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Articles

5 Old-School NYC Video Artists You Should Know (and Follow)

Jason Varone April 18, 2014 Facebook Tweet Email Become a Member

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Peter Campus, still from “Kiva” (1971) (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

Most written accounts of the origins of video art trace the medium back to the Sony Portapak, the first affordable, battery-powered, portable video-recording device that could be operated by a single individual. The resulting democratization of video was quickly seen as having radical potential. Artists could challenge the rising influence of broadcast media. All of a sudden, the barriers to working in this time-based medium were removed.

Looking at the work of a few pioneers, specifically those on the scene in New York City, it’s obvious that technology was a catalyst for a new type of electronic art; these artists were trailblazers in both fields. And this remains true of their current work, 37 years after the first Portapak hit the market.

Here, then, are five old-school NYC video artists whose work you should know about and (still) be following.

Mary Lucier