Cory Arcangel made several paintings employing simple actions on the Photoshop imaging software.
One of these is called Photoshop CS: 72 by 110 inches, 300 DPI, RGB, square pixels, default gradient “Spectrum”, mousedown y=1416 x=1000, mouseup y=208 x=4.
From one point of view, the work is about obsolescence.
Arcangel maxed out the printing technology of 2009/2010 and is interested to see how this maximum level becomes obsolete in time. Also, in several pieces, he stamps a date onto the image as a way to mark it as indelibly tied-up with its own moment in time.
From another point of view, though, the work is about deskilling and automatization.
The object is beautiful due to his use of the cutting-edge c-print technology and the blurring of colors in the gradient, but it is depressing because the gesture is automatic.
Finally, from a third point of view, the title is to be read word-for-word as much as Fountain is to be read word-for-word.
It’s not Photoshop blah, blah, blah… a bunch of funny technical language.
It’s:
Photoshop CS:
72 by 110 inches,
300 DPI,
RGB,
square pixels,
default gradient “Spectrum”,
mousedown y=1416 x=1000,
mouseup y=208 x=4.*****
Computation as readymade.
Tags: computing, cory arcangel, gradient, photoshop