Video Art Reading Questions

Nam June Paik's "Electronic Superhighway"

1. In this article 'Art' and 'Artful' are said to have separate meaning, though linked terms that exist to help us differentiate between what can and cannot be considered to be art. I believe Art is an expression of the artist's spirit and the world surrounding them and artfulness is something creative but born out of a desire to sell something or communicate a certain idea. The author even mentions, "Art lies in the intentionality of the artist." So, based on what you have read in this article, what makes "Video Art" as opposed to an "Artful Video"? 

2. Do you believe that video art could spell the end for other mediums of art like painting or sculpture? Or, do you believe, like the author mentions, that the conceptual video form is more of a continuation of these mediums? For example, much of Bruce Nauman’s work (such as Walking in an Exaggerated Manner) features a combination of video art, sculpture, and performance; he uses his own body as sculpture, while performance is the act that “sculpts” the physicality of his art, and everything is captured with video. How many of these conceptual videos did you see as "art" or "artful"?



3. Do you see Video Art as more of a communication art after reading this article? In the Personal Narratives portion of the article, many of the videos serve as diaries and personal reflection of the artist's past. How many of these personal videos did you see as "art" or "artful"?

"Whether it be through narratives, formal experimentations, short humorous tapes, or large-scale meditations, video art, at the end of the twentieth century, has assumed a position oflegitimacy, even prominence, in the art world that few saw as possible even in the 1980s. 1ts seeming endless possibilities and relative affordabil­ ity make it increasingly attractive to young artists who have been raised in an era of media saturation. Video is a ,vay of participating in and reacting to media overkill; it is also a manageable means to communicate personal messages." - Video Art (Chapter 2)