Applied Art: Artistry Found

“The difference between applied art and fine art is one of ultimate purpose. Fine art is produced simply for aesthetic purposes, where the end result is found visually appealing to the viewer. Applied art is also aesthetic, but with an interactive design or a problem-solving goal that is part of a greater purpose.”

Trithemian Web™ Cryptograms possess all three features – aesthetics, an interactive design and a problem-solving goal.

Eden Gallery: Applied Arts

“Works of fine art are often defined as high arts because they serve no purpose other than providing aesthetic or intellectual stimulus to people who view it and are designed to increase the aesthetic appeal of the room they are put in.

In contrast to fine art, applied arts make functional objects more aesthetically pleasing. That means that these objects are designed so that the results are useful and aesthetically enjoyable at the same time.”

Oxford Reference: Applied Arts

“Term describing the design or decoration of functional objects so as to make them aesthetically pleasing.”

I took a relatively bland, 70’s bar challenge, dressed it up and made it the focal point of my cryptograms.

Transmutation: The action of changing or the state of being changed into another form.

What recognized art movement closely defines my Trithemian Web™ Cryptograms? I believe that would be Conceptual Art. An art movement that prioritizes the idea (or concept) behind the work over the finished product. (Wikipedia)

The term was coined by the artist and critic Lawrence Alloway in the mid-1960’s. It was used to refer to the work of certain artists who were involved in the Fluxus group. It has since been used to describe any artwork, visual or otherwise, that intends to communicate an idea or message without being confined by a traditional medium or style.

My Trithemian Web™ Cryptograms are confined to a particular medium and style. Although my work can reside within the Conceptual Art movement, I prefer a more precise categorization.

The Art Story Foundation lists 156 total movements. They state that “digital art is not recognized as a distinct movement in and of itself.”

There are no new art movements today, “says Michael Rooks, Wieland Family curator of modern & contemporary art at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta (2021).” In response, I decided to coin one that more closely defines my unique work.

Since my applied art has three distinct components (aesthetics, an interactive design and a problem-solving goal), I wanted a more inclusive definition. So, I coined a new movement – Linear Transmutation: The metamorphosis of specifically defined linear graphics into a traditional substitution cipher delivered through a digital or physical medium. The title, messages and other inclusions within a single layer, digital raster file take priority over the finished product.

I am the only designer in this movement at present, but I invite other artists/designers to join in. Contact me for details. I invite you to read My Story – a fifty-year history of my cryptogram development.