When I first loaded American Visions, I was quite skeptical that a CD-ROM could ever reproduce fine art well. My doubts were quickly eased, though, as I saw exceptional graphics and realized that the artwork is only one facet of the work as a whole. With over 200 paintings, and commentary, videos, and portraits of the artists pervading the work, American Visions makes Roy Neuberger's 20th-century art collection accessible to most viewers.
Three choices of viewing styles make the tour particularly interesting and educational. The viewer can browse the collection chronologically, by artist, or by school of art. The choice is made by simply clicking a button, and the Help tool describes each selection when the mouse is placed over the icon. Once this choice is made, the main menu appears where one can choose which year, school of art, or artist one wishes to view. Again, all selections are made by simply clicking a button.
Starting with a specific painting, the work appears in scale covering the screen. This is where the vibrant colors and quality of the graphics began to sell me on the CD-ROM. An up-close detail of the painting can be seen by double clicking on the painting, and the quality is never compromised.
One of the many advantages of American Visions is the opportunity to learn not only by viewing the artwork but by reading about current events during its creation, reading commentary from critics, and hearing the artists themselves discuss their work. This is all clearly found with the Links option which is found on the side of the screen. One of several options related to the work can be selected for viewing together with the original painting on the screen. For example, while displaying Jackson Pollock's "Number 8, 1949," the viewer may select one of his videos. Thus the video appears in the top left corner of the screen allowing the viewer to watch Pollock create a work and listen to him discuss his piece, while at the same time view a finished piece. The viewer can also trade the places of the two displays, enlarging the video and shrinking the painting. The links are still shown on the right and additional options can be traded in at any time. The main menu is always accessible by the Browse button on constant display, and captions can be added at any time.
American Visions is an extraordinary work for teens or adults with any or no background in modern art. The tour is likened to strolling along with a personal tour guide, providing a behind-the-scenes look. The program is very user friendly and works well on most computers without loading the disc onto the hard drive. This interactive collection provides insight into the paintings which cannot be achieved by a book.
