‘Eat’ is a 45-minute underground film created by Andy Warhol which features painter Robert Indiana, filmed in 1964 in Indiana’s studio.

‘Eat’ is filmed in black and white, with no soundtrack and depicts pop artist Indiana engaged in the process of eating a mushroom throughout the whole of the static film, with a final appearance of a cat at the end. The video is an intimate piece of art that is rather more of an experience for the viewer which allows a connection to be made with the subject of the film. The close up shots particularly, like in the frame above, emphasizes the feeling of intimacy. The simplicity of video art creates the idea that what the viewer is watching is not so far detached from reality and replicates real life. Particularly with ‘Eat’, the plot that doesn’t necessarily exist is very mundane, as eating is a part of life that everyone experiences on a daily basis.

Video art emerged during the late 1960s as new consumer video technology. Video tape recorders became available outside corporate broadcasting. One of the key differences between video art and theatrical cinema is that video art does not necessarily rely on many of the conventions that define theatrical cinema. Video art may not employ the use of actors, contain no dialogue, have no discernible narrative or plot, or adhere to any of the other conventions that generally define motion pictures as entertainment. Video art is often experimental, radical or unorthodox with respect to art, culture or society. It may also offer critique of the relationship between producer and consumer.