Debates on the authenticity of animated GIF images as an art
form still rages today. Due to its readily available nature, animated GIFs have
been overlooked and its affect as an art form rarely discussed. They are easy to make and most of the time,
the consumers of GIFs themselves are also the creators. The questions that
arise are how can such a medium be considered art, when almost anyone can make
it? And whether or not the answer to that question changes with a switch in
maker? If a well Known artist produced a GIF and willed it so as art, does it
suddenly cross over as a work of art because an artist willed it so? Or can the
affect of looking at a GIF be tantamount to that of looking at an exhibited
work of art? The Affect of Animated GIFs (Tom Moody, Petra Cortright, Lorna
Mills) by Sally McKay, aims to explore these questions and attempt to offer
readers a look into the affect of animated GIFs. McKay states:
“In animated GIFs, the gaps in action between
frames extend the affective suspense. They are small enough to suggest motion,
but large enough to create a perceptible gap, which means there is plenty of
time for the affect to take hold.” Source
By endorsing the notion of affect associated
with GIFs, McKay effectively acknowledges and validates the authenticity of
GIFs as an art form. GIFs, much like other forms of high art, can instill a
sense of political discourse, it can be humorous or sad and can also carry many
more emotions and lessons that are associated with high art. As the world gets
more technological and more people assimilate into the Internet culture, there
shall be plenty more tools to create newer mediums of art.
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