La Mamelle and the Pic

Home , Alamo (sculpture), Annabel Jankel, Bob Giraldi, Boyd Rice, Documenta 6, Drop Art

1 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology ture 1975–1984 1975–1984 Julian Myers, eds. Liz Glass, Susannah Magers & Magers Susannah Glass, Liz Give Them Give ART COM, ART An Anthology of La Mamelle and The Pic

2 Dedicated to Steven Leiber for instilling in us a passion for the archive. Contents 8 Give Them the Picture: 78 The Avant-Garde and the Open Work Images An Introduction of Art: Traditionalism and Performance Mark Levy 139 From the Pages of 11 The Mediated Performance La Mamelle and ART COM Susannah Magers 82 IMPROVIDEO: Interactive Broadcast Conceived as the New Direction of Subscription Television Interviews Anthology: 1975–1984 Gregory McKenna 188 From the White Space to the Airwaves: 17 La Mamelle: From the Pages: 87 Performing Post-Performancist An Interview with Nancy Frank Lifting Some Words: Some History Performance Part I Michele Fiedler David Highsmith Carl Loeffler 192 Organizational Memory: An Interview 19 Video Art and the Ultimate Cliché 92 Performing Post-Performancist with Darlene Tong Darryl Sapien Performance Part II The Curatorial Practice Class Carl Loeffler 21 Eleanor Antin: An interview by mail Mary Stofflet 96 Performing Post-Performancist 196 Contributor Biographies Performance Part III 25 Tom Marioni, Director of the Carl Loeffler 199 Index of Images Museum of Conceptual Art (MOCA), San Francisco, in Conversation 100 Performing Post-Performancist Carl Loeffler Performance or The Televisionist Performing Televisionism 33 Chronology Carl Loeffler Linda Montano 104 Talking Back to Television 35 An Identity Transfer with Joseph Beuys Anne Milne Clive Robertson 109 Hero-Redoux: Superstars Sandwiched 37 An Interview with Ian Burn Lynn Hershman Michael Auping 111 Non Nagasaki Neoist Songs 51 The Floating Museum Phase I David Levi-Strauss and Phase II Lynn Hershman 115 Disappearing into the Culture as a Frequency: Bytes from a conversation 52 Interview, July 1977 with Willoughby Sharp Douglas Davis and Peter Frank Lynette Taylor

