Video Art: A Guided Tour [Paperback]

Catherine Elwes (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1850435464 | ISBN-13: 978-1850435464 | Publication Date: February 10, 2005

Video art dominates the international art world to such an extent that its heady days on the radical fringes are sometimes overlooked--often unknown. This book is an essential and highly entertaining guide to video art and its history. Elwes, herself a pioneer of early video, traces the story from the weighty Portapak equipment of the '60s and '70s to today's digital technology, from early experiments in "real time" to the "new narrative" movement of the 1980s. She also examines video's love-hate relationship with television, from its literal destruction in "scratch" video to its apparent absorption into the mainstream with works commissioned by Channel Four. Throughout its forty-year history, video has been allied to self-portraiture, landscape, painting and sculpture and has been co-opted as a political tool. Artists discussed include amongst many others Nam June Paik, Nan Hoover, The Duvet Brothers, Dara Birnbaum, Bill Viola, Pipilloti Rist, David Hall, Stuart Marshall, Shirin Neshat, Smith & Stewart, Steve McQueen and Sam Taylor-Wood.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Art Newspaper, No. 158, May 2005. Review by Maud Capelle - "Thoughtful and informed, her account nevertheless eschews academic detachment: functioning as a "report from the front". It voices opinions and criticisms and does not limit itself to description and analysis." 'Elwes clearly loves to watch video and her analytical and descriptive skills are exceptional.' '...truly comprehensive in its coverage of video art history...' 'If there ever was a case for artists authoring their own histories, this book is it.' Tom Sherman, BorderCrossings 2005 '...this book goes a long way toward revealing the deep structure beneath the liquid, shimmering surface of today's video art.' '...lively and engrossing...' '...(an) excellent and timely excavation...' Felicity Sparrow, Art Monthly November 2005 'While those looking for a straightforward reference book on video art will not find it in Elwe's guided tour, they will instead find themselves on a discursive and diverting trip conducted by someone who has witnesses its histories unfolding.' - Contemporary Magazine

About the Author

Catherine Elwes is a practicing video artist and teaches at Camberwell College of Art, the London Institute. She is Director of the UK/Canadian Video festival.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris (February 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1850435464
• ISBN-13: 978-1850435464
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #779,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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