Video Art

Basic Questions

Technology-based and variable, video art poses unique challenges for the institutional or individual collector. Reproducible electronic art forms can often seem to defy the very notion of collecting art, which is traditionally tied to the acquisition of unique objects. The landscape for collecting media art has changed dramatically in recent years, as galleries sell limited video editions in the art market, museums apply advanced archival practices to media works, and artists make digital works that confound the idea of "ownership." In this new climate, sometimes the most fundamental questions are the most important ones to ask. Why is it important to acquire an archival format in addition to a reference or viewing copy for my collection? What media formats are considered archival? What rights am I acquiring when I buy a media artwork? What is a video "edition" and how does it differ from an "uneditioned" video art work? How do I go about migrating works in my collection from an earlier format? And how can I plan for the works' future viability? These and the other questions below might be seen as starting points for demystifying the process of collecting single-channel video art works. What is "single-channel video"? What are the recommended formats for collecting single-channel works? Why is it important to acquire an archival format in addition to a reference or viewing copy for my collection? What is the difference between a gallery and a distributor as a source for collecting video artworks? What is the difference between "editioned" and "uneditioned" video? What is a "license agreement"? What is a "certificate of authenticity"? What kinds of rights accompany the purchase of a video work? Can I make copies of the works I acquire? Can I exhibit the works in my collection in public and in other exhibition spaces? Can I tour works in my video collection? http://www.eai.org/resourceguide/collection/singlechannel/basicquestions.html