65 A Post Hysterical Hallucination For 118 Present Tense: Rite of Passage New Romantics Michael Nash Richard Irwin 122 An Artist’s Guide to Music Television 72 Notes from the Invisible Theater or Michael Nash Beyond Fashionism: Alternative to Alternative, the Rising Voice of the New 133 Participating in an Electronic Public: Frontality & Artists’ Theatre as Art TV Art Affects Culture Richard Irwin Anna Couey 9 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology At its core, [4] television offered its target subject access to a certain kind of community and popularity was Television’s sociability. the result of a collective, and broadly-felt, desire for connection, with something or someone; and yet the highly structured and regulated actuality of television- viewing engendered only isolation. While it connected its audience to an imagined particular, interrogating obsessively the obsessively interrogating particular, whom it? For is television—what idea of to whom more importantly, and, perhaps to What is its relationship does it speak? find their And how can artists art practice? new mediascape? place in this The the slogan “Give Them In this light, of double- or Picture” evinced a kind prosai- most triple-meaning. Perhaps of the table it stood in for the role cally, each issue in of contents: to encapsulate more compelling a single “picture”. But can be seen to readings exist: “them” audience, to whom refer to the television to deliver their artists and writers meant COM hoped, ART picture—which might, more experi- produce a programming open-ended than mental, anarchic and broadcast time the rigorously controlled Picture” “Give Them The allowed. Or, might refer to the artists themselves who - COM’s formulation) to be ac were (in ART corded access to the means of televisual production—and, by extension, access to television’s mass audience. This transition, around 1980, from documenting the production of an avant-garde, perceived as such, to finding a place for artists in an expanding and volatile media marketplace, was not without its anxieties, contradictions, and vociferous debates— as a reading of the contents of this anthology will bear out. “E Unibus Pluram: In his watershed essay, David Foster Fiction,” and U.S. Television posits that television inhabited Wallace an impossible contradiction. subsequently subsequently as Art Contemporary, known to the abbreviated its name changing aesthetics of La in 1981. The COM ART the COM evolved with ART Mamelle and a black- first issues maintained name. The of aesthetic redolent and-white minimal 1980s, and mail art. In the conceptualism from the was dropped when La Mamelle trappings of a title, the aesthetic adopted colors, flashy popular publication. Bold replaced an graphics and catchy titles newsprint. austere monochrome the style Changes coursed through magazine as well. and substance of the transcripts of Offbeat artists’ statements, agoniz- conversations in a sometimes (see, for ing and digressive real-time with Ian Burn example, the conversations Frank Marioni, or between Peter and Tom and Douglas Davis in this volume), and cyberpunk rants (see Richard post-Beat Irwin’s contributions beginning on page 65), gave way to a style more polemi- cal (see the included essays by Loeffler, Michael Nash, and Anna Couey) and and discernibly fragmented, quick-mix, cut ‘n’ paste—a writing style in tune with of pop culture the new hyper-temporality in the 1980s, in particular the rhythms of took in which Loeffler and others MTV, with rapt attention. This new style accompanied a new sense of La Mamelle/ART COM’s critical project. While the magazine had always been interested in performance, video and emerging technologies, the project of considering an artist’s place in this new set of conditions now took center stage. With it came a new populist bent. Articles about cutting-edge video-art shared space with critical accounts of the cable television market, the aesthetics of the development of slow-scan video MTV, technology and early incarnations of the art was displaced Internet. Performance by “televisionism,” and bohemia by “teleculture.” The magazine began, in intending to [3] [2] Alongside serving as a venue for artists, Alongside serving as La Mamelle/ART COM—somewhat of institu- among their cohort uniquely, mission as tions—saw their special these documenting and recording practices; they anarchic and ephemeral archive of docu- did so in an extensive and through ments, artifacts and videos, their prodigious production of magazines issues and books, including twenty-five COM, as well as of La Mamelle and ART the survey texts Performance Anthology: Source Book For A Decade of California Performance- Art (1979) and Correspon dence Art: Source Book for the Network of International Postal Art (1984). Give Them the Picture presents essays and images culled from the pages of COM magazines La Mamelle and ART between 1976 and 1984, space for contemporary space for an alternative ignored by artists, where practices find their place major institutions might in history. trace in particular their discussions of time-based art practices. Pulled later from COM, this title appeared issues of ART originally as a heading on the table of contents, and was meant to signal something of a turn in the magazine’s approach around 1980. In the early years, artists— and about for, the magazine—by, was a venue for local and international art coverage; it included reviews, interviews, information about other alternative spaces and publications, and works of art made specifically for inclusion in the magazine. As the tides of artistic practice shifted throughout the course of its publication, what was La Mamelle magazine became

In light of this [1] The 70s witnessed the creation of dozens institutions devoted self-organized of new, to contemporary art, from the Western to the New Museum in Vancouver Front - in San Fran and 80 Langton in New York cisco. These organizations saw them- as a corrective to exist selves, explicitly, Video, and Television Through the Lens Video, and Television of La Mamelle/ART COM, staged at Contemporary Institute for the CCA Wattis Loeffler by Carl Arts in 2011. Founded La Mamelle— Richards in 1975, with Trudi as ART which later became known body and a COM—was a publishing a crucial moment gallery space during art in the history of San Francisco’s on performance, and culture. Focusing media- art, and, later, non-object-based based works, La Mamelle/ART COM functioned as a space for exhibitions and performances, and an organization dedicated to archiving and disseminating information related to what it saw as the most important art of the time. ing museums: institutions of modernism, of Modern Museum like the San Francisco Art (SFMOMA), which had once devoted themselves to the most cutting-edge but had practices of the avant-garde, fallen behind the times by not exhibiting performance, video, and the most radical forms of conceptual art. is an anthology the Picture is an anthology Give Them appeared in La of writings that originally magazines. It COM Mamelle and ART God Only accompanies the exhibition Is: Performance,Knows Who the Audience Give Them the Picture: Picture: the Them Give An Introduction perceived dereliction of duty, La Mamelle/ perceived dereliction of duty, ART COM was imagined by its organizers, who came to include the artist Nancy as and the archivist Darlene Tong, Frank

