Art as Information Ecology: Artworks, Artworlds, and Complex Systems Aesthetics

Jason A. Hoelscher's "Art as Information Ecology" proposes that art is information in its aesthetic or indeterminate mode, oriented less toward answers and resolvability than toward questions, irresolvability, and sustained difference. This information ecology of complex feedback between artwork and artworld drives the unfolding of difference, reconceiving our understanding of how artworks work and how information operates.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2021
Publisher: Duke University Press

Jason A. Hoelscher's groundbreaking book, "Art as Information Ecology," presents a comprehensive framework that intertwines information theory with aesthetic theory, offering a novel perspective on art. By closely examining the information theories of Claude Shannon and Gilbert Simondon, Hoelscher proposes that art can be understood as information in its aesthetic or indeterminate mode. This information is not oriented towards providing answers or resolving problems but rather towards fostering questions, irresolvability, and sustained differences.

Hoelscher's analysis reveals that these irresolvable differences contribute to the richness of aesthetic experience, allowing viewers to glean new information and insights with each encounter with an artwork. Art, in this sense, becomes a form of information that remains in formation, constantly evolving and differing from one encounter to another. By exploring the works of artists such as Frank Stella, Robert Morris, Adrian Piper, the Drop City commune, Eva Hesse, and others, Hoelscher demonstrates that art exists within a complex information ecology driven by the unfolding of difference.

Through his meticulous research, Hoelscher challenges our conventional understanding of how artworks function and how information operates. He shows that information in its aesthetic mode can exist beyond the confines of strictly quantifiable and monetizable forms, expanding our understanding of the potentialities of art and information in the contemporary world. By reconceiving our relationship between art and information, Hoelscher opens up new avenues for artistic exploration and innovation, pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible.

In conclusion, "Art as Information Ecology" is a seminal work that revolutionizes our understanding of art and information. Through its intricate analysis and innovative perspective, Hoelscher offers a fresh lens through which to appreciate and interpret the world of art. By exploring the complex interplay between aesthetics and information, he provides a roadmap for artists and scholars alike to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of contemporary art and media.

Weight: 612g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478013457