Untitled, (4:25 minutes)
(video installation, mixed media)

by Kiam Marcelo Junio
Installation shots by Heidi Norton

Artist statement and other images here

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Set-up:
- Video displayed on iPhone
- iPhone propped up on a mini-tripod
- Headphones
- the Body Shop eye de-puffing cream
- standalone desk and chair 

My first video installation is presented on my iPhone.  The video is a personal moment I decided to share with viewers.  Due to the intimate nature of the video, the installation is set up so only one person can view it at a time (and the video is not available online). 

Part of my theory is the intent to use the new media of the iPhone to its full potential - as a digital video recorder, a display, a communication device, and even as a quasi-mirror (thanks to the front-facing camera).  The headphones are used to isolate the viewing experience for the viewer, and not allow any distraction from the intimate moment shared with the content.

The critique for the piece went well, and I can say I achieved what I set out to do: put the viewer in a somewhat awkward position being privy to the intimate moment, and feel truly immersed in its personal nature.  Some viewers stated feeling “protective” of me (the subject of the video), and one viewer even noted that she thought the de-puffing eye cream was intended for the viewer’s use.  The instructor also noted that there runs within the video a short but concise narrative, and that the video explores issues of sentimentality, communication, appearances, narcissism, and sexuality.  

Some suggestions include placing the display on the wall, still small and intimate, but with less access to the actual device.  Another suggestion is to place the eye cream on display, simply to be visible. These and other suggestions are definitely good to consider if/when I plan to present the work in a different setting.