Art is an ambiguous term that encompasses a variety of media besides paint and canvas. Art vs. Starlight, a five-part series running this semester, is a jaunt into a category of art that is usually forgotten and often misunderstood — video art.
As a joint effort between the Wisconsin Union Directorate Art Committee and the avant-garde film series, Starlight Cinema, within the WUD Film Committee, Art vs. Starlight was created to acknowledge the growing trend of video art.
“By observing current trends in contemporary art, we’ve noticed that new media and electronic arts are basically the art of the future, and as an organization that strives to program innovative events, we knew that a video art series was the way to go,” said Amanda Schmitt, director of the WUD Art Committee.
Schmitt defines video art as a type of new media art that combines video and audio. She emphasizes that video art is not, however, film. Often shown on loop from a television or as a video projection, video art started in the ’60s when artists began experimenting with the medium of video.
Nowadays, with the help of editing programs and YouTube, anyone can create a piece of art and broadcast it to the world. In this way, video art is unique because it can be reproduced. However, some artists go to great lengths to protect the integrity of their work, while others post their work freely for others to view and use.
Like much of contemporary art, video art is often misunderstood or dismissed. When viewing any kind of art, it is important to keep an open mind and expect surprises.
“I feel like some people roll their eyes as soon as they hear the term. … They might think of people rolling around on the floor in chocolate sauce or flashing lights and loud noises. Although some of these actions do take place in video art, there is a large range of artists working in this medium,” Schmitt said.
Art vs. Starlight includes both older and newer pieces to illustrate the technological and artistic growth of video art. In the first installment, “Cracked Television,” a piece by leading video artist Dara Birnbaum, titled “Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman” was shown. Created in 1978, the piece is one of the first examples of morphing and manipulating television images to reveal an underlying truth.
Also included in the lineup was Michael Robinson’s “Light is Waiting” in which a seemingly normal episode of “Full House” is turned into a kaleidoscopic journey through the disturbing reality of television. With the help of split imaging (picture a two-headed Bob Saget) and a violent strobe effect, by the end of the 10-minute short, the eyes and mind beg for relief. In spite of this, “Light is Waiting” is a solid example of the variety of techniques that can be applied when making a video art piece.
But video art doesn’t necessarily have to include television appropriation and psychedelic graphics. “Matt/Tom,” created by Ben Dowell, is a simple parody of the infamous interview Matt Lauer did with Tom Cruise in which Cruise attempted to display his “knowledge” of psychiatry but just came off sounding arrogant. Acted out by two monotonous, middle-aged men, “Matt/Tom” is clever and funny in an understated way, and is an example of the wide range of subject matter addressed in video art.
The next episode of the Art vs. Starlight series will feature a live performance by New York video artist Kalup Linzy. Linzy is known for his caricatures of television soap opera characters, many of which he performs in drag. Linzy not only performs and directs the pieces, but he also writes the script and composes the score. He will perform April 7 at the Play Circle Theater in Memorial Union.
Also in April, Art vs. Starlight will add a local touch to the series. “The Front Line” will feature pieces from the students in Rosemary Bodolay’s artist video class within the UW Art Department. “Northern Exposure” will showcase several talented artists, including professors, from around the state. For this show, Art vs. Starlight is accepting video art pieces from Wisconsin residents, including students. Visit one of the four avant-garde video art showings for entertainment and inspiration.
The deadline for submissions is April 3 and all are encouraged to submit. Art vs. Starlight is a series running in the Play Circle Theater of the Memorial Union on April 7, April 14 and April 22. For more details, visit www.union.wisc.edu/art.
