Trash art vs. Glitch art

There are a lot of discussions in the NFT world about Trash art vs. Glitch art.  Often times we put XCOPY in the trash art category, and while neither description is wrong, a bit of clarification may help.

Robness was a member of the original RarePepe trading group that started the first cryptoart scene globally. Due to the success of his piece “64 Gallon Toter,” which sparked the #TrashArt movement, he is no longer able to create new pieces on the platform. NFT-TrashArt was the first cryptoart movement in the world, with over 1000 pieces made by artists from all over the globe. Robness is also a proponent of open-source artistry and moving away from traditional copyright law. He encourages others to remix and use his work as they please.

Technically speaking the crypto community gave the term “Trash Art” to this style of NFT, but technically trash art has a very different meaning.

Trash art and glitch art are both forms of contemporary art that use unconventional materials and techniques to create their works. However, there are some key differences between the two.

Trash art is a form of art that uses discarded or discarded materials as the primary medium for creating a work of art. This can include anything from discarded plastic bottles and cardboard boxes to broken furniture and old appliances. The goal of trash art is to turn something that is considered useless or undesirable into something beautiful and meaningful.

Glitch art, on the other hand, is a form of art that uses digital errors or “glitches” as a medium. This can include anything from distorted images and text to corrupted files and malfunctioning software. The goal of glitch art is to explore the idea of imperfection and the role it plays in technology and society.

One key difference between trash art and glitch art is the materials used. Trash art uses physical materials that have been discarded or discarded, while glitch art uses digital errors or “glitches” as its medium.

Another difference is the intent behind the art. Trash art often has a political or social message, as it seeks to draw attention to issues such as consumerism and waste. Glitch art, on the other hand, is often more concerned with exploring the technical and philosophical aspects of imperfection and error.

What is Glitch art?

The term “glitch” was originally used to describe a genre of experimental music known as glitch music in the mid 1990s. As visual artists began to embrace the concept of glitches as a representation of the digital age, the term “glitch art” came to encompass a variety of visual arts. One early movement within glitch art was known as “net.art,” which included the work of the art collective JODI, consisting of Joan Heemskerk and Dirk Paesmans. JODI’s glitch art often involved intentionally causing errors on their website to display the underlying code and error messages. This early experimentation with glitches in art would later influence techniques like databending and datamoshing, which involve distorting data and visual elements.

If you’re looking for some Trash Art inspiration,  here are some amazing artists to look up.

1. Tom Deininger is an artist who creates intricate sculptures and installations using discarded materials. His work often addresses themes of waste and consumerism.
2. Joshua Allen Harris is an artist who creates large-scale inflatable sculptures using discarded plastic bags. His work has been exhibited in galleries and public spaces around the world.
3. Tim Noble and Sue Webster are a British artist duo who create elaborate shadow sculptures using discarded materials. Their work often comments on themes of identity and the human condition.
4. Vik Muniz is a Brazilian artist who creates artworks using a variety of unconventional materials, including garbage and discarded objects. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world.
5. Chris Jordan is an artist who creates large-scale photographs using discarded materials. His work addresses issues of consumerism and waste and has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world.