8 11 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - [4] - This [5] of performances were often intended for were often intended of performances without aspirations the artists themselves, of the actions. towards re-presentations of La Mamelle/ In contrast, the organizers world of possibility ART COM saw a new and television; in the language of video “tele-culture,” or literally described as they saw video culture at a distance, performance as an opportunity to extend mass audience, art to a dispersed and after the making the works accessible location and fact. Untethered to a specific might gain a time, these performances and new life. In the mind of Carl Loeffler, others working within the La Mamelle/ART COM network, television and video could offer performance art something more than just another evidence of an otherwise They believed that ephemeral activity. video and television broadcast were the art of the future, a solution to the plight of what they perceived to be an increasingly alienated and uninterested audience. That many artists felt ambivalent towards the prospect of their work being mediated for some unknown audience is under standable. Eleanor Antin, who worked through both live performance and video, said in an interview with Mary Stofflet: is always more live performance “A interesting than a videotape of it.” statement sets up a qualitative hierarchy in which the value of the recorded perfor mance is made distinct from the original action. Video exists as a lesser incarnation of live performance—even if that perfor mance was done in order to produce a video. Still, many saw the video document as art in and of as a worthwhile endeavor, During the mid-1970s and early 80s, itself. La Mamelle/ART COM positioned itself as - While Though [2] [3] With- the exception of a photog [1] video recordings were slowly becoming more common in the early 1970s as a means to document performance, Fox was more interested in “creating situations,” than in “making pieces.” Corner Push was meant to exist as a situation (and only in the present), the reality of the photograph (which extends into the future) enacts a relationship between artist and audience that fuses the past and present. By the mid-1970s and early 1980s, perfor pursued was mance of the kind that Fox Like many early changing dramatically. performances, Corner Push was enacted for a very limited public (if anyone was there at all), and embodied an attitude towards documentation and mediation that was ambivalent at best. Recordings Susannah Magers Magers Susannah Performance The Mediated Fox of 1970, artist Terry In the spring corner of San pushed himself into a “as far gallery, Reese Palley Francisco’s as long” as he into the corner and for could. rapher, who snapped the only available rapher, was no witness image of the work, there isolation this Fox, to this performance. For site- was the crux of the interaction: meant to exist only specific, the act was as an in the moment of its execution, exchange be- intensely personal, kinetic of the gallery and the tween the materiality of the pho- the presence Yet artist’s body. tographer signaled an ambiguous futurity; an element not yet present, but latent within the situation—that of the audience. What we know of this performance comes to us through various forms of mediation: and a photograph, traces found in a letter, own recounting in an interview in Fox’s with the art magazine Avalanche.

, 13:2 Space/Time/ began as a La Mamelle ’s last printed issue in 1984. — & Julian Myers, eds. Liz Glass, Susannah Magers ible and fast-moving independent spaces. SFMOMA later established the Media Arts Department in 1988, to collect and exhibit video and media- based works. 2. As recalled by both Nancy Frank and Darlene Tong in the interviews published in this book. 3. Though at the Museum in 1979–80. Despite at the Museum in 1979–80. the Museum these efforts, however, these new was slower at addressing the more flex media forms than were publication in 1975—its existence pre-dating the physical space of issues of the publications that were released after 1976, and through ART COM 4. David Foster Wallace, “E Unibus Pluram: Television and U.S. Fiction,” Review of Contemporary Fiction (1993: Summer), p. 151. Sound—1970s: A Decade in the Bay Area Sound—1970s: A Decade La Mamelle/ART COM—all of the essays reproduced here are taken from showing artists like Vito Acconci, showing artists like Campus, Tom Marioni, and Peter mid-1970s. The among others, in the overtly to the museum also responded scene of the emerging alternative 1970s in the exhibition Footnotes: Footnotes: to adapt to 1. SFMOMA was attempting art climate, the changes in the how different read, just as you picturing, be, if the might present this exhausting had their way. authors had

