Doris Chase: Artist in Motion1992

The video tape, written by Doris Chase and art historian Patricia Failing, illustrates work discussed in the Failing 's book, DORIS CHASE, ARTIST IN MOTION: FROM PAINTING AND SCULPTURE TO VIDEO ART. They are a celebration of the distinguished artist and a historical summary of the development of video as an art form. Highlighting the accomplishments of Doris Chase in the field of video art, this video gallery tour, narrated by the artist, starts in Seattle, Washington, where she began her career in the visual arts as a painter in the 1950s. In the 1960s, Chase began to work in sculpture, creating small modular kinetic compositions that could be rearranged by the viewer. In the late 1960s, she collaborated with other artists to create elaborate multimedia spectacles involving dance and sculpture. Chase began working with the medium of film to capture the transitory images presented in the performances. Moving to New York City in 1972, she expanded her work with filmdance through the medium of video, exploring the limits of studio technology as well as new equipment such as video synthesizers to create hybrids of dance and painting that constitute a unique contribution to the history of video art. In the 1980s, Chase drew upon her skill with video effects to add new dimensions of meaning to spoken texts. In her most recent work, she explores the experiences and perspectives of older women with nuanced performances by celebrated actresses such as Geraldine Page, Ann Jackson, Luise Rainer, and Joan Plowright. "Doris Chase practically invented what many people today are calling 'video dance.' ... To describe her as a pioneer, however, misrepresents the finesse of her handling of the video medium and the polished beauty of her tapes." – Dance Scope