Being Formal without Being a Formalist

This article argues for the value of using formal models within the (digital media) artwork. Eschewing the antiformalism common to much postmodernism, it argues for a more active engagement with formal concerns. Without embracing the totalizing theories of late modernist formalism, or discarding the idea of 'the concept,' the author argues for a more formal approach to the making of the (digital media) artwork. The goal is to point to models that can be used to intimately connect form and concept rather than treat them as separate or warring entities. The article critically explores three very specific digital media artworks that endeavor to bridge the gap between formalism and conceptualism, each pointing to indicative (but not exhaustive) methods for reuniting form and concert.