Week 6 (Post 2) Chapter 2 - New Media In Art

Chapter 2 of New Media in Art focuses primarily on video art and how it has impacted society. The biggest impact was the invention of the television. At first, moving images were only available in the newsreels and movie houses, but since the invention of the television, these moving images became a part of the common American house hold in both black and white and in color. The book states that "by 1953, two-thirds of American households had television; and by 1960, it was up to ninety percent, a fact which was to have a profound effect on the film industry" (Rush, 84). In the 1960's people were watching seven hours of television a day and many artists viewed television as the enemy. Although television seemed to take away the appreciation of canvas art, it did bring a whole different kind of art altogether. With moving images, stories could be told in less abstract ways. It gave many other people jobs as actors, directors, producers and story tellers who weren't fit to draft novels. Television showed different types of genres and left an impact on many. The Wonderwoman picture on page 103 was a compilation of different manipulated images from a popular tv show in the 1970's. This video, created by Dara Birnbaum argued against a myth that said woman were beautifully chiseled miracle workers and lover. Television is now a part of daily life, and even if cable or even satellite networks aren't being used anymore, televisions are essential for people who want to watch on web hosting sites such as Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazontv, or Hulu.