Hybridity Investigation

Hybridity in Art

Feng Mengbo

Hybridity in art is the use of multiple art forms coming together in a single piece. This allows for more in depth pieces of artwork containing multiple elements of art.

One artist known for his use of hybridity is Feng Mengbo.  Feng Mengbo's artwork has been featured at the MOMA in New York and his art is well known for its very stylistic appearance similar to classic Nintendo graphics as well as other old-school video games as well. This along with some of his commentary on the current communist political climate of China create some very immersing art works. when asked whether or not his video game designs were truly art, Feng Mengbo responded “I always think that video games are art pieces themselves, but because video games circulate in a commercial context, or are not designed by one individual, they are never recognized as art”.  

Having explored how an artist like Mengbo used hybridity in his or her own art presented the idea to me that art doesn't have to strictly be limited to one platform. Combining sculpture, animation, projections, graffiti and other way of art expression, I see what these can make cohesively as singular work.

Still image from Mengbo's piece titled "Long March"

After being exposed to some of these ideas in postmodern art I have started thinking about the ways I could somehow potentially use sculpture along with some of my art to make it more alive like the way these artists seemed to have mastered doing. Some of these examples have definitely inspired me to see what I can do with art.