There is a certain pathos to this dream. These populists never truly became popu- they saw even as the transformations lar, so clearly on the horizon—and in which they meant to carve out a space—came to pass without them: the earth-shifting the chaos Wide Web, advent of the World - social networking, hand of YouTube, held digital recorders, and mass market satellite television. The mass-medium of television, which the authors revered and criticized, was, even during the time of - as audi COM, beginning to splinter, ART ences were given more choice through the development of new cable channels, and the ultimate audience-controlled device, the VCR. The very technology on which these tech-modernists based so much theorizing and art making, analogue television broadcast, has itself become largely obsolete, its pixilated glow replaced everywhere by a featureless, digital signal. Still, it is worth crisp ATSC was another of La Mamelle/ART COM’s of La Mamelle/ART was another both slogans, embodying ambivalent this new disconnected despair about at the and giddy excitement community, this vast and invis- dream of addressing is to say that within ible audience. Which television, La the apparatus of broadcast a different Mamelle/ART COM imagined Wallace’s contrary to Foster possibility, that might liberate pessimistic view: one build something TV from banality and They pictured more authentically social. the televised image an exchange between more open, and the audience—something at least, Or, democratic, and responsive. in moments of still-remarkable ambition and pioneering optimism, a new apparatus and an expanded audience for artistic material—video and television made by artists. “God Only Knows Who The Audience Is,” Knows Who The Audience “God Only or imaged “outside,” it was ultimately con- ultimately it was “outside,” or imaged determined apparatus alone. The sumed the experience—absolutely.

10 13 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - - Douglas Davis may have Douglas Davis may have [10] [9] Peter Frank: You have just finished You Frank: Peter the Documenta satellite telecast—with audience for Your Beuys and Paik. this performance, live and taped, must have been in the millions, touching several continents. Didn’t the enormity of the event—as a spectacle or inter national Nielsen milker—obscure its message? Douglas Davis: Only if you assume that the viewer saw it as part of the mass, as an unman. I doubt that he/she did. And I was trying to break not to millions through to him/her, of people. That figure is a myth, any There is only one mind, at most way. two or three, on the other side of the screen. hindsight, we might decide that moving that moving decide we might hindsight, artists is a for “mass appeal” towards on too dependent or one futile endeavor, an era of mass public that, in an idea of a fragmentation, demographic ever-more now know that a We day. has seen its the extended infinitely across teleculture not necessarily produce globe does nor guarantee any kind of audience, let or more en- alone one that is larger media allow for gaged—even as social among millions of the rapid proliferation, and non- viewers, of political resistance blithe equanimity. sensical memes with can still neverthe- But perhaps today’s art to “one mind,” less endeavor to speak of home if not to the limitless audience COM viewers of whom La Mamelle/ART dreamed. encapsulated this best in a 1977 inter encapsulated this best view describing his Documenta satellite telecast: - Videozines practice, the of artistic mode different aesthetic—one into view a bring in its and humorous more unpredictable and the absurd, and use of self-parody anti- a fiercely subcultural, demonstrating object brashness. produc- Mamelle/ART COM’s Though La television, tions never reached network in some ways, the these projects foretell, self-organized relative democracy and amateur where world YouTube—a of world sit on (relatively) and radical productions of media con- equal terms with those and art are seen glomerates, and parody In this regard, alongside advertorials. in the dialogues in Loeffler and the voices COM and ART the pages of La Mamelle idealism got it right—but this relative the question of stands in tension with the quality and authenticity of interac- tions through this sort of half-mediated It stands to question hyper-connectivity. for whose benefit this increased ability to communicate exists, with Facebook multi-billion dollar admin- as and Twitter istrators. Which is to say that television (and subsequently the Internet) did not liberate art or make it more accessible, as La Mamelle/ART COM had hoped. It created, instead, a way of seeing and an aesthetic that artists often were drawn to, even if their attraction was communicated through means of rejection. The works presented in the exhibition God Only Knows Who the Audience Is, and the essays included in this volume, do not constitute a unified take on the problemat ics of mediation, television, performance, or anything else. Instead they present a discourse, among a network of peers, and discontents, elaborated over time, with these subjects as their centers of This enables us, as “viewers” gravity. with an historical perspective, to evaluate the real effects of the shift in art practice toward various apparatuses of “telecommunication.” Maybe, with the benefit of -

