Library Dissertation Showcase

How the internet is changing the art world – a modern Dada revolution of memes

  • Year of Publication:
  • 2022

This report sets out to discuss the artists’ adoption of the internet and to highlight the significance of this in jumpstarting a modern, digital revolution, inspired by the Dadaists years before. I recognize similarities between original Dada art and the sorts of art we see nowadays online in the form of net art, memes, and NFTs. I argue that memes are the most updated version of Net art – Which follows Dadaism – and argue their worth as valuable art looking at the work of Hito Steyerl and Benjamin Walters. I re-apply other theories to this subject such as Juan Garcia Espinosa’s theory of Imperfect cinema to demonstrate the power the meme has as a protest art piece and demonstrate this using real-life examples of memes impacting politics. I argue that the digital creates a platform to develop Dadaism and is enabling an entire revolution online that follows the original Dada aims, for example, them being anti-establishment and using humour.

*Part of the 2022-2023 Fine Art cohort

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