COLUMBUS, GA.- Magnetic Landscape examines the ways several contemporary video artists use landscape as a way to create new visual metaphors. For decades, video art has been a force in the visual art world. Many artists create works that combine art, technology and science as a reflection of today’s society. Presentday video art exists within a range of technology‐driven disciplines such as architecture, design, sculpture, electronic art and digital art.

Video art is named after the video tape: images and sounds are recorded onto a magnetic tape, as opposed to movie film. The aesthetic motives that have historically driven other art forms have made their way into video art. In this exhibition, each artist uses real or imagined landscapes as a source for their ideas. They subsequently reconstruct, collect, appropriate and re‐form them into “magnetic” landscapes. Jennifer Steinkamp, Rie Oishi and Diana Thater explore the cross‐section of the man‐made and the natural. Adam Frelin, Monica Duncan and Lara Odell set their transfixing narratives in landscape scenes. Danielle Mericle reflects upon how people perceive their surroundings. Rodney Graham uses the suburban landscape as a setting for recalling the past.

Although the Columbus Museum and Columbus State University have included the medium in previous exhibitions, neither organization has organized an exhibition comprised solely of video art. Magnetic Landscape is an opportunity to present to the community the important artistic practice of video as art. This collaboration also serves as an extension of the University’s curriculum and exposes students and the public to a vital aspect of contemporary artwork by exploring video methodology, concepts and techniques.

Magnetic Landscape is co‐curated by the Columbus Museum and Hannah Israel, Gallery Director of the Norman Shannon and Emmy Lou P. Illges Gallery at Columbus State University.