"To a great extent the significance of all types of video art derives from its stance with respect to some aspect of television, which is itself profoundly related to the present state of our culture. In this way video art embarks on a curiously mediated but serious critique of the culture. And this reference to television, and through it to the culture, is not dependent on whether or not the artist sees the work in relation to television. The relation to television and video is created by the shared technologies and condition of viewing...Nevertheless, an artist may exploit the relation very knowingly and may choose any aspect of the relation for attack."
I took this excerpt from David Antin's chapter, Video: The Distinctive Features of the Medium, because it provides the model for my final video project America's Favorite Pastime. On YouTube, there is a wealth of cute animal videos far beyond the point of ridiculousness. In the spirit of our viral video project I took and compiled this found footage. To provide contrast, I paired with it another pervasive element of American culture - fear mongering, and our subjectivity to it. The pairing provides a comedic commentary of our preoccupations: fear vs. escapist cute overload.Many of the images are of the little animals being teased or in a compromised situation - puppy stuck on his back, "scared kitten," hedgehog stuck in a toilet paper roll, etc. I found it kind of poetic - a reflection of our own compromised helplessness subject to and influenced by our culture of fear - used to control people and sell them things - hence soundbites re: "The War on Terror" and prescription medicine ads.
Another dimension of this that I find interesting is our whole culture of YouTube, Vimeo etc. With the medium of video so accessible and the outlet of these "Broadcast Yourself" sites, we are provided this bizarre, intimate portrait of people's mundane, home lives of pets, children and such, totally bluring the line between private and public and stripping this medium of its preciousness. I can't say whether this is a good or bad thing.
Oh, and the final goal of this video was to use the corny final cut transitions! So fun! I love "multi checker"
