Communication aesthetics

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Communication Aesthetics is a theory created by Mario Costa and Fred Forest in 1983 in Mercato San Severino, Italy. It says that the rise of networks and new communication technologies is changing society, and art should engage with these changes. The movement began during Artmedia: Video Art, where Forest and Costa discussed the role of art in a world full of new media. They wrote a manifesto, witnessed by Horacio Zabala, and invited other artists to join. A broad circle of practitioners around the world aligned with the idea, and a Canadian branch called Strategic Arts later formed with Derrick de Kerckhove involved.

Today, Communication Aesthetics survives but has spread into three spheres: ideas, practice, and influence, reflecting how it has taken hold in different places.

In a 1985 article, Forest explains the purpose: electricity, electronics, and computers have pulled us into a “communication society.” These technologies not only change our surroundings but also change how we think and represent the world. They give artists new tools and require us to rethink how we see reality. The core idea is that technological progress makes art more about social interaction than about making objects. The artist intervenes directly in reality, using new means and involving the viewer in interactive ways that challenge traditional authority.

The movement openly takes political positions. Artists see themselves as “social operatives” and “social performers” who can provoke and question power, using play to explore it. They argue that technology shapes our imagination and the way we perceive things, so we should recognize the social and informational role of technology.

Communication Aesthetics also looks at how communication changes our sense of space and time. Networks connect people, reduce distance, and push artists to understand these shifts to participate in the ongoing evolution of communication. At the same time, virtual experiences can make perception feel more intangible. Rather than ignore this, the movement wants to address it as part of art.

Overall, the goal is not to deliver simple meanings but to raise awareness of how widespread communication reshapes our senses. It aims to open new aesthetic paths that reflect our changing world.