Video as Installation

This project was created by Robert Moriarty, art teacher, and his students at Morton West High School as a project of the Contemporary Community Curriculum Initiative at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

What are the uses and possibilities of video? Our tendency is to think of video as a story-telling device (comedy or drama), or a public service delivery device (propaganda), and at its worst, a way to sell products through commercials. There is also video as a means of documentation that usually begins and ends with taping school life such as football games or talent shows or family events such as celebrations or vacations. Usually the vision of curriculum for a high school video class is largely formed and limited by the culture of mass-media (spectacular and commodity culture) and tends to reflect that culture without critique.

This project began with a discussion of the modern and postmodern practice of installation art. Through stills and texts of artworks, students were introduced to the art of Tony Oursler and Adrian Piper in which video is an integral part of an art installation.
The class then talked about the school art show and the way it transforms the school lobby. This created the opportunity to define and vividly describe for students the concept of “site-specific” art.

The video art installation transformed the school show. Many students commented on how the video work made the show seem “cooler.” Rather than being a collection of individual artworks, the collaborative installation foregrounded the notion that students can use art to comment on and effect the environment in which they learn. The success of the installation was largely due to the students' commitment to create something real (art).

Many schools are adding video classes to the high school curricula. Will these classes just teach students to mimic mainstream media or will they empower students to explore alternate potentials of this powerful medium?