Video Data Bank Chicago opens archive for 40th anniversary with VDB TV streaming series

In 1976, the Video Data Bank was established and is now overseen by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. To commemorate its 40th anniversary, it has introduced VDB TV, a dedicated streaming channel showcasing curated video art series. The archive contains around 6,000 pieces from approximately 600 artists, accessible for consultation and rental by cultural institutions, galleries, and museums globally. The anniversary initiative, named VDB TV. Decades, features five series that each highlight a different decade from the 1970s onward. The inaugural series, The Whole World is Still Watching, curated by Artforum's Solveig Nelson, presents eight works from 1988 to 1995, examining the 1960s through a 1990s perspective, featuring artists like Tom Kalin and Dara Birnbaum. Critical essays accompany the series, which is available for free streaming online.