[7] What does translate, however, is What does translate, however, [8] One of La Mamelle/ART COM’s own COM’s La Mamelle/ART One of from San 6: Live Videozine productions, New Video PerformanceFrancisco: brings Unlike the into relief. these positions dura- actions and extended experimental art, earlier video tions that characterized of a low-budget has the look Videozine 6 Live. of Saturday Night reincarnation produced and Hosted by Loeffler himself, a studio audience broadcast live before the video begins in La Mamelle’s space, Banana descending with Dada artist Anna strobes and the a staircase under flashing Nude Descending A Staircase” words “A to the famous (a reference, of course, 1912). The program Duchamp painting of from this initial then cuts very abruptly into a fast-paced scenario, and segues shedding montage quality throughout, earlier video for an the long durations of effect more akin to flipping channels. The broadcast pictures Banana shaving a star into the back of Buster Cleveland’s head; a line of people peeling, eating, and shov- ing bananas into each other’s faces; and even incorporates a “commercial” featur ing Nancy Frank sheepishly hiding behind sheepishly ing Nancy Frank a package of hot dogs. Even an informed viewing of this bizarre content finds it hard to imagine pausing on this while flipping through channels, and recognizing it as an artist-made production. The banality of the work, and its inability to translate the live quality it so desperately attempts, is immediately apparent. If “television art looks to the art context as a means to the end,” a commendable effort towards greater accessibility through cable access and the attempt at escaping broadcast TV, status quo. Through their the art-context adherence to a disruptive, Dada-inspired then, ironically, the format invoked by the then, ironically, Videozine series served to reinforce its audience’s marginalization. The Videozines are reliant on Loeffler’s tenet, “video art looks to the art context for meaning in the end.” - -

While [6] a leveling force within this tense dialectical tense dialectical this force within a leveling of the perfor the idea between exchange writing in later issues of ART Carl Loeffler, dialectic COM, illuminated this evolving and televi- between video, performance, sion. In the last installment of his four-part series on what he called, “Performing Loeffler Performance,” Post-Performancist identified definitive boundaries and rules of conduct separating television and video, video-as-art, and television-as-art. In doing so, Loeffler aligned video art with claiming that it is “perceived marketability, as an art commodity that increases in value over time,” while television art existed altruistically as “information that only has value for as long as it is useful.” mance, the trace, and the audience. By trace, and the audience. mance, the the mediated performance, emphasizing COM of La Mamelle/ART the productions “live” equal value to both sought to grant and its resulting recording. performance La Antin’s pronouncement Contrary to a videotape Mamelle/ART COM believed not only interesting of a performance was past action, as a document of some produced “art” but as something that such back; played was it every time the served to interrogate re-evaluations performance bare “presentness” that had always evinced. the divisions that Loeffler set up in the article were an attempt to parse the dif ferences and tensions that exist between video and television, today some of his statements seem problematic. Perhaps most problematic was Loeffler’s advocacy for the “accessibility” of television art, set in opposition to the “mystification” of video. Though television art tries for more accessibility than video art, it does not succeed; the supposed “non-art” audience for television art is unknowable (and harder to reach) than the “art” audience associated with video art seen within the context of a gallery.

