Ambient Video Series: mediartZ Exhibit

Authored by Jim Bizzocchi
Published by Artist in 2007

Ambient Video is video intended to play on the walls in the backgrounds of our lives. In the spirit of Brian Eno's "ambient music", Ambient Video must be as Eno says: "as easy to ignore as it is to notice." For my own work, I expand Eno's dictum to three interrelated criteria that I want my own ambient video art to meet. First, it must not require your attention at any time. Second, whenever you do look at it it must reward your attention with visual interest. Finally, because ambient pieces are designed to play repeatedly in our homes, offices and public spaces, they must continue to provide visual pleasure over repeated viewings.