COVENTRY.- An exhibition to mark the 30th anniversary of a pioneering video art show is to be launched at The Herbert in Coventry next month.

Video Art ’78 showcased work at The Herbert by pioneers of the genre in the late 1970s such as Bill Viola who is regarded as one of today’s leading artists in establishing video as contemporary art.

Thirty years later, Kinopixel – Exploding the Image will be staged at The Herbert in Jordan Well in the city centre from Friday, September 19 to Sunday, January 11, in Galleries 2 and 3 to give a whole new generation of artists the opportunity to showcase their work.

The exhibition has been curated by artist Darryl Georgiou, a lecturer at the Coventry School of Art and Design.

In the field of video art, Coventry has a brilliant reference point since 30 years ago it pioneered experimental moving art,” he said. Established artists such as Lis Rhodes will be showing their work in Kinopixel along with students who are emerging in the field. Kinopixel makes links between experimental film avant-gardes, new media and contemporary art.

“The screen-based exhibition features short films about two-and-a-half minutes long in the middle of the galleries without any narration. The work is open to interpretation since it reveals fragments, shapes materials, light, processes and time to create art and we hope it will provoke discussions.”

There will be a series of talks open to the public by the artists as well as the screening of a rare 1966 documentary about the influential New York underground film maker Jonas Mekas. For more information about dates and times log on to www.kinopixel.co.uk

Rosie Addenbrooke, senior exhibitions officer at The Herbert, said: “This is a timely exhibition as we move from film and video to digital technology.

“It is fantastic that established artists in video art throughout the world are contributing work along with artists who are just starting out.

“Each short film has a story to tell and it doesn’t matter if you know absolutely nothing about moving art, come along and take a look.”

Kinopixel is an artist-led project with an on-going research and production programme and includes newly commissioned work. It has received support from the Coventry School of Art and Design (funded by the Creative Practice Research Group), and Kinopixel has off-site installation works in London, Vienna and Beijing.