12 15 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology y: y:

1975-1984 g tholo An -

, Number Art Contemporary . New York: Dutton Publish . New York: ing, 1978, p. 32. ing, 1978, Peter Frank, 10. Douglas Davis and included in “Interview, July 1977,” 52. Originally this anthology, p. published in 9, Volume 3 (1), 1977. From Douglas Davis’ “The End of Davis’ “The End 9. From Douglas Battock, Vapor.” Gregory Video: White Video: A Critical ed. New Artists Anthology

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, April , New York, , Video Issue, Avalanche (1970): “I’m very (1970): “I’m Avalanche La Mamelle , Number 19, Volume 5 (3), Corner Push Footnotes: to La from Terry Fox 1. From a letter Loef COM co-founder Carl Mamelle/ART explaining March 21, 1970, fler, dated Fox’s Winter, 1971, p. 76. 4. The organization’s archivist Tong states that they moved away from the conceptual format, both in the magazine and in the exhibition space, because the audience for live perfor mances in the space of the gallery seemed to be getting bored. See the interview with Darlene Tong in this anthology, p. 192. 5. See Mary Stofflet’s “Eleanor Antin: An interview by mail,” included in this anthology, p. 21. Originally published in Winter, 1976. 6. From Carl Loeffler’s “Performing Post-Performancist Performance or The Televisionist Performing Televi sionism,” included in this anthology, p. 100. Originally published in ART COM 1982. 7. Ibid. 8. Ibid. happy you want to use the photo want to use the photo happy you 1970, np. turn in Fox’s 3. This illuminates a in Terry Fox, practice, as he states “I Wanted to Have My Mood Affect Their Looks.” for your book.” A photograph of the A photograph for your book.” as the cover performance was used COM’s publication, for La Mamelle/ART A Source Book Performance Anthology: Perfor for a Decade of California Contemporary Francisco: San Art. mance Arts Press, 1980. “Terry Fox: 2. Willoughby Sharp. Elemental Gestures.”

14 17 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - David Highsmith David Pages: the From La Mamelle: Some Words: Lifting History Some the natural laws. The work I’m observe interpretation. To No reviews or critical vulnerable. The huck at dawn clear light. Chance that makes me Up doing now. inside Wrote “Forever” the names. Needless to say, sters have gone further. Residue resulting from actions; objects. be considered as sculpture. the outline. To of the classic breakout. This balance lies quite close. Mind The translation of this jerking motions. the exhibition. Vibrating and making bent. Catalogue can become CHANEC. life. CHANCE CHANTS CHACES CHASNT It approximates and imitates alone. An attempt to elucidate can’t do this the space. You Problem was getting Vitae to insure. methods. Their Curriculae spanned by the exhibi- Art happens in and out. The Banana by A. Banana. Years than is. The action out of verbs. tion. Out to its most logical. By implying more never quite the same. school I. Was Attempt to subvert this conditioning. I left art the fibers. The surrender to pure A stiffened harness and leash. The knots and provide Molecular build up of values. process. Archeological remains that might An equal footing with “Science.” Retirement after an enlightening experience. through with minimal diversions. Put it Followed to the support structure. Further, The widest variety of objects. We in practical terms. A photograph of a mountain. went out of doors. resist is fruitless. “Publication” is the critical moment. Burden that Welcome…to narrative. An algorithm depicting this he never wanted. Present discussed in the together for three days. NBC,performance. A black and white world. Handcuffed it was. The more we can connect. Hard it is how soft CBS, ABC, BBC, CBC. Told Symmetrical architecture of the museum. she said. Eyes, testes and bone marrow. Costumes have always bored Of water to a fish. Didactic in its political stance. More tightly Designed to let content recur. me. Hyperactive, and a good organizer. performance. They had their structured, and less. The biological time structure shoes off. exists. Syringe full of my blood. The taste as a material. This daily motion which the working class. Identity transfer is a public. Part of The object enters my field. A universe of subjective possibilities. Think is Space is their monthly calendar. opposition In the most important. Of male and female forms. My heart for a year. to established rituals. Exploit his or her work. Rooms receding into other rooms. life. Choice, from Outside/Inside installation. decadence, ahh…beauty, Fascism, Shape of the particular constellation. Players head towards the showers. The of a real life. telegrapher in the picnic. That made his brain deteriorate. Form

