top of page

Unit 35: Producing Video Installation Work

Task 1- Research

Reference:

The audience’s reaction to the Magnet TV was surprising as video installation wasn’t well known back them. This has impacted the audiences where they are curious to find out more about Magnet TV and the patterns being played on the TV.

The concept of what we now know as video installation was first invented by Nam June Paik, an American-Korean video artist. One of Paik’s earliest work was called “Magnet TV” (1965). His video art was first featured in Paik’s first ever solo exhibition in New York and all there was to show was a TV and a large magnet on top of the television.

The television shows the flow of electricity static, and the flow can be changed at will because of the magnet being moved. The television remains static unless the magnet is moved. Paik created the video art only using television that he rewired to have the television not linked to the broadcast signal so that it allows him to manipulate the magnetic controls of the image. Back then in the ’60s, because video installation was just invented during that decade, video installation does not have any enhancement that affects the audiences’ experience. This means that Paik didn’t create anything extra to his exhibition space to enhance the audience's’ experience to his work.

During this decade, the politics in the ’60s had some conflict and incidents such as the assassination of JFK and the launch of the Cuban missile. This does not significantly affect video installation because video installation was just invented in the mid-’60s. Therefore, there was very little political influence on video installation as a video installation was not widely known.

70's

59dc052c3061a7f7493bf9b1f8c9b845.jpg

Over the next decade in the ’70s, another one of Paik’s work was called “TV Cello” (1976). The video art was first featured in an exhibition in Sydney in 1976 where other works were included. Paik has his section in the exhibition where other Paik’s work such as video sculptures and construction of TVs were also exhibited including the TV Cello. Paik had collaborated on the TV cello with Charlotte Moorman, a cellist where she played the cello as part of the video art, which happens to be Paik’s work that was shown.

The TV cello is where three television is stacked on top of each other showing moving images at the same time; Moorman plays the cello on the TV as if the TV was the cello. The stacked TV was used to make the shape of the cello and when the cellist starts playing the “cello”, the TV turned on showing moving images to the audience because Paik had created a way where when the cello starts being played, the moving images in the TV starts to be played as well. With this work, he combines videos, music and performance which combines video and art which was new to video installation in the ’70s. The moving images in the TV’s were the cellist playing the TV cello was playing an actual cello.

Because he has an exhibition space to showcase his work, including the TV cello, he does not manipulate too much with the surroundings of his space. Instead, he has a small stage set up for Moorman to play the cello where the cello will play out sounds which enhance the audience’s experience to the video installation. In addition, Paik decides to have a small stage set up to showcase the TV cello because he believes that it’s something that he’s proud to show the audience. Therefore he had a small stage set up so that he can attract the audience's attention into seeing the TV Cello. Because Paik’s video art involves working with music, he decides to incorporate music into video installation from playing the cello hence why video installation in the 70s starts to become more enhanced for the audience and to keep the audience's attention to focus on the video installation.

The technology that was used to create the TV Cello was a Sony Portapak, a technology introduced back in the late 60’s (1967) which was used to shoot video while they are recorded in a videotape. They are used because they are comfortable and light for people like Paik as it only requires one person to use compared to using television cameras which is more massive and complicated to use. Because of the use of Portapak, it had an influence on the development of video art as Paik, was has created video installation, and because of that, it influences many other video artists to use this type of technology and create video installation.

Video installation in the ’70s started to become more known as the audience’s impact on the TV Cello was “receptive” where people were starting to accept the changes in technology and art where they combine into a video installation. Audience’s reaction was receptive because back then, they weren’t used to technology and seeing video art, and they had to adapt to technology. This has allowed Paik to work closer to achieving his goal to use art to humanise technology because combining video/technology and art together would allow more society to accept and adapt the use of technology.

When comparing, the TV Cello to the Magnet TV; comparing Paik’s earliest work and his other work a decade later, Paik used more technology to create the TV Cello where he used his portapak to create this video installation. Whereas less technology was used to create the Magnet TV because the portapak was not invented until 1967 and Paik was mainly experimenting with TV’s which as a result lead to the invention to his Magnet TV.

The politics in the ’70s still had some conflicts such as the Vietnam War (1960-1975) but, world leaders at that time were trying to minimise the conflict going on. For example, Nixon (the president at that time) made an agreement with the Soviet Union about arms controls. This has affected video installation because as countries are starting to work together, it means that video installation would start to be well known across the world. This connects with the audience’s reaction to video installation because people from all over the world would also be receptive towards technology, therefore would potentially take a liking to video installation and the TV Cello.

80's

jonas_dbldogs_xl.jpg

An example of a video installation work created in the 80’s was Double Lunar Dogs (1984) by Joan Jonas; one of the first few female video artist who began creating video installation in the 70’s. The video installation Jonas created in the 80’s was featured as a film which was based on a sci-fi called Universe where it’s about two people going to space but forgot their reason to go to space.

During the film/video installation, a wide range of techniques were used on between the characters in the film installation such editing and special techniques placed in the video art. Jonas had edited the video installation where she combined the scenes to create a picture of the people in space.

