Hybridized, Influenced, or Evolved? A Typology to Aid the Categorization of New and Developing Arts

The category in which an artwork is received impacts its aesthetic significance. Yet, it can be unclear how to classify new and developing arts - particularly when they share features with pre-existing arts. One approach to conceiving of the relation between such arts is to discern whether they are hybrid art forms. However, this approach primarily focuses on the technical aspects of production, making it particularly difficult to classify digital arts, which often rely on shared technology and techniques. To rectify this and more effectively account for the ways that arts are hybridized, influenced, and evolved, I develop a typology that considers arts in terms of both techniques and norms for appreciation. In doing so, I establish an approach that better reflects the empirical facts of, and so can more accurately track the relevant distinctions between, different arts.