This is a new type of art, blending old and new techniques.  Here is a description I wrote in January 2003 and presented at an Art Salon in Marin County, California:

Movements. The 21st century seems to be creating a new era in the Arts that I like to call the Fusionist Era or Fusionism. The Arts have always manifested themselves as part of larger movements in society such as the Impressionist Era in the nineteenth century and what might be called the Eclectic Era in the twentieth century. The Impressionists worked quickly in the moment and brought dignity to non-classical subjects such as cityscapes, nature for nature’s sake and the everyday man. Poetry and drama were similarly focused. The 20th century brought us all types of artistic styles from abstraction and cubism through surrealism, as well as a plethora of often conflicting and confusing ideologies, music, and performing arts. The international exposure of mass media and world wars increased the hodge-podge of restaurants, clothing styles, scientific gadgets, and literature into a disjoint, eclectic society often characterized by stress and alienation.

Elements of Fusionism. The world society today is becoming a fusion of old and new ideas through the blending of many cultures, all made possible and supported by the Internet, satellite/wireless communications, global companies, and pervasive television and movies. As we move into the 21st century, we are beginning to see a blending of different types of concepts into a new whole, sometimes called fusionism. When researching people who call themselves fusionists, I found two definite concepts that characterize their work. The first is the intentional mixing of different cultural elements and the second is the combined use of a variety of traditional techniques. I believe a third element is starting to make this artistic and societal movement unique, and that is the addition of digital or computerized processes to what have previously been purely human endeavors. Regardless of the subject matter, the hallmark of fusionism is the creation of a new wholeness that blurs the lines among different cultures, old versus new media, and human versus machine-generated work. Some of the Arts are already blending these three concepts while others are starting to evolve but are still in their early stages. Some examples follow.

Music. One of the first areas to claim fusionism is music. It started out by simply using electronic instruments to recreate classical music with synthesizers and electric guitars but is evolving to a new type of composition, which blends different cultural elements together using modern instruments and rhythm. Rock Operas of the late twentieth century foreshadow the new developments in music now being explored by international groups that for example, mix Indian drumming with jazz and electronic percussion.

Writing. Literature and poetry are produced using computerized word processors, thesaurus, and rhyming dictionaries. The publishing process is becoming more democratic in that anyone can set up a website and even do shared development over the Internet. Some books and movies are becoming interactive, with the reader/viewer able to choose multiple endings. Automatic translation programs are allowing published works to reach international audiences. And ancient authors, long lost, are now becoming relevant again through the miracles of online search engines.

Religion, Science, Philosophy. Electronic communities are also forming across national boundaries to support the resurgence of old religions and philosophies such as Animism, Shamanism, and Goddess acknowledgment. The scientific community readily recognizes the mind/body/spirit connection today. Quantum physics is blending with religion and philosophy when it is accepted that the observation of an event can cause it to change. In America, the Buddhist and Hindu concepts of our inter-connectedness are being mixed freely with Western pragmatism.

Food. Culinary Arts call their blend of different cultural foods fusion cuisine. It is more than a menu of diverse offerings like Mexican, American, French, or Chinese but rather a thorough mixing of diverse herbs, ingredients, and cooking styles to create a new type of food. Ancient techniques are mixed with the very latest in non-stick oils and modernistic cooking utensils. In terms of a digital influence, the Internet and television share these concepts worldwide but may not be influencing the cooking directly yet.

Performing Arts. In the Dramatic and Performing Arts, there is a very evident cultural and digital fusion in TV and film when multi-national dance, costumes, and themes intermingle seamlessly. It’s difficult to tell what is real when the background, voices, music, and even characters have been digitally enhanced or created. In modern dancing, a mix of classical ballet with jazz, rock, and even acrobatics is a typical part of modernistic shows like Cirque du Soleil.

Architecture. Architecture has taken the best of classical materials like marble, glass, and granite and blended them with new materials of steel and reinforced concrete to create unique designs of the old and new. Innovative structures are being built in glistening new cities like Dubai and Singapore with a blend of Eastern and Western shapes. The interior environments are digitally controlled and the designs are typically worked out using computerized architectural renderings in three-dimensional electronic form.

Medicine. In the area of the Healing Arts, we have moved from a purely scientific "medicine" to a blend with very ancient ideas like acupuncture and herbal treatments. The mind/body connection is recognized now with doctors recommending a mix of Western aerobics with Eastern relaxation techniques such as Yoga and Tai Chi. The digital influence in the healing arts is increasingly evident from what used to be simply diagnostic aids to computer assisted surgery and body parts. Pacemakers, electronic muscle stimulation, and the replacement of hips and shoulders point to a developing cybernetic component in modern man.

Visual Arts. The Visual Arts generally include painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic arts. Current fusionist art includes many artists who are mixing watercolor, pastels, and oils with encaustic methods or mixing computer generated graphic art or photography with added touches of paint. These are sometimes classified as "mixed media" art. However, true fusionist art combines subjects from old and new, East and West, as well as traditional and contemporary media. More avant-garde examples include an artist who is experimenting with holograms, mirrors, lenses, and painting. Another is experimenting with nature-oriented collages made with drawn cutouts that move in polarized light. As we move further into the twenty first century, I predict artists will reflect more and more the blended cultural and technological changes we see going on about us.

Summary. Surrealism in the last century tried to bridge the real and the unreal but today we are embarking on an era where art forms are fused together to create a new wholeness that blurs the lines between what is familiar or foreign, old or new, real or unreal. As we discover these fusionists in our midst, it fires our imaginations and tingles our senses to find something that truly defines the beginning of a new artistic and societal age.