Artists have been using the internet as their playground since the beginning of the world wide web. Net art consists of digital artworks distributed through the internet and communication technologies like messaging apps and social media. GIFs (Graphics Interchange Format) are a lightweight format that work across web platforms and play automatically in a loop. Making GIFs with young people for the is a one way to participate in the creating and spreading of meaning and understanding media, while learning technical skills and expressing ourselves.
Ha (2018) by grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Metamedia
What better way to match form and content than to reflect our relationship with technologies using the web format of GIFs! In these GIFs, students created animated loops that tell the story of their online lives, such as gaming, social media and popular culture.
Pow (2018) by Hisbaan Noorani, grade 10 photography syudentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Bringing two cartoon worlds together.
Addiction (2018) by grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
The struggle with addiction to technology.
PS1-Pong (2019) by Shivani VermaNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Collapsing timelines of gaming history.
Venus Plane Trap (2018) by Misha V., grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Bringing something new to a familiar virtual world.
Game Addiction (2018) by Joseph B., grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Painting with Pixels
There are many ways to make a GIF (aka frame animation). These artworks were made entirely inside a computer, using the pixels, points, and computer software as their materials and palette.
Untitled (colour gif) (2019) by Akasha AftabNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Candymelion (2018) by Michelle L., grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch (2018) by grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Emoji vs GIF
When words fail to express what we are trying to say there are emojis and GIFs available to us via internet and smart phone communication technologies such as messaging apps (whatsapp, Instagram, iPhone, etc.) and web platforms (email).
Feeling Under the Spotlight (2020) by Grade 7/8 studentsNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Rainy Day (2015) by grade 9 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Anxious (2018) by Lorie BerberianNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
These GIFs were created to convey emotional states of being as an emoji would, but through moving images.
Waiting (...) (2018) by Jamie B., grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Hiding Out (2020) by Grade 7/8 studentsNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Floating Brain (2020) by Grade 7/8 studentsNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Eclipsing City and Transcending Stars (2018) by Jigme W. Hara, grade 10 photography studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Garbage In, Garbage Out (2017) by grade 12 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
The creation of these works was made possible by the generous funding of the Ontario Arts Council's Artists in Communities and School program.
