Technological Progress and Image Practice in the United States

This chapter explores how all the previous findings on the historical developments of computer graphics as well as the style-historical insights from the art historical excursus can be synthesized. For this purpose, the chapter sets out by introducing contemporary artist David Claerbout, who works intensively with digital means of expression and, in doing so, reflects on the implicit cultural codes that are written into the technologies he draws upon. These codes can with the historical insights on both the computer graphical endeavors and the painterly traditions now be understood more deeply. To demonstrate that the goals which were once pursued at the University of Utah and before are still driving current developments, this chapter also directs its attention to contemporary evolutions of the technology, again, particularly focusing on Pixar. The cultural codes that have driven the historical developments of computer graphics and many US painterly approaches still represent core values for image making at the animation studio.