Video Art

In my studies, I was never thrilled with video art. Most videos were uninspiring. Others were just plain terrible (think of a one or two star rated video on Youtube). Until recently, I thought the best video art were a handful of movies and music videos. (Remember music videos? Do they still make them? And not to be cliche, but remember when Mtv played music videos?)

Occasionally, some people come by and change your mind. Like Amy Carpenter, a local artist who made some terrific and highly enjoyable videos while being very low-tech. Check out the Tuesday, January 10, 2006 entry, titled Safety Rescue Horse, on WelcomeToAmyville.com, Amy's blog. It's still my favorite to this day.

Then comes along an artist like Nam Jun Paik and shows the world what a person can do with video and call it art. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2006, but what he left behind is... well, to call it remarkable is selling it short, but you get the point.

Viewing a still of this Nam Jun Paik work, it seems fairly simplistic. Seventy TV monitors depicting the American flag. Whoop-dee-doo. Wouldn't be the first time an artist made something from Old Glory, right? Like that Jasper guy.

Nam Jun Paik only uses the composition of the flag to 1.) orient areas of video and 2.) give the viewer a general idea about the subject matter. The important stuff to look for are the layers of video and what they reveal to tell a story, or give further information about the general subject matter. Here, images in the stripes whirl by revealing 1's and 0's and a myriad of other things. The patch of stars consists of areas of the actual flag documented at different distances. This does not last long. It rapidly fades or flashes into other images. 

With all the flashing and rapid movement, it becomes very disorienting. And entrancing. It feels like it goes on for eternity. Yes, it is on a loop but that's not the point. There is no beginning or end to the work's subject matter, or "story." For me, it wasn't about the analysis of subject matter. What struck me most of all was the EXPERIENCE of viewing it.

You can look at paintings. You can look at sculptures. You can watch any number of videos or film. The work of Nam Jun Paik, you experience, like an event or interaction with a living thing.

It's difficult to express this to other people who may not have experienced his work. Do yourself a favor and find out where his work resides (museums in D.C., NYC, etc.) and make a special trip to see them. It will most definitely open your eyes.