50 years of video art!

It’s been 50 years since Nam June Paik’s exhibition «Electronic TV» (Galerie Parnas, Wuppertal, Tyskland). An exhibition that marks the shift from music to electronic images in Paik’s work.

From the 1980s to the present, Norwe­gian video art has evolved from a mar­ginal art form to one with a dominant position. The exhibition “PARADOX: Positions in Norwegian video art 1980–2010” presents a selection of Norwegian video art from the years 1980 to 2010; from a means of conceptual expression that used the technology of the media industry, to a post-modern form of expression, where video meshes with other digital techniques such as film and photogra­phy. The exhibition draws primarily on the National Museum’s own collection. An emphasis on individual works, rather than artists, allows us to keep video as a medium in focus. Can one identify quali­ties specific to video that have endured despite rapid technological advances? In what areas has video as a medium had an impact on Norwegian art? How did the video medium evolve between 1980 and 2010 in Norwegian art?

The video works are dealt with under various thematic headings, which refer to crucial intersections between techno­logical and art-historical developments of relevance to video art.

The set of themes with subheadings underscores the flexibility of the video medium: “A conceptualfoundation – Self-reflexivity and time”, “The material dimension – Sound and image”, “The formal dimension – Com­position and time”, “The virtual – An expansive medium” , “Performance – Time and context”, “Identity –Stag­ing and role-play”, “A shift towards film – Documentary and fiction” and “Poetic narrative –The mediated image”. Certain themes, such as “Staging and role-play” have more to do with the temporal dimension than, say, “The material dimension – Sound and image”.

The exhibition shows 34 works by 24 artists: Kristin Bergaust, Kjell Bjørgeengen, Morten Børresen, A K Dolven, Unn Fahlstrøm, Matias Faldbakken, Bodil Furu, Marit Følstad, Mai Hofstad Gunnes, Jason Havneraas, Marianne Heske, Narve Hovdenakk, Lars Lauman, Lotte Konow Lund, Jannicke Låker, Per Maning, Elisabeth Mathisen, Trine Lise  Nedreaas, Ole Jørgen Ness, Sven Påhlsson, Kjartan Slettemark, Per Teljer, Jeremy Welsh, Knut Åsdam.

The exhibition is curated by Eva Klerck Gange. The catalogue includes texts by Jeremy Welsh and Eva Klerck Gange.