ONLINE ART:ghost city, jody zellen

Ghost City

What is this piece about?
Why does the artist use the web?
What are the elements of this work that are unique to web art?
What do you like/dislike about the project?

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Ghost City, an artistic website and the masterpiece by Jody Zellen, is a website that constantly changes and allows its viewers to interact and explore a virtual city composed of animated graphics and edited photographs. It focuses on the representation of an online city through the point of view of mass media. Jody Zellen uses the web for her artwork because, unlike traditional art, the web allows viewers to click and instantly view another page - this way, its audience can explore the links and pages created to symbolize the numerous streets and alleys of a city. There is not one way to navigate through the city - in fact there are many different routes one can take, and it takes quite some time to view all the images on the website.

Some of the unique elements included in this piece of art are the abstract photographs taken from various parts of the city and the way in which they are altered and animated. The use of text by Zellen and also from other authors are also a big part of the online city. Flash and pop-ups also play a big part in the design of the website.

This is the first online piece of art I have ever encountered so it is difficult for me to decide whether it is good or not as I cannot compare it with anything else. From what I have seen, however, it is obviously very different from the traditional art I am used to seeing, but then again...it IS media arts, and it is not rare to find the unexpected and the unusual in this field of art. I enjoyed the sensation of seeing something of this sort for the first time - it helped to expand my vision and view of new art. I find it very original and anticipate more of Zellen's work and other works like it.