Video installation in the '80s started to become more enhanced for the audiences’ experience where video artist combines audio and visual techniques to their video installation. The Double Lunar Dogs created by Jonas combines audio and visual techniques as throughout the video installation, the hollow background music was played whilst there is a voiceover heard. Simultaneously, audiences see visuals in the installation. In addition, video installations in the 80's started to become more narrative where video art tells a story to the audience. The Double Lunar Dogs had a narrative where two people go to space and forget why they had to go to space whereas video installation before the 80’s does not show much of a narrative to the audience.

The impact the Double Lunar Dog had on the audience was intriguing, especially to the female audiences because the video installations Jonas created are linked to feminism and female identity. The female audiences would feel empowered and encouraged by their own identity which is important because everyone wants to be represented positively (based on demographics) to the media.

jonas_mirage_xl.jpg

The politics in the ’80s was where Ronald Reagan was in the presidency. He aimed to end communism though it does not have a strong link with video installation. One of the political conflicts that happened during this decade was the Cold War (1947-1991), it was a conflict between the US and Russia, where they are fighting for dominance. Both countries had ways to spy on each other and to obtain information against each other. This relates to the US and NASA to create a space shuttle that was launched into space in 1981 where they could potentially use it to spy on Russia. This would link to the Double Lunar Dogs because as the video installation was based on space, it may influence Jonas to create a video installation linking to space. Second-wave feminism was introduced in the ’60s but ended in the ’80s, which links to Jonas because many of Jonas’ work explores feminism and female identity. The Double Lunar Dog she created had some connotation to feminism such as where the characters are female, and when the two characters are painting, they are painting a portrait which seems to be a female drawing. Another example of Jonas’ work with a feminism theme would be Mirage (1976), an earlier work of Jonas. In this work and Double Lunar Dogs, they both share the same theme of feminism and female identity as both video artwork feature only females in it where they perform various interactions. Except, the difference being is that Double Lunar Dog had a more narrative compared to Mirage where it was less of a narrative and given that Mirage created a decade earlier, that video art is in black and white whereas Double Lunar Dogs was created and shown in colour.

90's

BillViola2.jpg

An example of a video installation from the 90’s is The Crossing (1996) by Bill Viola, an American video artist whose video installation stylises on human experiences such as their consciousness. The Crossing was first featured in a festival in Paris in the same year it was released (Festival d'automne).

There, the video installation was shown in a dark room with two screens next to each other where one of the screens shows a man being poured with water whilst the other screen shows the same man on fire; both screens are shown in very slow motion. At the same time, there are four channels of sound being played from speakers where they play what is being shown on the screen. A reason suggesting why the sounds are being played using four speakers in a dark room is because Viola wants to enhance the sound environment of his video installation work so that audiences can focus on the video art being played on the screen.

The Crossing, as an example, shows that video installation artist starts to use projections to showcase their video installation. Although projectors were invented earlier before video installation (1879), it wasn’t made common and easy to use until the ’80s where it became lighter and easier to use. As a result, video installation artist such as Viola starts to project their work through projects. Viola used a wide range of techniques that were modern to create The Crossing; he used special effects such as slow motion, sound editing and loops because Viola wanted to enhance the dramatic effect of this work. It also creates a calming effect on the audiences where they can enjoy and focus on The Crossing as well as allow the audiences to notice the details in the video installation.  

BillViola6.jpg

The audience’s reaction to The Crossing would be focused where they can focus on the video installation better and given that The Crossing is played in slow motion, it allows the audiences to pay catch every detail in what’s being shown. Most of Viola’s work has the symbolism of some religious sort, in The Crossing, the fire and water symbolise creation and destruction where both elements can create and destroy. Though, that’s the audience’s interpretation of The Crossing as to what connotation they think it has. Other symbolism of The Crossing could also be transformation, redemption and changes. Another example of Viola’s work with religious symbolism would be Heaven and Earth (1992), where two screens are facing closely directly to each other vertically. With both screens facing each other, it creates an image where it looks like heaven and earth- given the name of this video installation. The religious symbolism to this video installation is the Buddhist religion; they believe that there are two separate existence, life and death and having two screens facing each other shows a clear representation of life and death.

The politics in the ’90s had various political events that happened during this decade as well as political conflicts happening all over the world, such as George Bush, aimed to improve global security. Regardless, there continue to be political conflicts such as the Gulf War and more violence across America. This would have a link to video installation because it allows video artist such as Viola to create their video installation to be more innovative and have a certain theme in their work such as where Viola links his work to religious symbolism. As a result, a video installation in the ’90s starts to become more common for a video artist.

2000's

civ02.jpg_w=640.jpg

An example of a video installation from the 20th century would Civilisation (2008) by Marco Brambilla, a video installation artist since 1993. The video installation was first featured in a lift in the same year where this video installation was created for a client who are The Standard Hotel, New York.

