Surveying the First Decade: Video Art and Alternative Media in the U.S.

Since its establishment at the School of the Chicago Art Institute in 1976, the Video Data Bank has been a primary archive for works by contemporary artists. Originally released on VHS in 1995, this eight-disc set compiles works that illustrate the development of experimental and independent video art in America. A total of 68 pieces made between 1968 and 1980 by over 60 artists are featured under umbrella titles such as “Explorations of Presence,” “Investigations of the Phenomenal World,” “Gendered Confrontations,” and “Critiques of Art and Media Art.” While it would be a tribulation to watch the entire collection at a single sitting (indeed, the videos that repetitively toy with the possibilities of the medium can quickly grow irritating), this impressive body of work illustrating particular themes and techniques nicely lends itself to sampling for educational purposes. Surveying the First Decade is accompanied by a CD-ROM titled Rewind, which provides notes and commentary on each piece, essays offering historical and critical context, and a bibliography. The steep cost will undoubtedly limit the set's acquisition to well-heeled institutions, but for collections with a specialized emphasis on video art, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)