ATTENTION DEFICIT

Video art has been gaining enormous popularity in recent years, with more museums devoting entire galleries to film and video installations. But what does it demand of its viewers? “It is a difficult medium for those of us who have trouble sitting still for more than 30 seconds. Because it is time-based, in most cases you can’t simply stop for a moment in front of an example, see if it grabs your attention, and then move on. Had the artist intended you to have an instantaneous visual fix, he’d have used some other medium.” – The Telegraph (UK) 05/17/00