A medium is usually defined as the physical part of the relationship/process between the artist concept/body and the environment concept/body.
Okay, so that isn't how medium is usually defined. But I think the usual definition is contained in the above arrangement of symbol/concepts.
It's simply marvelous to have a
medium that mucks around with definition/concepts.
This is a project,
not a paper)
I think it is safe to say that although every term must carry a definition, the way to achieve meaningful communication is not through the defining of term alone but the use of terms in a system. Contexts and patterns are embodied in the medium.
A paint metaphor: I can not impose my relationship with a certain form, color, value or symbol to upon a viewer. But it is gratifying when for some reason a viewer experiences some sort of meaningful experience when exposed to my arrangement of elements.
I may periodically attempt to utilize a culturally recognizable symbol or give a verbal or textual explanation of my intent or perspective. I suppose this is similar to defining terms while using verbal and textual languages.
But if text as in hypertext is a term that is expanded to encompass multimedia, the terms language, text, symbol, and data is fairly complex. It starts behaving like color.
Multimedia multidisciplinary multi multi multi
When I defined Art as "Manifestation of Consciousness" to a printmaker he responded, "That’s the definition of a medium."
Okay. Yet another language/text challenge.
The manifestation part refers to material of existence and consciousness refers to the immaterial of existence. And combining these two as one term/concept/entity is an attempt to imply a synthesized symbiotic interweave between the two ideas.
Hypertext as Medium
Yes
form and content
yes
Complex, ambiguous and potentially not at all what it seems -- Indubitably.
(just like with paint)
h y p e r t e x t h y p e r t e x t
