Cory Arcangel

Cory Arcangel, born in 1978 in Buffalo, New York, is an American contemporary artist recognized for his innovative use of digital media and technology. He is best known for creating works that repurpose outdated or obsolete technologies, such as video games, software, and consumer electronics, to explore themes of digital culture, obsolescence, and the intersection between art and technology. Arcangel’s work often highlights the rapid pace of technological change and its impact on society, offering a critical yet playful commentary on consumerism and popular culture.A signature aspect of Arcangel’s practice is his reworking of video games and computer programs. One of his most famous pieces, Super Mario Clouds (2002), involved hacking a Nintendo game cartridge to display only the scrolling clouds from the original Super Mario Bros. game. This early work demonstrated his interest in digital minimalism and his ability to turn familiar, mass-produced items into contemplative works of art. By removing the gameplay elements and focusing on the background, Arcangel encouraged viewers to see the beauty in the overlooked and the mundane.Arcangel’s use of technology goes beyond nostalgia, as he critically examines the fleeting nature of digital media and the ephemerality of the internet age. In works like Data Diaries (2003), he used corrupted computer files to create abstract videos, transforming technical errors into creative expression. His work often blurs the lines between art and coding, questioning the boundaries of authorship and the role of the artist in the digital era. In doing so, Arcangel reflects on how we interact with technology and how it shapes our perception of the world.Arcangel also engages with internet culture, remixing pop culture references and online content in his works. His Drei Klavierstücke, op. 11 (2009) piece, for example, involves using a computer program to splice together YouTube clips of people playing individual notes from Arnold Schoenberg’s twelve-tone piano composition. This juxtaposition of high art with the everyday digital content created by anonymous users highlights Arcangel’s fascination with the democratization of culture in the internet age and the collision of low and high art forms.Arcangel’s work has been exhibited at major institutions worldwide, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Barbican Centre in London. He remains an influential figure in the world of contemporary art, particularly in the realm of digital and media art. Through his creative use of technology and critical engagement with digital culture, Cory Arcangel continues to push the boundaries of art in the information age, inviting viewers to reflect on the ways technology and consumer culture shape our lives.