A Defense of Noise

In Korea, particularly, the style known as "Newtro" has gained popularity alongside the retro trend. This style consists of low-quality videos resembling VHS tapes and images with glitch effects, all based on noise. Such videos and images are widely shared on the internet. Even in the field of design, graphic designers often apply noise effects such as textures to posters, giving them a vintage feel.

Hito Steyerl, in her work "In Defense of the Poor Image," presents the potential of low-resolution and compressed images. She emphasizes that the imperfections and distortions of these images can challenge conventional visual representations and authority. Although these images lose their original aura as they lose their original source and become distorted, they can be perceived more democratically.

Another work, "Proxy Politics: Signal and Noise," addresses the interest in noise reduction in smartphone photography due to low-quality lenses. The algorithm used in this context analyzes the user-captured image, removes noise, and smoothes the photo. However, there is a drawback in that developers of such algorithms can manipulate the user's perception by distorting the intended reality of the image or creating unwanted results.

Even with the advancements of AI and smartphones providing smoother images, why do we still have an obsession with noisy images? Mark Fisher, in "Ghosts of My Life," suggests that our current anxieties reveal a desire to linger in the past. Consequently, instead of creating something new, we reinterpret the guaranteed elements and remain in the past.

Noisy, low-quality images possess a visual neutrality. They can be seen as an alternative language that breaks away from traditional patterns, or as a reflection of our desire to escape the overwhelming fears of the present by lingering in the past.