Video Art : The Future Is Here

With advancements in video editing software and more creative ways to display the medium, Video Art is primed for a creative explosion. From art museum / retail installations to live music performances, video art is finally finding its way into the mass consciousness.

Video Art : About

Wikipedia describes video art as a type of art which relies on moving pictures and comprises of video and/or audio data. Video art came into existence during the early 1960s and early 1970s as the new technology became available outside corporate broadcasting and is still practiced and has given rise to the use of video installations. Video art can take many forms: compositions that are broadcasted, grouped display installations that may incorporate one or more displays that are often viewed in gallery or museum exhibitions, online streamed platforms such as Youtube and Vimeo, work that is sold / distributed as digital files on USB flash drives; projection mapped sculptural installations, and displaying ‘live’ or recorded images and sounds during concerts.

Currently the Video Art medium resides in two separate categories: single-channel and installation. Single-channel works are much closer to the conventional idea of television, or cinema screen: a video is screened, projected or shown as a single image. Installation works involve either an environment, several distinct pieces of video presented separately, or any combination of video with traditional media such as sculpture.

Video Art : No Longer Just A ‘TV On A Wall’

Getting people to view displays as pieces of art and not just “TV’s on walls” is becoming a main objective among Video Artists. In the past, displays had been viewed on walls in their typical landscape modes but now with new innovative ways to install displays and better AV control over the way content is shown, video artists are truly thinking ‘outside box’ when it comes to how their medium is being presented to the world. The future of how displays will be configured will be entirely up to the artist or presenter.

As displays become more robust and inexpensive, the means to create new ways to install them grows exponentially as well. The future is bright when it comes to how display configurations can be constructed. As more and more displays find their way into malls, retail stores, museums, public forums and lobbies, the demand for video content will be at an all time high. Soon people will flock to their favorite establishments to check out a video art installment by their favorite multi-media artists.

“I think of displays as moving canvases for artists to create on,” explains Billy Barnes, Art Director at Volanti Displays. “I must admit when I first got into the displays world I too had the preconceived notion that they were TV’s on a wall until I began to see the possibilities of ways to present. That’s when ideas like turning fashion runway catwalks into giant displays or taking displays and turning them into Cubes became a reality. I love the idea of conceptualizing video art first and then creating a display that would best fit the art. Imagine creating entire virtual environments and then being able to see them come to life with a room made entirely of displays. All the wall bends and recesses! It is truly an exciting time for both video artists and displays manufacturers as the ‘TV’s on walls’ stereotype quickly fades away.”

Video Art : Monetizing

With the demand for video art rising, the question of how creators will go about monetizing their medium becomes a factor when moving forward. Does the creator charge what a graphic designer or video editor charges per hour? Or does the creator simply charge on a per project basis? More and more artists are creating their content and then licensing it to corporations or businesses who are looking to join the visual movement. But how does one artist keep track of all the users who are licensing the content? How do they go about ensuring that their contracts are not being abused?  There have been artists who create work and then display it at galleries or museums and then sell the ‘original’ content on USB flash drives. Will this become the standard? Musical acts and DJ’s typically pay their video artists on a per project basis and then work out a “daily rate” for them to manage / trigger the content during live performances. Will this model become the norm for video artists?

As the medium pushes forward so too will the way in which it is monetized. “I imagine it would be on a per project basis,” explains Billy Barnes. “I imagine video artists being commissioned much like painting artists are. I can see the finished project quote being a combination of time and materials. It will be very interesting to see if some sort of monetized standard will be set among the field.”

Video Art : Ready, Set, Go!

Volanti Displays has been teaming up with both artists and musicians over the last 6 months to help bring conceptual ideas to working functional realities. “We love when artists or musicians come to us and ask how we can bring their ideas to life,” explains Billy Barnes. “One question I always ask clients is how long have they been envisioning the project. It is interesting to see how many times they say ‘years’. Having an idea and not being able to bring it to life is one of the most frustrating parts about being an artist. It is nice to know that artists or musicians are now finding partners like us who share the desire to push the boundaries of displays and art.”

For more information or if you would like to set up some time to discuss your ideas feel free to contact Volanti Displays.

Office: 408.579.1620
Hours: 8AM – 5PM PST