4 Artist Interviews on Video
Contemporary artists are often interviewed by conservators, curators or other interested parties in order to
gain knowledge of the intent, creation process and key qualities of an artwork. With respect to the
oftentimes short-lived nature of installation and media artworks, artists are asked to determine the
variability of components and specify preferences for exchange of obsolete technologies or degradable
materials.
Recording artist interviews onto video offers many advantages over mere audio recordings: Firstly, the
artist can
be presented with the artwork or images of it, and refer directly to its physical characteristics. Secondly,
the identity of participating individuals is self-explanatory, even when a group of people is involved in
the discussion.
As an historical document, a video provides context of location and time period, as well as the setting and
non-verbal features of an interview, e.g. the body language and interaction of the participants.