaces. It might have offered a comprehensive overview of digital art practices and their relation to interfaces.
- Works by Random International and Victoria and Albert Museum: The article might have featured these contemporary art installations and institutions as case studies or examples to illustrate the author’s arguments about the changing nature of interfaces in new media art.
Conclusion: Embracing the End of Interfaces in Internet Culture
As we wrap up our exploration of Internet culture, “The Interface is Obsolete” by Phaedra Shanbaum emerges as a guiding star in our quest to understand the ever-changing digital landscape. This article propels us beyond the confines of conventional interfaces into a realm where the boundaries blur, and digital culture takes a revolutionary turn.
Shanbaum’s thought-provoking work challenges us to reconsider the very notion of the interface. Traditionally, we’ve thought of the interface as a static mediator between humans and machines, a gateway that imposes constraints on our digital experiences. Yet, Shanbaum dares us to imagine a world where interfaces dissolve, replaced by immersive, intuitive, and harmonious interactions with technology.
The key ideas presented in Shanbaum’s article illuminate the path forward. She invites us to embrace the disappearance of interfaces as we know them and to step into a world where technology becomes an integral part of our existence. This notion resonates deeply with Internet culture students who understand that the digital realm is not a separate entity but an extension of our physical lives.
Shanbaum’s ideas find resonance in the works of other authors as well. The influence of scholars like Lev Manovich, who explored the language of new media, and theorists like Pierre Lévy, who delved into the depths of cyberculture, is evident in Shanbaum’s conceptual framework. These influences strengthen her argument that the obsolescence of the interface is not a solitary notion but part of a broader conversation about the transformative power of the digital age.
The bibliography of Shanbaum’s article further enriches our understanding. Works like “Reading Writing Interfaces” by Lori Emerson and “Digital Aesthetics” by Sean Cubitt offer complementary perspectives on the evolving nature of interfaces. Lynn Hershman Leeson’s artistry, as demonstrated in “Lorna,” pushes the boundaries of human-technology interactions, serving as a testament to the ever-expanding canvas of Internet culture.
Shanbaum’s exploration of Swarm Study III by Random International and its collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum exemplify the real-world impact of her ideas. Such artistic endeavors blur the lines between art, technology, and interaction, a theme that resonates strongly with Internet culture enthusiasts who observe the ways in which digital art becomes an intrinsic part of our culture.
In essence, Shanbaum’s article has illuminated a future where the interface is no longer a limiting factor but an enabler of boundless creativity and connectivity. As students of Internet culture, you are uniquely positioned to navigate this brave new world where the tangible and digital merge seamlessly, and where culture and technology intertwine.
Your journey in the realm of Internet culture should be imbued with Shanbaum’s vision. Embrace the obsolescence of conventional interfaces, and let this notion guide your explorations of online communities, meme cultures, and digital artistry. Recognize the challenges posed by this transformation, from privacy concerns to ethical dilemmas, and engage as responsible stewards of Internet culture.
The future of Internet culture, as Phaedra Shanbaum’s article suggests, is one where the digital and physical worlds converge, and where human experiences are elevated by technology. It is a future where you, as students, are poised to shape the narrative and craft the next chapter of this ever-evolving saga. As you continue to delve into the multifaceted world of Internet culture, remember that you are the custodians of the interface’s obsolescence, leading us toward a future where connectivity knows no bounds, and culture finds new dimensions in the digital age.
Here are two pedagogical activities that students pursuing a Master’s degree in Arts and Design can engage in to explore the ideas presented in the article “The Interface is Obsolete” by Phaedra Shanbaum:
- Digital Art Installation Challenge:Objective: To encourage students to apply the concept of the obsolescence of traditional interfaces in the creation of digital art installations.Description:
- Divide the students into small groups.Provide them with access to a range of digital tools, technologies, and platforms, as well as physical materials.Task each group with conceptualizing and creating a digital art installation that embodies the idea that the interface is obsolete. Encourage them to think beyond the boundaries of screens and physical devices.Each installation should aim to create an immersive and intuitive experience, blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds.In their presentations, students should explain how their installation reflects the themes and ideas presented in Phaedra Shanbaum’s article.Hold an exhibition or showcase where students can display and interact with each other’s installations, inviting the broader academic community to experience their creations.
- Digital Culture Mapping Project:Objective: To explore the evolving landscape of digital culture, inspired by Shanbaum’s concept of interface obsolescence.Description:
- In this semester-long project, students work individually.
- In the early stages of the project, students should familiarize themselves with the bibliography and sources referenced in Shanbaum’s article. This includes works by Lynn Hershman Leeson, Random International, and others.
- Each student is tasked with selecting a specific aspect of digital culture (e.g., virtual reality, augmented reality, social media, digital art) and conducting in-depth research.
- They create a digital culture map, illustrating how the chosen aspect of digital culture has evolved over time, examining key milestones, and identifying areas where traditional interfaces are becoming obsolete.
- Students should be encouraged to incorporate multimedia elements into their digital culture maps, such as videos, interactive timelines, and visual representations.
- At the end of the project, each student presents their digital culture map to the class, discussing the implications of interface obsolescence in the context of their chosen digital culture aspect.
These pedagogical activities empower students to explore and apply the ideas from Phaedra Shanbaum’s article within the context of their Master’s degree in Arts and Design. They encourage creative thinking, critical analysis, and a deeper understanding of the evolving relationship between humans and technology in the digital age.
i don't look like a librarian! 