“Gloss”: A look at the first video art exhibition in Nashville

Tucked away on Vanderbilt's Peabody Campus, Cohen Memorial Hall is home to the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art, which is currently showcasing its most recent works Exhibition“Glamour: A Measured Response to New Video Art.” The museum, which is currently accredited with the American Alliance of Museums, has been hosting the exhibition for a month. The exhibition shows 10 exhibitions of video art created in the last decade.

Rachel P. Kreiter, curator of the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art, discussed the decision to display video art in the gallery.

“The origin of this show is really that video art has become much more exciting, more engaging, more colorful, bolder and something that people want to see,” Kreiter said. “These are all things that we think people should not only come into the museum space and really spend time looking at, but also want.”

Video art is not commonly featured in museum exhibitions and presentations, largely because it is still an emerging medium. The Vanderbilt University Museum of Art seized the opportunity to utilize the contemporary medium, capitalizing on its affordability and allowing the museum to use resources elsewhere in the exhibition.

“In some ways, videos are easier to view than 3D artwork or paintings because you don’t have to send anything,” Kreiter said. “These are all just things sent to me via file transfer, so you're not only saved a lot of expense but also a lot of hassle.”

Kreiter pointed out that due to the technological advancements required to produce video art, many contemporary artists are emerging in the field, making it possible to create high-quality video galleries better than in previous decades.

“The Internet has created a revolution in video,” said Kreiter. “But artists are now all familiar with video technology. So we're getting a new quality of video art that I think makes sense to bring to Vanderbilt, in part because there's only so much we can do given the rush to make this show, but also because it really was mine “It’s important to bring something you wouldn’t have seen in Nashville.”

In organizing the exhibition, Kreiter selected works by artists from around the world, saying this approach provides a sense of fulfillment to Nashvillians who want to learn more about global developments.

“This museum reports to the Vice Provost for Arts, Libraries and Global Engagement. “Part of our job is to bring international works of art into the gallery,” said Kreiter. “The people of Vanderbilt and Nashville deserve to see international and national works of art as well. You can see local art at Zeitgeist, David Lusk or Red Arrow. Things made abroad should be here.”

The gallery itself is set up like a cinema and features a large screen showing one of 10 different video artworks, which change weekly to provide a varied experience with each visit. Most recently featured in the exhibition was “A Moving Target” by Erdem Taşdelen, with the artist visiting campus to discuss his work with students. The exhibition features contributions from various artists, including several internationally known personalities.

“For example, some of the artists in the exhibition were also represented at the Whitney Biennale this year or at the Venice Biennale this year. So these are top-class artists of international caliber that we have brought into this room,” said Kreiter. “I think this work is fantastic. It demands to be seen.”

Overall, the gallery is intended to serve as a welcoming place for Nashvillians to come together and appreciate the hard work that went into curating the exhibition. Kreiter expressed the hope that the exhibition will be visited before it closes in December.

“I think when people come they will love it. You’ll see things that, as you know, you don’t have to go to Venice to see,” Kreiter said. “I really hope people engage with the show throughout the semester.”