Although many artists and culture bearers lament the advent of digital technologies, their ascendance trumpets a return to ancient storytelling traditions that were disrupted by the printing press. Online stories are subject to interpretation and are transformed through personalization and participation. The story is enlivened.
If stories are our original means of communicating complex ideas, entertaining ourselves and connecting with one another, armed with access to the internet, the artist/culture bearer has the power to change the world. The mutability of the digital story lends itself to egalitarianism, because it’s owned by all and its meanings are myriad.
“Storytelling” is now a buzzword in marketing, public relations and advertising, but to be truly effective it has to do much more than just sell something. If it’s not artful, it won’t resonate authentically. Modern storytelling is a collision of new media and ancient tradition that is most effectively commanded by the artist, who is skilled at challenging us to look at the world in new ways. The artists helps us to helps us reach others by examining ourselves.
Photo by WÆRK