Artist: Katrin Korfmann
+ katrinkorfmann.com

In a magical world where every day is Friday, we’d be treated to scenes like this on a regular basis. Yup, more Bravia, but impossible to resist: great concept, great music, great colour. It’s the coming together of art, talent, creativity and cold hard cash. Fine, sure, whatever - successful commercial art for the masses.

If I were a video, this is the one I would be.

+ bravia-advert.com

It doesn’t matter that you can’t get any more commercial than this – the fact is, some of the best art is to be found in advertising. And when 70, 000 litres of paint explode, literally, from mortars and bombs to erupt in a fireworks display unlike any other to cover a Glaswegian housing estate in pure colour, art comes to life. The Sony Bravia LCD screen advert is a spectacular follow up to the 250, 000 balls that bounced down San Francisco streets. To see colour treated in such a vibrant way is exciting, joyous and moving. Extreme colour. Watch the vids and grin out loud.

+ bravia-advert.com

The photography from Isaac Julien’s video installation, True North, is a strong image of what the New Year should be: a clean slate, with hope rolling in over the horizon. The lone figure walking across a snow-swept tundra is resolute about tackling the year head-on.

Brace yourselves. 2006 has arrived.

Artist: Isaac Julien
+ isaacjulien.com

Out with the old, in with the new.

Swiss artist Sylvie Fleury sums it up visually with a c-print from her video, Here Comes Santa/Bells. Dash those decorations to the ground, grind them to powder beneath your heels and ready yourself, steady yourself, for 2006.

Heres hoping from Art MoCo!

Artist: Sylvie Fleury
+ ropac.net

Apartment is a recent video project by Eric Deis, an interdisciplinary artist from Vancouver, currently showing at the Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design. The 1 min 48sec video loop is of a still apartment where water suddenly starts to flow unimpeded, as if triggered by the steaming of the kettle. Deis focuses on the regularity of the dousing and the steady flow of water which soaks walls, carpet, countertop – creating "normalcy" out of an ordinarily unusual occurrence. Some say normal,some say eerie - thought-provoking either way.
The video loop can be viewed at the following link.

Artist: Eric Deis
+ ericdeis.com

Naomie Kremer is known for her abstract paintings, but like every artist was loathe to tire of any one medium, so turned to making videos out of previous works. The effect is literally a kaleidoscope of brush strokes. Various elements start to shimmer and shake all over the background, almost dancing away to leave a blank, then coming back to eventually take up their places once again. The accompanying audio component to the video paintings (wind chimes, the sound of breaking glass, arrows cutting through the air) adds even more depth to the layering already in place. Kremer has observed that once viewers arrive at a video piece of hers in a gallery, they cannot help but go back to take another closer look at the canvases. This work is a must-see.

(Quicktime needed to view Moving Paintings at the following two links.)

Artist: Naomie Kremer
+ naomiekremer.com
+ apple.com