by Jordan C

Imagine a world in black and white. Were every person, house, car, and building looked exactly the same. Every day, all the people woke up at the same time, ate the same meals, worked the same jobs, watched the same show and then went to bed at the same exact time. The human brain loves patterns; however, the brain hates monotony. Those opening sentencing alone used repeating vocabulary paired with tedious punctual flow, and bleak imagery to convey a feeling of emptiness, lifelessness. Now look at the world around you, the walls, furniture; look outside and witness the liveliness of urban life, or the tranquility of the country side. It is safe to say that it’s the variety that makes the world interesting. Natural patterns occur yet we are still constantly anticipating what will happen next. The vividness of the world we live in is something that has always been captured in our artistic creations. Centuries ago, when society looked up to monarchs; royalty would be painted in noble posture wearing fine clothing. The clothing itself was a marker that displayed to the rest of the world where in society you fell. Farmers and towns folk wore simple, plain clothing while nobility or royalty of either gender modeled colourful and increasingly bejeweled, frilled, attire. The optics of the people and their homes represented who they were, what they were valuable for. Fast forward to the 1900s; now the women wore thing, flowing gowns, embroiled with vibrant patterns. Matching Floral décor would sit stop their heavily modeled hair. Then the men, dressed in sleek suits, and pants to match. A dress shirt and bow tie, with some shiny new shoes and a fedora or bowler on their head. While the physical apparel grew more uniform, more abstract art began to emerge yet still mirroring current society. Waterhouse, Redon and more painted unique takes of common scenery. Then we get to the 70s, 80s, 90s, years famous for their flamboyant styles, hairdos, and the rapidly growing entertainment industry. People began really embracing non-uniformity, something that has carried over to todays world.

Now, there are definite norms in art, and fashion. Trends come and go, some remaining, others gone like the wind. Today, to many feels like a cross roads. Technology has grown at an exponential rate, humanity is striving to be more expressive, and free. However, its also a world faced with division, and conflict. Pollution and disasters. It is hard to say what type of future we will have, but there is still reason to be optimistic. Art Is the way we express ourselves. Art is how we try to convey who we want to be and the world we want to live in. Looking forward to the next decade one can picture what will impact how we create art. Technology, has come along way, and as it has with all industries, it will be sure to pave the road for new methods of self expression. Technology will advance what is in art, how we make art, and how what role art will play in society. All following todays rapid scientific development.

One of the biggest hallmarks of where technology has taken us are things like phones and computers. Even though it is relatively young, today we see new fashions growing around wearable technology. Smart watches are a leader in this development as they provide functional stylish jewelry which now has the ability to connect to your cell phone, email and more. While these kinds of features are only now seen in fit-bits or watches, it is likely this functionality will be able to exist in more casual apparel. Imagine a wristband that doubles as a watch, or an athletic shirt that measured your heart rate for you. Some things like this can already be seen in concept, meaning it is just a matter of time before they will be seen on the streets. Smart fabric and bendable screens have been being developed by multiple companies, some even pending patents. The idea that wearable technology can get more comfortable and more casual then what we have today. Integrating screens into other objects is an idea also becoming apparent in more industrial forms of art. Design and architecture now favour sleek looks, and smooth interfaces to the analog systems used in the past. Cars and buildings are being designed with screens in windows, and mirrors. One step art is taking now that will surely continue through decades to come is combining aesthetic with functionality.

