13 Internet Artists You Need to Know
October 29 is International Internet Day, marking the day in 1969 when the first Internet transmission was sent from one computer to another. International Internet Day has evolved into a global day of appreciation for the greatest invention of the 20th century, which has had an immeasurable impact on our society.
To commemorate International Internet Day, we’re taking a look at exceptional artists who’ve incorporated the Internet into their art. Since its early days, the Internet has been a source of inspiration, a medium, and a platform for artists around the world. With work that comments on society’s relationship with the Internet, integrates data sourced online, and even exists exclusively on the Internet, these artists have pushed and continue to push the boundaries of technology and art.
Here are thirteen Internet artists you need to know:
Shawn Huckins
New Hampshire native Shawn Huckins layers American portraits and landscapes with text messages or online symbols to satirize social media and highlight the impact of the Internet on society.
Lil Miquela
Created by Trevor McFedries and Sara DeCou, Lil Miquela is a famous computer-generated Instagram influencer. Like many influencers she shares sponsored content, has a dramatic back story, and has launched her own music career (videos and all). With 2.8 million followers on Instagram, she’s demonstrated that a truly Internet-native influencer can be just as complex and compelling as a real-life influencer.
Sougwen Chung
Chinese-born, Canadian-raised, and former MIT Media Lab research fellow Sougwen Chung explores the interconnectivity between humans and computers by collaborating with Internet-connected machines to create unique artwork.
Cecile B. Evans
London-based Internet artist Cecile B. Evans’ use of video, installation, sculpture, and performance showcases how exchanges between humans and machines have impacted society, such as subjectivity in the digital sphere and the gradual synthesis of organic and technological life.
Jon Bois
Sports writer, YouTuber, and SB Nation’s creative director Jon Bois has produced mesmerizing sports data and documentary video series. His most notable speculative sports fiction, 17776, reflects on why people play sports through utilizing text, animated GIFs, still images, and videos.
Sherry Wong
As the founder of Icarus Salon, Turkish Hawaiian Internet activist artist Sherry Wong’s studio functions as a creative hybrid between an art production company and a research think tank to help to broaden and bring together the technology ethics community.
Shawn Wasabi
Filipino-American record producer Shawn Wasabi not only co-invented the Midi Fighter 64 (a performance DJ controller with 64 Sanwa arcade buttons) but also established himself as a breakout musical artist by creating songs through mashing up “sound bytes” around the Internet, earning him millions of views online.
Kim Kierkegaardashian
Kim Kierkegaardashian posts tweets combining the writings of nineteenth-century existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard with tweets from influencer Kim Kardashian West. The unnamed person behind the iconic Twitter account is also a published author, and recent New Yorker advice columnist.
Exonemo
Japanese artist group Exonemo, formed by Sembo Kesuke and Akaiwa Yae, creates humorous and innovative artwork that examines the paradoxes between digital and analog computer-networked environments, such as the Internet Yami-ichi, an Internet-inspired flea market.
Damjan Pita
NYC-based international Internet artist Damjan Pita, also known as Damjanski, uses interactive installations, browser-based art, and web-based applications to explore power and participation in the modern age. Some of his notable projects are Hello, we’re from the internet and Humans Not Invited.
Jeremy Bailey
Toronto-based Jeremy Bailey is a very peculiar Internet artist to say the least. The self-proclaimed “Famous New Media Artist” takes advantage of technology to create playful and quirky artwork, such as The You Museum, that often satirizes the notion of online fame.
Miao Ying
Born in Shanghai, China, Miao Ying established herself as a prominent Internet artist through artwork that examines China’s Internet culture and the Chinese government’s Internet censorship, such as Chinternet Plus.
Olia Lialina
Moscow-born and Germany-based Olia Lialina is considered one of the most important figures in the original Internet art movement. As a pioneer in Internet art, she has produced over two decades of influential network-based artwork such as My Boyfriend Came Back from the War and Best Effort Network.