THE ARTIST AS CONTENT started out as a survey of self-portraiture in new media. It quickly became apparent, however, that the role of the artist in new media has gone far beyond that of simply subject or even creator. The body, actions, ideas and personas of the artist can now be expressed and explored in many subtle and evocative ways. The shifting perception of the role of the artist within the artwork, during and after its creation, has advanced in tandem with the exploration of motion, time, and interactivity in art. The artists in this issue appear in the artworks in vastly different ways, and at times you may have to look hard to find them, but their presence has an unmistakable impact on the work.