Using the concept of moving images, video art is a medium that can accentuate other forms of art or stand out in gallery installations. The designs use video presentations that can be combined with audio if the artist so wishes. While the concept often takes a form similar to television performances or experimental film production, it is considered a distinct art form more aligned with painting and photography.
Video art uses video presentations that can be combined with audio to convey works of art.
The earliest examples of video art came from developments in video technology during the 1960s and 1970s. As video production methods became more prominent and profitable, modern artists of the day began to use the medium alongside with other art exhibits. With the advances in digital technology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, video has become much more prominent within galleries alongside traditional works of art. The medium has moved from using primarily video tape to formats such as digital video disc and solid-state hard drives.
Popular examples of video art formats include interactive movies, visual music, and real-time computer graphics.
The main distinction between video art and cinema is the fact that it does not use traditional aspects of cinema, such as a concrete narrative or plot. Often this art style simply uses images that contain no dialogue or actors. It can sometimes include a repeating moving image that is used to represent a facet of the overall artwork. The biggest distinction between video art and film is the concept of entertainment. Movies are often designed to provide the viewer with some kind of emotional satisfaction, while video art can employ features that vary widely depending on the artist’s intent.
Modern video art has been developed on different platforms using the full range of new media art technologies. Popular examples of formats include interactive movies, visual music, and real-time computer graphics. The interactive film focuses on connecting the viewer with the work. Visual music can employ different facets of audio technology that may or may not contain actual musical accompaniment. Real-time computer graphics uses an algorithm-based computer program to create computer-designed images that constantly change in real time, giving the viewer a completely unique experience.
The art form is generally divided into two different presentation methodologies: single channel and installation techniques. Single channel submissions are shown to the viewer similar to a television broadcast, where the art is simply broadcast. The installation technique uses video as a much more immersive facet of the overall piece. Essentially, the video simply becomes part of the entire work, which can also use other artistic mediums.
