Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

While the aesthetic experience has always meant some interaction among artist, creation, and viewer, the current ``electronic age'' allows a truly two-way involvement, with the possibility of input from both sides altering the creation. Popper ( Art-Action and Participation , New York Univ. Pr., 1975) examines the interplay of art, craft, and technology in five major categories: laser and holographic art; video art; computer art; communication art; and installation demonstration and performance art. At a time in which simulation and reality become interchangeable and humans and machines are intellectually connected, Popper grounds these examinations in a traditional focus on origins, artists, and aims. He also looks at the social and political impact of the rapid communication of ideas, experience, and images. The illustrations often explain the phenomena far more clearly than the text and help to point out how the techniques have evolved as well as the unique qualities they possess. Recommended for both lay readers and scholars.-- Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib . , New York (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

Popper attempts to survey the trends in electronic and digital art, but because the book features the work of approximately 400 artists (an exciting though overwhelming diversity) in fewer than 180 pages, it reads at times more like a recital of names than a coherent discussion of the contrasting styles. The dramatic and colorful photographs make browsing the book great fun; reading it, however, is a chore. Despite this significant drawback, the book may be recommended as a useful guide to recent electronic art. The majority of the artists mentioned here are obscure and have been working since the 1980s; thus this book is one of the few single-volume resources for contemporary work in this idiom. Deciding whether to purchase it for graduate students or for a more general readership may be a problem. The level of discourse is probably more suited to the general audience, though not so much because of the "tone" of the writing as because the brevity of the discussion and the survey approach suggest an introductory work. With its finely executed reproductions, its paper a heavy-weight matte coated stock, and its sewn binding, the book is a superior production and should prove to be extremely durable. A more detailed presentation of the subject could be accomplished if Popper and Abrams were to publish a series, with an entire book devoted to each of the topics listed--from video art to computer art. Advanced undergraduate; graduate. S. Skaggs; University of Louisville

Booklist Review

Korean American artist Nam June Paik has been dubbed the "father of video art," a tag that, while accurate, doesn't hint at the importance of the sculptural aspect of his constructions. Paik's sculptures utilize the visual appeal of televisions as objects by emphasizing the shapes of cabinets and cathode-ray tubes, and revel in the motion and sound of video in his music-inspired, electronically produced video imagery. By using large quantities of televisions and nonnarrative footage, Paik's creations spoof broadcast television's mindless abundance, endless repetition, and determined hyperactivity, as well as its undeniable appeal. An innovator in multimonitor structures, installations, and environments, Paik uses displacement to alter our notions of television, building robots, temples, and even gardens out of monitors of all sizes and designs. His work is well presented in this collection of photographs, interviews, and essays by a host of contributors. Video art is only one of many forms of electronic art discussed in Popper's inclusive international survey. Other technological mediums exploited by artists include lasers, holograms, computers, and telecommunication systems. While Popper explores each medium in detail, he also notes certain common themes, such as various levels of audience interaction; an emphasis on light, motion, and abstraction; a preference for large-scale, even citywide, productions; an interest in spectacle; and, often, a sense of humor. Electronic art's interplay between technology and aesthetics creates a challenging dynamic. Machines used for entertainment and work--televisions, headphones, photocopy machines, computers, and telephones--are transformed into vehicles for images of often surprising fluidity and painterly beauty as well as the sort of mathematically intricate graphics you might expect. A generous number of artists are profiled, and their work is displayed in some 270 illustrations, most in color. ~--Donna Seaman