technoart

Technoart is a field of artistic practice that uses technology as a central medium, tool, or subject. It encompasses works that deploy digital computation, electronic media, sensors, robotics, networking, and other technologies to explore aesthetic, social, and perceptual questions arising from human–machine relations. The term is used broadly and often overlaps with media art, digital art, new media, and interactive art.

Historically, technoart grew from mid-20th-century experiments in electronic and kinetic art, cybernetics, and computer art. Early pioneers such as Nam June Paik helped establish video as an artistic medium, while later artists experimented with interactive systems and networked environments. The rise of the internet, mobile devices, and affordable microprocessors broadened the field, leading to networked installations and online art practices.

Practices commonly feature interactive installations, generative or algorithmic processes, AI and machine learning, virtual and augmented reality, projection mapping, and robotics. Works may respond to audience input, sensor data, or real-time weather and social data, creating dynamic compositions and performative experiences. The methods emphasize process, systems, and feedback loops as co-authors of the work.

Technoart is typically presented in museums, galleries, art festivals, and dedicated media labs. It invites interdisciplinary collaboration among artists, engineers, designers, and researchers. Reception varies, with discussions focusing on authorship, accessibility, sustainability, and the cultural implications of pervasive technology. Notable figures associated with the field include Nam June Paik and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, among others.