It is interesting to note how previously non-existent forms of art are coming to be merged together in the 21st century. Mixing music, generating design patterns, creating noise, and then finally making sense of it. I think this is partly how interactive media has emerged as a discipline, or rather a combination of so many other disciplines.

From the reading, it seems that IM art is far from being considered “classic”:

The main focus of modernist art was therefore on the basic elements (color, forms, tones, etc.) and the basic conditions (manner and place of presentation) of artistic production (p.2)

Although the reading mentions artists like Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky who began experimenting with different representations of music, in the case of multidisciplinary art, do we consider the Fluxus movement and Happenings as the “foundation” of new media art?

What is fascinating about this new movement is the open-access philosophy behind it:

It was about creating a glorious adventure from non-existent talent and unprofessionalism. Most of my ideas and art products are simply the result of my attitude to life. And are intended to cause unrest. (p.4)

The process of making new media / multidisciplinary art accessible and easy to start with, just like with open source software these days, is probably what draws people from so many backgrounds to it:

Anyone can make noise, for that you don’t need digital recording equipment or a 36-track studio with thousands of sophisticated elements. (p.4)

Given all of the experimentation and improvisation, it is interesting to see where new media will be in just a few years from now, as already, it broadens the understanding of art and how we perceive it.