If you are living in the same world I am you can’t help but notice that things are accelerating. The speed with which we travel, communicate, get information and make decisions is unprecedented. It is said that the amount of information doubles every few years. The iPhone and Facebook are less than 10 years old and have already transformed the way we navigate, experience and manage the complexities of everyday life.
Rapid advancements in processors and software have made possible driverless cars and artificial intelligence that exceeds the capacity of the human brain.
It is estimated that society needs 15 years to adapt and properly integrate a new technology, but technological advances currently have a 4-5-year shelf life. This situation is made even more complex due to rapid globalization and quickening environmental degradation. Some contend that the speed and amount of change has already outstripped our ability to thoughtfully adapt. This acceleration has profound impacts on our visual experiences as well.
Americans are exposed to 4000-10,000 advertising images every day. This staggering figure does not even include non-commercial visual experiences. How do we process and make sense of our visual world and what role does Art play?
Does it simply become another screaming voice vying for our precious attention? Does it get cast in the bin of irrelevance in order to save bandwidth for essential functions? Does Art reassure us that beauty and meaning endure amidst the whirlwind? Does Art simply reflect the confusion — amplifying our discomfort — or does Art offer an anecdote?
Now more than ever people need to take a moment to slow down and reflect. To understand and consider the foundations of our visual experience. Visual repose is an essential tool in thoughtfully navigating the torrent of contemporary life.
I believe art and architecture can provide a necessary reprieve from the avalanche of images and distractions in our daily experience. James Turrell’s slowly changing color installations, for example, reward those with the patience to slow down and take in the experience he delivers. Pure experience, without mediated explanation, an all too rare phenomenon in contemporary life.