Traditional vs Digital: The Future of Forensic Art

Abstract

This dissertation explores the relationship between traditional and digital art methods in forensic art, exploring how both methodologies have strong components but arguably work dominantly better combined. I appreciate the value of both techniques ranging from hand-rendered drawings and sculptures to 3D printing and software data. My discussion of the future
 suggests a hybridity, integrating both handmade techniques and digital performance. The curated exhibition invites my intended audience (the younger generation), educating them by showing the wide range of techniques, not forgetting what is out there.
 

Traditional vs Digital: The Future of Forensic Art, will be placed at the LifeSpace gallery, Dundee. This is the best fitting venue for my proposed exhibition showcasing collaboration between artist and scientist. By choosing artists who are not forensic artists, I showcase forensic art methods through their work and the possibilities with collaboration, arguing it is key. This exhibition has been carefully curated displaying 14 artworks by 8 different artists, as from a fine artist perspective I am eager to follow the course of forensic and medical art. Having practitioners’ meetings with Tobias Houlton and Danielle Adair helped shape my research by obtaining their input on where they see the future of forensic and medical art. As well as a film analysis on The Fifth Element 1997, exploring a futuristic concept of reconstructing a person’s identity from DNA. This exhibition examines what the future holds for forensic art questioning identify, memory and reconstruction, which I continue to discuss throughout this dissertation, and which aligns with my art practice.