16 19 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Darryl Sapien Darryl and the Art Video Cliché Ultimate One boy read: her class to use a familiar word in a new way. A teacher once asked his phrase, he said, with a cliché on his face.” Asked to explain “The boy returned home cliché as a worn-out expression.” “The dictionary defines if call it, regardless of its content is nothing or video or whatever you like to Television 90% a proces- cliché of our time. Not only is the programming not the most egregious it initiates in but so are the definite behavior patterns sion of staggering platitudes, visual bromide. Can even the very “look” of the hardware is a people just to watch it; one evoked when and predictable proposition than the you imagine a more tiresome the tube tonight?” of boredom) suggests, “I wonder what’s on someone (usually out the Messianic attitude with mind-yielding resignation. And despite The phrase resonates truth is that the move- videophiles (artists included) the sad held by many “alternative” the mud of its own banality. ment has barely been able to slog through this bit of heresy I will present my counter Now before anyone gets too steamed-up over centuries the secret weapon of art. For point: the cliché is at one time the enemy and of society to probe ever deeper into the artists have used these vacuous products most effective the cliché can be used as cultural consciousness of civilization. At its of pretense that surrounds any hackneyed an accurate needle to puncture the balloon example in the “tragic-farce” For institution, often revealing its archetypal substructure. he accomplishes this with language by play by Eugene lonesco, The Bald Soprano, clichés taken from an English language using as a dialogue chains of unrelated verbal us how these readymade utterances represent a funda- In the process he shows primer. mental isolation of man. his Captain Video adventures, with artists using video like Willy Walker Not unrelatedly, Prisoner’s Dilemma, narrative-cops-and- or even Richard Serra and Robert Bell in their aspects of both commercial and non- use cliché robbers-Dragnet-game-theory-cocktail, effectively reveals how these pathetically commercial (artists’) video. Here cliché in art of our perception of society’s arche- staged melodramas contribute to the perversion no with the everyday world. However, types and distort our thought patterns in dealing off within the traditional medium of matter how trenchantly this subversion is carried surmounting the cliché aspects of viewing television, there still remains the problem of Regardless of how successful the artist context vis-à-vis the hardware and environment. fact remains that we are still sitting in the is at subverting the banality of television, the same room looking at the same TV in the customary somnambulistic state. Essentially we are still watching the same thing: the experience does not deviate much from the situation being criticized, and it amounts to an incomplete attempt at shedding cliché, not really offering us an alternative. In order for the artist using video to escape unwittingly having his work suffer from the - Number 10, Volume 3, (2), 1978. Number 10, Volume Originally published in Art Contemporary,

Social, geographic and economic factors. Personal clothing, other human bodies. As Personal Social, geographic and economic factors. touches, looking at mirrors. Certain a precondition to communication. Deformations, mechanics, psychology and biology. branches of spiritual production. Economics, I’m glad if I can. Remove them from the Codification dependent upon the structure. as scores for performance. The doctrines of actual. Involving dogs, fire, and god. Used Breaking all his ten commandments. divine revelation. The mouthpiece of the soul. Magazine as a recording vehicle. Saturation with ambiguous subject matter. Renewal of matter. vehicle. Saturation with ambiguous subject Magazine as a recording expected “something” as methodology for presentation. They the play element. Proxy never exceeds the the Big Idea. Be where it all began. Being to happen. Search for The Sonic, visual, and oral history. fragment. Signification to a perceptible impression. Ordering point to the intuitive. The dress of their times. Synthesis of art and science. Private life of the artist. Liquid in nature and pours. Rotated on inner game of Tennis. structure of a town. Then to be Political a monthly basis. The interests of Fluxus West. sequential variations. Repetition to the considered transitional. Using diaristic, narrative, historic fascinations. Every piece of sculp- open state. Contemporary involvement with Edge. A tool for the mediation. The surface ture accountable. Muzak from Beyond the language is enhanced. Process of atonement and purification. whose of the pool. Text Situations within a familiar framework. Provides security for art openings. For the sake of image. A food and land library. A library. and land A food sake of image. the For for art openings. security Provides will include. of secrets Exchange construction. another Art or simply in the city. sojourn with the flies. Revealing encounter to the zen monk. tool projects. Caduceus A series of bread Your smokes, cake. Coffee, tea, spices, towards the landscape. Money walked Within between and Without. the drums. Point work. Learning to play and butter An uncommit line. The part of the in the unemployment of working. Standing intuitive way of the silence. Receptive to a new control. No announcement Such a conspiracy of page. A story of posters with facts. Strings on the opposite performance. Sequence building blocks. The The fundamentals, the activities in the lobby. behind each one. The a contextual art. Art as Research & reference material only. pun of burning oranges. without explanation The flavor of the exhibit. Presented of a binary structure. Perspective and physical reflec- the resources of language. This historical or structure. Ostensibly, of collaboration. information. The underlying attitude to package complex tion. Trying ted. The discontinuous states of being. The running of the gauntlet. We all make formal all make the gauntlet. We being. The running of states of ted. The discontinuous decisions.

