Anthony McCall's examination of the presentation and structure of film and video works unveils yet again the subjective nature of art. McCall aims to blur the distinction between time based works (film, video, dance) with "temporal" works (painting, sculpture). He does this by creating spaces in which the viewer does not interact with his films in a conventional sense. Rather than watching the films on a wall while they are project from behind, McCall sets up spaces in which the viewer is surrounded by the actual projected light. This creates a scenario where a film is being screened but it is also participating as a three-dimensional element in an overall installation of light. Because these works fall into the realm of both sculpture and film, McCall comes to the conclusion that his work sits right on the threshold of what is to be considered time-based art, and non time-based art.
While I fell this is a valid conclusion, his examination begs the question of, what can truly be considered non time-based art. When McCall produced his final piece of this series Long Film from Ambient Light. He comments on how "The shifts that occurred within it, ... were too gradual to see happening." Sculpture, and painting based works also go through changes which are impossible to perceive over short amounts of time. There is a deterioration, or change in shape that happens naturally and gradually over time. There for I feel, particularly when considering his final piece, it should be considered to be in the realm of "non-time based work" or that the distinction between both realms be dismissed.
-Sloane
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