And just as what we make art from is changing, new methods are gaining momentum on how to create art. The standout innovation that is taking industry by storm is 3D-printing. This method of manufacturing involves a machine that is connected to a computer program, capable of creating physical models of 3D files. It accomplishes this by layering extremely thing lines of plastic or other materials on each other; stacking into whatever shape. The process of 3D printing, while holding huge manufacturing applications for the future, has also found itself extremely popular in the world of art and design. 3D printers have brought forth a new age of sculptures, and 3D art. Companies are now able to design miniature models of products, and those fortunate enough to have access to a printer have a tool capable of bringing any creation they can design into the physical world. Creating is becoming more personalize. It comes to reason that very similar methods of production can and will be used for clothing. Fashion designers, will gain the ability to mass produce, intricate, detailed pieces to integrate into their work. Think of you, sitting at home designing a new tee shirt, then hitting print and in an hour you have brand new clothing. With larger versions of such technologies, sculptures can be designed, saved and printed. No longer would damage and wear to public art be a concern as files of each piece can be saved meaning parts or entire statues can be easily repaired or replaced while remaining authentic to the designer’s vision. Yet 3D printing is not the only new method for producing clothing’s and art. Imperial College London created an aerosol webbing that is literally spray on clothes. The cans can be filled with a variety of materials in varieties of colour allowing giving the product extreme versatility. The concept also acts as a true merger to visual art and fashion. People, with this type of technology, can spray personalized patterns and textures on to themselves and be given a comfortable, tight fitted piece of clothing. The spray on clothes made from polymers and fibres that are adhesive to themselves; are still able to be removed like normal shirts and can even be reused. Ideas like this and 3D production technology are giving us a peak into a future where everyone can be their own designer, creating clothing that truly speaks to them.
But what designs will they create? What does fashion and art of the future look like? Looking at everything from clothes to various medias today compared to a few decades ago, the differences are extremely apparent. Modern styles tend to mix subtlety and exoticness. When looking around in most public places, people wear what is appropriate for the environment. At party’s people dress to impress; when it’s cold winter jackets and furs are worn. However even between these classes of clothing, patterns are apparent. As I look around I see plenty of people with name brands. The rise of advertising that has come with the communication technology boom means that more and more sources influence what the public sees as desirable appearances. Adidas, Nike, North face; these are examples of popular company names that people want on their clothing. If people wear things like Air Jordan, Gucci, Rolex; they are viewed as potentially wealthy, and attractive. The trendier your clothing, the more tasteful and fortunate you appear. If most of your clothes have no brand name, or seem worn out, some think less of you. Once again society views style as an indicator for class. The modern businessman wears a suit and tie, the athlete wears nice runners and jackets, but then the less fortunate, wear older worn out attire. Despite societies desire to be unique, we still as humans want to be accepted. With where fashion is today it is apparent that we are seeing the idea of “fit in but standout”. This is what I mean by being exotic yet subtle. As time goes on we are seeing new styles appear more low-key. Sleeker edges, softer colours make up the majority of outfits. This cunning appearance is then usually paired with something that pops, or contrasts. A suave pair of pants may be worn under a dark shirt and matching jacket, but then a vibrant hat or attention-grabbing shoes complete the look. In the last decade the idea of matching to your own outfit was common, but I think, with technology forcing advertisement and conformity on the public more and more, people will wear more things that pop.

Just as we look to scientific discovery and research to predetermine what the future will hold, there is another source that can give insight on what even that very research will dive into. We call it science fiction now, but just as robots and cell phones would have been “science fiction” in the past, technology tends to create what we dream of. When we try to show the future in media, what we really are showing is what we think the future will or should look like. In back to the future, while we may not have the flying cars or holographic posters; we do have advanced video technology, and hoverboards. Even the famous self-tying Nikes were created in recognition of this piece of media. So looking at how Hollywood now, these concepts we have talked about are supported. Imagine a world, where you and everyone else can create any design they can imagine. Imagine a time where the clothes on our back serve not only as expression and comfort, but as tools with computing power. Clothes that can form around us, monitor our health, protect us, maintain themselves. If we were to go past the next decade some might be convinced that we will all be like ironman in the future. Technology integrating into us as much as it has in our cars, and homes. The way we look I the first thing people know about us, it can talk strongly of our personalities, so it’s important to keep it personalised. Colour and beauty are what make the world feel alive. It is what makes us feel special. As we advance as a society, we will lose limitations on what we can do and who we can be. Technology and creativity combine so that we can make ourselves our own.

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