Decorative/ Informative

Where do we get our information?  How is information communicated to us?  What becomes informative and what ends up decorative?  These questions are looked at in the Decorative/Informative series.  Viewing a television without words calls us to take a closer look at the information we are receiving.  The days of the old newscaster giving us the cold hard facts in front of a stark background are gone.  We are bombarded with graphics and logos while set design seems to overwhelm the screen.  There is more pressure to be visually pleasing and keep up with our shortening attention spans.  Is any content of substance absorbed?  In an age where the sleek designs of televisions make them look like artwork, to the extent that they are hung aesthetically over a mantle in the living room, does appearance matter more than content?  Are paintings becoming superfluous?  People sit with their televisions now, the same way one use to sit and take in a painting at the museum.  By viewing the screen shots out of context and seeing them in the traditional art form of painting, I ask, is this the new way we are going to have art in our homes or have electronics killed painting?