Video has the amazing ability to provide visual alongside a voice, to be a moving image that can be pure art and pure documentary, and to be a reflection of a person or culture.
Rosalind Krauss' wrote "Video: The Aesthetics of Narcissism" about the capability of video, unlike other visual arts, to record and transmit at the same time - instant feedback, with the immediacy of a mirror. Video as art is an interesting concept. The feedback to the viewer it can create an immersive experience for the viewer, different to any still image, whether a photograph or painting. With this in mind, video may be a medium used to contradict or challenge the very thing it is meant to be, art.
Of the pieces mentioned in Krauss' writing, I found the most interesting to be Peter Campus' "mem and dor". It cleverly uses the immediacy of video feedback to oppose the 'normal' experience of art, which is to stand directly in front of the piece to observe it. Furthermore, a gallery viewer may find that they in turn become part of the art for another viewer as their image is displayed on the monitor!
As I was reading, the mention of ego and artists displaying themselves in video got my mind thinking about the explosion of vlogging, video blogging, over the last few years.
YouTube has become a platform for people to upload videos of themselves talking about whatever they like. Traditionally not thought of art, looking at the structure, content and audiences of these vlogs does raise some intriguing points. Structurally, most of the videos I'm referring to depend solely on one person, centred, looking directly at the camera/viewer, and with a fast edit that matches the quick speed of speech. The fourth wall is broken in a similar way to Acconci's "Centers".
Content-wise, the videos are often commentaries on the world, particularly social and cultural observations, and generally more direct than any other 'art' piece, since the vlogger/character relays their views in speech; they often even refer to their audience directly! Audiences for these vlogs are normally made up of under-30s, and these audiences are BIG, e.g. Jenna Marbles has over 11 million subscribers and her most popular video has been viewed over 50 million times; Charlieissocoollike has over 2 million subscribers and his most viewed video has over 9 million views - all it is is him attempting an American accent!
Vlogs are mainly recorded as individual opinions and personal issues displayed in video... however, audiences seem to flock to them as they find they can relate, or criticise, or learn from them. Sometimes these videos actually define a whole social issue, in the same way that many artists try to - Jenna Marbles most video is entitled "How To Trick People Into Thinking You're Good Looking", which addresses all the stereotypes and pressures put on modern society to 'look good'.
Rosalind Krauss' wrote "Video: The Aesthetics of Narcissism" about the capability of video, unlike other visual arts, to record and transmit at the same time - instant feedback, with the immediacy of a mirror. Video as art is an interesting concept. The feedback to the viewer it can create an immersive experience for the viewer, different to any still image, whether a photograph or painting. With this in mind, video may be a medium used to contradict or challenge the very thing it is meant to be, art.
As I was reading, the mention of ego and artists displaying themselves in video got my mind thinking about the explosion of vlogging, video blogging, over the last few years.YouTube has become a platform for people to upload videos of themselves talking about whatever they like. Traditionally not thought of art, looking at the structure, content and audiences of these vlogs does raise some intriguing points. Structurally, most of the videos I'm referring to depend solely on one person, centred, looking directly at the camera/viewer, and with a fast edit that matches the quick speed of speech. The fourth wall is broken in a similar way to Acconci's "Centers".
Content-wise, the videos are often commentaries on the world, particularly social and cultural observations, and generally more direct than any other 'art' piece, since the vlogger/character relays their views in speech; they often even refer to their audience directly! Audiences for these vlogs are normally made up of under-30s, and these audiences are BIG, e.g. Jenna Marbles has over 11 million subscribers and her most popular video has been viewed over 50 million times; Charlieissocoollike has over 2 million subscribers and his most viewed video has over 9 million views - all it is is him attempting an American accent!
Vlogs are mainly recorded as individual opinions and personal issues displayed in video... however, audiences seem to flock to them as they find they can relate, or criticise, or learn from them. Sometimes these videos actually define a whole social issue, in the same way that many artists try to - Jenna Marbles most video is entitled "How To Trick People Into Thinking You're Good Looking", which addresses all the stereotypes and pressures put on modern society to 'look good'.
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