In Lev Manovich’s book “The Language of the New Media” In Chapter 1, it summarizes the 5 principles of new media, each being, numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability, and transcoding. Variability and transcoding and automation are much more dependent on Numerical representation and modularity. On page 31, Manovich elaborates on the molecular structure of the Internet as it can be defined as infinite and will always evolve. “The World Wide Web as a whole is also completely modular. It consists of numerous Web pages, each consisting of separate media elements”. This means that the web is an enormous platform where it is possible to update itself consistently and will have many small websites hence “ molecules” which form into 1 whole atom. Each principle will correspond with each other such as in Numerical Representation, the whole wide web can be constantly updated and will have new “algorithms” each and every day. Since the web can be easily updated, this will also bring in Automation which Manovich defines as being very dependent on Numerical Representation and Modularity as both have the ability to change the current media into something brand new which is what Automation means. Variability also corresponds towards his belief due to the ability to exist in infinite versions such as the Web will always be here and there will be multiple versions of it and each will mean something different; towards the audience. Lastly, Transcoding connects in this belief due to the changes of old concepts into new ones, for example; the belief that the world is flat has been proven wrong by landing on the moon which has been proven wrong. Manovich’s principles have shaped what new media truly is, and simply it interests me a lot due to how it’s easily relatable after reading the beliefs, he believes.

I picked “Lesson 17: See As Much As You Can” because it interests me the most, as it can bring many perspectives towards art in different ways, and allows for a richer and more nuanced perspective, opening up new ways to think about and engage with artistic expressions. This passage talks about how the perspective of stepping away and getting close can change how you view a piece of artwork as you can see the differences from far away or the differences near view. Artists will step back and look into a view of the whole picture instead of focusing on one area which can make you understand what the artist is trying to interpret and make you “see the whole picture”. While some artists step away, some artists step closer which can focus on one perspective and see the picture by details, or texture which can understand how the art is made or understand why the artist chose this part specifically. The author in this passage believes that artists who go by and look at it very precisely can also be specified as “stealing” since they can feel the flaws and the textures that the painting/sculpture contains. This could be considered as good and bad because if artists can find a flaw, they can determine that the work of art can mimic while if it’s a good piece of art, it is impossible to mimic it 100% and it can be considered as a masterpiece. In great art, there are little to no ways to be able to “steal” because it leaves a tiny amount of room to be able to “steal”. I believe this is interesting because of how many masterpieces in history were able to mimic but there are always a couple pieces of art that are impossible to replicate due to the complexity and the perfection that it was produced from. 

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