Investigating Video Installation Work
In this report, I will be investigating video installation work through the work of both a current and historical practitioner. I will be investigating, quotes and the meaning of the video, styles used, narrative and non-narrative forms, and use of technology and techniques. At the end I will then compare the two artists’ work.
The two artists’ work are examples of experimental film. Experimental film is a film that doesn’t follow the regular conventions of mainstream movies. These are sometimes referred to as “avant-garde”. There are no rules for what can and can’t be shown in these type of films and can feature some experiences which may be personal. This type of film explores non-narrative forms of working. Most experimental films are made on a low budget with small crews and are either financed by the artists themselves or through grants.
Current Practitioner Case Study – Pipilotti Rist
The piece of artwork I have chosen for my current practitioner case study is “You Called Me Jacky”. It was created by Elisabeth Rist, better known as Pipilotti Rist. Rist is a Swiss video artist who studied commercial art, illustration and photography at the University of Applied Arts Vienna in Vienna. In 1990, Rist made a piece of artwork named “You Called Me Jacky”. It features Rist overlapping a video of a train ride singing along and pretending to play a guitar to a song named “Jacky and Edna” by Kevin Coyne.
Describe the video artwork in detail:
Artist’s name: Pipilotti Rist
Artwork name: “You Called Me Jacky”
Length of the artwork: 4:02
Place of exhibition: The Promenade Gallery
On the website, “New Media Art” the author describes the video as “more demonstrative” and “lacking in humour”. In an article named “’Pipilotti Rist: Pixel Forest’ Deep in the Wilds of Video” by Roberta Smith featured on the NY Times website, the video is described as “delightful and, in its way, perfect. It exemplifies the combination of restraint and honesty that runs through Ms. Rist’s work”. This quote reinforces Rist’s use of feminism in her art.
I think that there is no real meaning behind this video.
No editing – The videos shown on the wall from the projector have been edited, but Rist in front of the screen has just had one cut showing an outfit change.
Long durational shot – Rist stood in front of the projector is all long shot, lasting about 3 minutes while the video in the background being projected shows the view from the window of a train, showing houses, a train station and then Rist is in a field, filming lambs. The clip then shows something blowing up and it being on fire and then back to the train with Rist showing herself on screen and further showing scenery and the interior of the train. The shot of Rist then changes, with her in a different outfit with the video showing on the projector still showing scenery from the train before going green at the end.
Short durational shot – The video shown on the projector is a bunch of short durational shots as it changes so frequently.
Slow motion – Warhol captured his screen tests on a 16mm Bolex camera, originally shooting at 24 frames per second but they were screened in slow motion at 16 frames per second.
Narrative and non-narrative forms
This piece of artwork has no real narrative to it as it has no story. In this video it shows Rist in front of a projector performing a song called “Jacky and Edna”. Only the video projected onto the wall seems to follow the typical beginning, middle, and ending of a video. The beginning of the video starts with a shot of the view from a moving train until 0:57 when you get to the middle of the video. The middle of the video is a variation a different clip, with clip of a wind turbine, an explosion followed by fire, and then Rist holding the camera facing her face and then videos of the inside of the train. The end then goes back to footage of the outside of the train. The end of the video is very similar to the start of it as it most likely shows the train journey there and then the journey home. To me, the soundtrack to this video was not fitting to anything but what Rist did in front of the wall as she lip-synced and danced to it, but in relation to the video projected on the wall, I believe there was no correlation and did not fit with anything shown.
Use of technology and techniques
I think that this video was filmed on an analogue camera because of the year it was produced and the look of it. Rist used the technique of pre-recording and editing for the video which is shown projected onto the wall along with an overlapping projection of buildings going past. In the background of the video, “Jacky and Edna” by Kevin Coyne.
Historical Practitioner Case Study – Andy Warhol
The piece of artwork I have chosen for my historical case study is “Edie Sedgwick Screen Test”. It was created by Andy Warhol. Warhol was an American artist, director and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement. Warhol went to Carnegie Institute of Technology, studying commercial art. In 1965, Warhol made a piece of video artwork named “Edie Sedgwick Screen Test”. Between 1964 to 1966, Warhol shot over 500 slow motion films with a 16mm camera in black and white.
Describe the video artwork in detail:
Artist’s name: Andy Warhol
Artwork name: “Edie Sedgwick Screen Test”
Length of the artwork: 3:00
This is a 3-minute video with Edie Sedgwick on screen. This was shot with a stationary 16mm Bolex camera in black and white at 24 frames per second. The intention for these were to not be shown as they were just experimental. Warhol made over 500 over these screen tests, but not all were kept.
In an article on the Guardian film website, “Candid Camera” by Jonathon Jones, Warhol’s Screen Tests are described as his “best works on film”, that were made “casually and crazily”. Jones also describes Warhol’s screen tests as “beautiful”, with the people being filmed being described as “youthful and vulnerable”.
In an article on the Guardian film website, “Undone in three minutes” by Brian Dillon, Warhol’s screen tests are described as his most ”rigorous and ravishing” work. Dillon says that they were “made according to clear formal and physical constraints” and that they have a “ghostly slowness”.
Although these videos were experimental, I believe that the meaning of them revolves around fame and how they are almost trapped. The fact that it is almost a moving photograph because of the lack of movement almost shows that because of fame, they aren’t real people anymore. The lack of movement shows how in control producers and directors are over these artists, telling them when they can move and when they cannot.
· Moving photograph – This video artwork is like a moving photograph as Edie doesn’t make any facial expressions or move around, she just blinks and opens and closes her mouth.
· No editing – There is no editing used at all in this video, and it’s all one continuous shot.
· Long durational shot – There is no change of shots throughout the whole video and it is just one long shot.
· Slow motion – Warhol captured his screen tests on a 16mm Bolex camera, originally shooting at 24 frames per second but they were screened in slow motion at 16 frames per second.
Narrative and non-narrative forms
This piece of video artwork has no narrative to it at all. Nothing actually happens, and Edie just stares into the camera making very slight movement with her eyes and mouth throughout. No is no beginning, middle, or end and no real progression. The start of the video is the same as the ending as she remains in the same position throughout. There is no sound at all.
Use of technology and techniques
Analogue was used for this video as digital was not available in the 1960’s. Warhol shot on a 16mm stationary Bolex camera with 100-foot rolls of film at 24 frames per second. This camera shot all 500 of Warhol’s screen silent, black and white films in strong light.
Use of exhibition space to create meaning
This was merely a screen test and wasn’t shown as an exhibition piece.
Comparison between the artists’ work
I will compare the work from both the current and historical practitioners by looking at the different components of their work that I have previously spoken about.
Meaning – I think that Rist’s work had no real meaning whereas, I believe the meaning behind Warhol’s work resolves around fame and that when people become famous it’s almost as if they aren’t real anymore.
Styles – These artists are both similar in terms of styles used for their videos. Both used no editing, long durational shots, and slow motion. Rist also used short durational shots and Warhol used moving photograph.
Narrative and non-narrative forms – Both Warhol’s and Rist’s work have no narrative.
Technology and techniques – Both artists’ used analogue cameras for their videos. Rist used pre-recording and editing and a soundtrack for her video as well.
