Digital Explorers

The Digital Explorers project is based on the idea that digital art is not a separate movement but an undeniable part of art history, bringing with it new insights and methods. We approach this by stimulating the use of digital aspects in art—as an initiator, facilitator, and mediator—but above all, by telling the deeper story of how the digital artistic process is part of a larger development in art and society.

In this digital art space, works are exhibited, interactions take place, observations are made, and reflections are written. The project makes use of the common.garden platform, an initiative by artist Constant Dullaart. This platform shares many similarities with a physical exhibition space but is shaped in a two-dimensional digital format. Digital Explorers builds upon this concept by rethinking how art manifests itself through digital means.

In 2021, we launched the research project Entrepot on digitalization in art, focusing on the central question: Can artists claim digital space? This led to a second question: What role do we, as an organization, play in this process? The research resulted in 10 interviews with artists and representatives from organizations, in which we explored artistic practices and strategies related to digital and media art. These interviews were published on our website.

Through this research, we discovered that we closely align with the ideals of the digital art community—such as knowledge sharing and the collective responsibility of preserving (art)works. We were also excited to learn that environmental impact is taken into consideration within these practices. As an organization, we are particularly intrigued by experiments and strategies that challenge notions of ownership—without resorting to NFTs. In the end, the process itself is always at the core of our approach. This emphasis on process is essential to our hybrid residency program, in which online and on-site experiences influence each other.

Digital Explorers is not about technology; it is about rethinking art and how it can manifest through digital means. In our vision, online space is an extension of public space—one with different rules and conventions. The digital world offers immense possibilities, but it also presents challenges and even dangers, such as fake news, identity theft, manipulation, and audience influence. Even politics and warfare are increasingly dependent on digital tools. The question is no longer whether we want our lives to be part of the digital world; rather, it is about how—and for that, we need artists, designers, writers, and thinkers. In other words, we need digital explorers to make a difference.

From September 2024 to November 2024, Gabey Tjon a Tham and Studio KASBOEK—the Digital Explorers—participated in a digital residency project on the online common.garden platform. Each residency period lasted two months: Gabey Tjon a Tham worked from September to October, while Studio KASBOEK worked from October to November. During their residency, they explored how digital methods influence their work and what it means to exhibit in an online space.