The origins of video art

Video art, as with photography and other forms of digital art continues to evolve along with increased technology. The fact that video is so accessible puts into question what videos are “actually art”. However, Chris Meigh-Andrews brings up an interesting point in the end of the essay; increased accessibility to camera equipment empowered artists and activists to get their messages out and fight back against corporate television. I think that as photo and video become more and more available to the general public, what starts to count as “art” is driven more by content and intermedia. Yes, I can take a video of a duck swimming on the Genesee, but I could also take a video of a duck swimming along the Genesee with a factory pumping out smoke behind it. Both video may have been taken with my iPhone, but the latter one has more meaning and content. This can be done within feauture length films as well. I chose to share the plastic bag scene from American Beauty. Out of context this scene doesn't mean much, however, in the film the plastic bag could be seen as a metaphor for Jane's beauty. While her beauty is often discarded by others, he recognizes it and fixates on it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHxi-HSgNPc