Justin Lincoln

"Don't interpret. Experiment." - Gilles Deleuze

"When Information is brushed against information the results are startling and effective. The perrenial quest for involvement, fill-in, takes many forms." - Marshall McLuhan

The cornerstones of my digital video-making are my desires for experimentation and for interpersonal connection. My experiments have their roots in the multidisciplinary art of John Cage and Allan Kaprow, as well as numerous video artists and underground film- makers. As was the case for Cage and Kaprow, an important aspect of my work is how it connects to my teaching. My art, my teaching, and my service to my family and community are all interconnected.

My video work has always been a kind of ongoing diary or sketchbook. My method of working is notational and modular. Parts of my work may appear in an online journal or blog, a gallery installation, a festival screening, a panel discussion or maybe some combination of these formats. Altogether these different modes of exhibition allow me to "think out loud", as well as revise and remix that thinking over time and space.

Over the years I've worked with friends, family, students and community members to explore how the basic skills of video recording and editing open up new channels for communication,aesthetics, and self-discovery. The process of performing, recording, editing and distributing work provides real joy and flow in my life. Since the electronic means of doing these processes is always becoming more affordable and accessible, it is a real pleasure to share my skills and interests with the communities around me. The sheer power and possibilities for today’s digital cameras and laptops is really exciting. Perhaps my enthusiasm for sharing these skills can be viewed as a mission, instead of simply a career.

Since his birth three years ago, my son Kai has taken a recurrent role in many of my works. In our society of cheap recording devices, and even cheaper storage, my exhaustive recording of my child’s growth and development may be a habit shared by many parents. However, my modes of experimentation have abstracted, refracted, and mutated these home movies. Composition, both in the visual and musical senses, takes priority over story.

The ubiquitous presence of cameras, computers and the internet will come to bear on changes in art, education and everything else we encounter. The ability to critically view and creatively produce video will be an increasingly important form of literacy as my son gets older. This literacy will be as important for non-artists as artists. The task of coming to grips with that literacy absolutely calls for a willingness to experiment and connect with other people. This is where people like me can step in to lend a hand.