Corruption exists everywhere, on the inside and outside. I came across this rather interesting visual blog, which appears to be an online portfolio of someone's work. In my opinion VaportWave aesthetic is an underground subculture of postmodernism, which has recently experienced a surge in popularity, particularly amongst amateur creative practitioners who are engaged with digital and online visual culture. These aesthetics are blatant manifestations of pastiche, parody and recycling of surfaces. The practice of creating work like this to me, affirms my feelings and attitudes towards simulacrum and simulation as well as hypermedia and hyper reality.
The fact that this person is deliberately creating works which fall into the very distinct post-internet aesthetic proves to me that visual culture is entering into a state of simulacra. The artist has consciously referenced cultural items, signs and symbols from across history, juxtaposing them with burrowed surface aesthetics from postmodernism's past. Its a intriguing and fascinating process to me.
Arguably, this is happening on a small scale, personal level for this artist. Simulation and simulacra in undoubtedly occurring here, and the scale is irrelevant, because it is definitely occurring. In my essay, I am questioning the extent to which a hyper-reality/total simulacrum has been reach. These pieces of work prove that to a certain extent, the answer to my research question is yes. Others would argue the answer is no, because currently, vaporwave aesthetics are not widely accepted, appreciated or even understood. These aesthetics are very niche, underground and only really celebrated by small numbers of people who are engaged with digital visual culture. In that very specific sphere, it could be said that this is a realisation of simulation and simulcra, a form of a hyper-reality. But it is on a small scale, a small section of wider visual culture. However, I have seen examples of where vaporwave and post internet aesthetics have actually begun to trickle down and infiltrate commercial contemporary visual communication.
A great example is on the ASOS website:
Here, you can see blatant manifestations of simulation and simulacra. There are areas of grey and white chequered patterns, which is reference to popular photo editing software (Photoshop). Everyone is aware that these images have been taken using a digital camera and have most likely undergone some degree of post production using Photoshop to arrive at the digital stage they are displayed on. The designer of this section of the website felt the need to include this pattern which is directly linked to a digital piece of software. The image of the chequered pattern didn't really exist in the first place in a tangible sense. It lacked a referential point from the very beginning, however it now has a referential point as part of this website design. The designer has re-referenced a 'contemporary cultural item', contributing to the simulation and simulacrum of reality. Its very interesting why this happens. I can't really explain it or really understand it, but it does have something to do with pastiche and the results that it provides us as humans. It could be viewed as a celebratory design decision, but I am viewing it as a passing trend for now. Other examples of simulacrum include the type decisions and the composition of the patterns and general layout. There is an over all 'retro' feel here, paying homage to 1980's aesthetics. It is all simulation and simulacrum and it is all contributing to a wider sense of hyper-reality.
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