As the video installation gets shown in a lift, it is shown to enhances the audience’s experience because they would be in a small space and can enjoy the video installation while taking the lift. There, it shows moving artworks panning up in a loop of heaven and underworld and the transition of it. It enhances audience’s experience because as the film installation shows a narrative where it guides the audience as they go up through the lift, it’s like they are ascending to heaven whereas if the audience is going down, they are going to the underworld. What Brambilla does to create The Civilisation was creating the artwork while collecting some clips from different films. Brambilla had to make some test to get the video installation installed into the lift to ensure that it would be seamless to the audience. A reason why Brambilla wanted to install his video installation into a lift is that not only because he was tasked to create a video installation in a lift, but also it enhances audience’s experience because allows the audiences to focus on the installation and as they are going up/down. They feel like they are part of the installation because as the lift goes up, the video installation pans up as well vice-versa too if the lift was going down.

Nowadays, video installations in the 2000s are where video artist starts to experiment their own work as their work is based on cultural and social topics. As video installations in the 2000s begin to become more common, it means that there is more video artist. A reason suggesting why there are more video artist is because they now have more access to technology and special effects needed to create video art. Because technology is evolving, installation becomes a more common type of video art. There have been many other technological advancements in this decade, such as the beginning use of social media like Facebook or Twitter. This links to video installation because as people start to use social media, it is a platform that allows the audiences to share their experience with video installation and because of that, it allows video installation to become more widely known.

The audience’s reaction to The Civilisation was surprised as this was the first time a video installation was shown in a different place other than a gallery. Moving the lift would mean that audiences would feel the motion of the lift moving simultaneously, the video installation moves.

Throughout the 2000s, there have been several political events. For example, 911, one of the most significant terrorist attack happen during this decade (2001). Another major political event that happened during this decade, Barack Obama; the first black president was elected. However, this would have a very little link to video installation because he was elected in 2009, the late 2000s, this means that Obama could potentially have more link to video installation in the 2010s. There has been some political link to video installation during this decade. For example, The Civilisation shows lots of direct use of religious symbolism, such as Christian beliefs and the video installation has a lot of details where are some political reference such as the beginning wherein the underworld; there are crowds of people walking which could suggest that was taken from a political event.

2010's

TELEMMGLPICT000161701845_trans_NvBQzQNjv

An example of a video installation from the 21st century would be video installations made by teamLab in 2016. They were first featured in Singapore 2016 but also opened around the world and other places around Japan. However, the teamLab around the other sites are only temporary and will project video installation for a certain period of time. There, a wide range of video installation was made and showed in the entire building. A group of people made them; therefore, it could be suggested that the people that helped create the video installation are video artist.

Video installation in the 21st century starts to become more interactive with the audience where the audience can interact with the video art, thus, affecting them. This can also be known as augmented reality. The video installation made by teamLab used projections and video mappings, where colourful flowers are being projected. Audiences can also interact with the video installation as they can manipulate with the colours and installation, which enhances the audience’s experience with the video installation.

Although teamLab was first to open in 2016, it wasn’t well known to the audience until 2018 where it was opened in Japan, Tokyo. This could be because of the use of space the video installation was shown; the teamLab in Singapore is more of a museum and the floors there are flatter. Whereas, the teamLab is Japan is more popular, and the floors are not flat, making the video installation more realistic as well as playing with the dimensions. To some extent, this video installation can be suitable to children as a children’s area have been built as well where they can play there and project their drawings onto the screen. , in general, would see the video installations from teamLab amazing as most of the audience said that they enjoyed the immersive experience. However, given the fact that the video installations are popular, teamLab would have to charge the audience for them to enter, this can be a problem to some audience’s because entry fee is expensive for them as well as the long wait given that the video installations there are popular and innovative.

5b_junjiehwang_800.jpg

Politics in the 21st century had many different events happening. For example, Trump was elected president of the US. The world became more diverse where people are becoming more expressive about themselves, and LGBTQ is becoming more common as well as controversy to LGBTQ acceptance. This would relate to video installation because like politics in the ’90s, it allows more people to create video installation with social and political topics. LGBTQ would go under a social topic and an example of a video installation with an LGBTQ symbolism created this decade would be Passion (2017), created by Jun-Jieh Wang, a Taiwanese video artist that was shown in an LGBTQ art exhibition in Taipei. In this video installation, there is a strong LGBTQ link, such as the narrative where there are two men. The composition, as well as a link to this social issue people, have been challenged with.

Video installations are a type of video art that combines video with an art installation. Video installation artist also considers the sound and the environment in the space used as it gives an effect to audiences. The video installation was first invented in the late 1960’s/the early 1970s, and back then, it was not widely known, and it was hard to create video art. But as technology evolves where it comes easier to use, video installations become more known. Therefore, there is more video installation artist that exhibits their work.

Before the invention of video installation, films, videos and other types of moving images were only shown to the audience. However, as technology evolves, it means that more technology has been invented and more people have access to technology as well as technology is more accessible for people to use. In addition, the definition of video installation changes over the past few decades since it was first created.

60's

bild.jpg

© 2023 by Name of Site. Proudly created with Wix.com

  • Facebook Social Icon
  • Instagram Social Icon
  • YouTube Social Icon

Find me!

bottom of page