DROWNING BY NUMBERS

Conceptual Art and the nature of annoyance

2009-12-14T13:35:00.001-08:00

The death of art is seeded in the mind, lost in 'art as art' and limited to those that have the capacity to analyze and appreciate it. I began researching the technology that catalyzed video art, and the type of artist it involved. Since then I have grown a large rash on what is my psychic skin which feels all that is nonphysical. Much of what is VIDEO ART is regurgitated and impersonal. Lost in concept and memory without auroral penetration. I am speaking at large, and to those who history best recognizes. My hands ache for action and practicality.

GUY DEBORD & THE SPECTALE

2009-12-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

The SITUATIONISTS were not bored.

DAVID CRITCHLEY IS NOT EATING APPLES

2009-12-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

On a work he never did.

SELF SAUSAGE BOXING MATCH

2009-12-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

Gerry Schum's German performance art piece interpretates unconventional interactions with television.

SUREVEILLANCE TAPE - The artists of the 1960s were beckoning its arrival.

2009-12-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Fluxus movement of the 1950s and 60s is often reffered to as "Intermedia" art. Here we see experimental artists working in a way that is mimicking itself, nonsensing itself, and breaking itself down into tinier and tinier particles. This anti-art sensiblity was all about bringing the viewer into their living room, even if their living room was made of broken televisions and reconstructed pianos. John Cage was a strong hand in this movement, and worked not only in music, but also with visual art, writing and modern dance. This prepared many one of a kind of artists for the arrival of video. This artist is always someone who was breaking barriers, fraternizing with DADAism, and vitilazing themselves on the ever reproducing organism of art.

Another had-been member of this movement who went on to produce video art, is Yoko Ono. "No. 4" also known as "Bottoms" showcases a series of human bottoms that seem to walk on treadmills. This is to me a social response on so many levels, suddle and whimsical.

More than the politcal and social responses that were being had at video's expense, the first notable video artists of the time were responding with absurdity, wit, and an all around seriousness about deconstructing technology through technologies' newest child, the video camera.

PREHISTORIC FUEL

2009-11-30T09:48:00.000-08:00

WOLF VOSTELL and the birth of De/coll/AGage' (the belief in the in the death of technology), spawned much of the original video artists. Here in 6 TV de-coll/age we see a video artist waiting to be born into video, experimenting with televisions.

WARHOL AND HIS HAMBURGER

2009-11-25T13:56:00.001-08:00

WARHOL AND HIS BRIBE BABY

2009-11-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

In August 1965 Andy Warhol traded several self portraits with Richard Ekstract for the use of the Portipak. This is the what was made.

MODEL T

2009-11-24T14:52:00.001-08:00

In 1965, Sony introduced the Portapak.

THE FIRST WILLING DRIVER

2009-11-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

NAM JUNE PAIK got his hands on the Portapak the same year of it's initial distribution. Paik was heavy into the musical compositions of John Cage, this resulted in a direct inspiration of his initial debut as a video artist which did not include the use of the Portipak, rather he adapted scattered televisions to respond magnetically,Exposition of Music-Electronic television. Another note worthy piece of video art pre-video would be Paik's Cello, 1964. Here we see the influence of classical composition aligning itself in modern oblivion.

Exposition of Music-Electronic television, Paik 1964

Cello, Paik 1964