Global Raver: Visual Art in Electronica

Digital art is not only about music but also lights and visuals. In addition to DJs and a nice crowd, a good party also needs a VJ/LJ (video-jockey/light-jockey) and art decorators, playing a vital role in creating that magic ambience which takes the crowd on a journey...

Just like metaphors used to represent globalization, rave art is fractal and abstract, replicating patterns of chaos theory. Rave imagery provide hybrids of oriental, sci-fi, and alien tropes. These are artifacts intended to disorient perception, and trigger dreamy-like effects of sublime or visceral nature.

Digital artist Eric Wong (a.k.a engine1) is a good example of the democratic expression of visual electronica art. A professional graphic designer, he explains: "Art and music were an escape from my tough upbringing in the Bronx." The American-Cambodian obtained a degree from the University of Pennsylvania and moved to L.A. where he works with comics and graphic design. "My style is a mix of my grimy urban upbringing with colorful bursts from my rave club days."

A veteran of the L.A. club scene, Eric uses his Mac OSX and Adobe software to create these mesmerizing images. "I try to create digital artwork that captures my various rave moods. As a designer, I was drawn mostly to the lightshows people would create for each other." As noted in the sample provided by Eric, "This is a representation of how I remember and see the lights."