Maxime Cosma is a cyber-artist with a mission.Using the computer as his tool, the painter intends to bring quality yet affordable works of art into the homes of ordinary folks.

"At the beginning of the computer age, I didn't want to know anything about these machines," says Cosma, who today creates colorful, vibrant designs on his new electronic canvas. "Now, I treat the computer as a brush or a pencil, and I learn more every day."

His technological conversion began less than two years ago while watching a graphist use a computer drafting program. Cosma's artistic eye was suddenly opened to the limitless possibilities of this new medium.

Cosma     "Archeology"    20 cm / 42 cm.

"I have to admit I'm a better artist on the computer," says Cosma who studied painting and art history. He calls his most recent collection THE WORLD ACCORDING TO COSMA.

The "drawings" include playful animal-like images in richly textured surroundings, representing basic elements of humanity, like family moments and life's challenges.

Unlike the abstract oil and acrylic paintings he has toiled over since the 60s, Cosma says he can make changes to a computerized work-in- progress with a simple click on the mouse. Just as a writer can easily key in new words, so a cyber-artist can modify colours, forms, or back-ground textures at will, he explains.

Cosma, who taught art for many years, says  there will always be a place for visual art pieces like canvas oil-paintings, but adds that new mediums may be better positioned to attract the general public in today's computer age.

The standard method of publicly introducing art work is to hold exhibitions in art galleries. Through his shows across Europe and in Canada, Cosma felt the cost weight  of framing, transportation, insurance, publicity, rental fees or commission fees to galleries. The resulting high price charged for original art is beyound many people's budget.
"Artists start thinking that the public is their enemy because no one buys from them. But do you have $2,000 or $3,000 lying around for a painting?" he asks. "I know I don't".

Like Maxime Cosma, a growing number of artists see the Internet as a simpler and less expensive way of sharing their creations with art- lovers. The artist opened his own virtual art gallery on the Web, hoping that it would allow for more interaction with the public.

"It's a highway from my studio to  people's homes," says a smiling Cosma.

To encourage more communication within the artistic community and with their followers, Cosma has also set up  a virtual forum on his Web page, called PERSPECTIVES : commentaries, reviews of expositions, etc.

LE MAGAZINE
 Canada
saturday, april 4, 1998.