18 21 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology How did you get involved with video? MS: How did you get involved MS: Do you watch a lot of commercial TV? MS: What kind? in front of a tube watch- MS: How do you feel about viewers sitting passively ing a video piece? MS: Do you feel that the audience has to put forth more effort to react to a live performance piece or a video piece? MS: Do you think there is a lot of difference between improvisational theater and artists doing performance pieces? Mary Stofflet Stofflet Mary Antin: Eleanor mail by An interview

work. EA: I was just at the beginning of my self-transformation It was back in ‘73 and like bumping know, image as a kind of trap for myself…you I began to use the video get caught You of a friend’s lobby or a cigarette machine. into yourself in the mirror thinking you were a moment when you might catch yourself unawares. There’s that There will be a double chin stranger? Underneath you know better. stranger…a beautiful Not anymore, though. used video as a kind of innocent mirror. at least. I guess I first bored me. My self- in appearances. Costumes have always I became less interested The will needs space to that you need a theater. act of will. For transformations are an is about reasons my video went into narrative. Narrative move. That’s one of the again. get caught you call that THE END and start moving on. When you EA: Yes. Barnaby Jones, even EA:The Streets of San Francisco, Harry O., I like police programs. too much. On all of these programs, Kojak sometimes, though the sexism gets to be When television needs a people, it’s Never “people.” women are either victims or sexy. same with movies and books. I’ve got to always a man. But I have no choice. It’s the I need narrative every few days like most have my narrative experience or I freak out. a detective novel—a several hours of TV, people need sex or grass. It can be a movie, that makes no pretense at being or Agatha Christie. Narrative Ross Macdonald, say, anything else. EA: What’s passive about the What do you want them to do? Have a happening? and read a book? Or sit in a dark movie narrative experience? Is it passive to sit still painting on a wall, for that matter? theater and watch the screen? Or look at a seem to want EA: I don’t understand what you’re implying in the last few questions. You the audience to work or something. Why? They’re not getting paid for it. Volume 1, Number 3, Winter 1976. Originally published in La Mamelle, Volume

There is an old saying that goes, “I don’t know who discovered water but I do know that goes, “I don’t know who discovered There is an old saying and its vast audience. The same idea can be applied to television that it was not a fish.” of water to a fish would means of demonstrating the subtleties Just as the most effective from the ocean of stale artist must remove his public somehow remove him from it, the the medium. My point to expose the latent expressive qualities of television experience deliberately the cliché when the artist in charge utilizes is that this can be accomplished an inversion of the TV content or even more effectively attempts aspects of commercial rely on the falsehood Artists using video cannot continue to traditional viewing context. must necessarily be unique and therefore el- that because they are artists their products only thing that can make artists’ video any evated to a loftier plane of appreciation. The of the basic banality of the medium different from anybody else’s video is a cognizance before the first camera shot is taken. As and a dedication to deal with that issue even to point toward the failure of language, the verbal cliché chains of Ionesco were used by the artist most profoundly probe the so can the treatment of video as ultimate cliché of Alfred Jarry’s prophecy that “The cliché minds of our contemporaries in confirmation is the armature of the absolute.” debilitating effect of a cliché format, he must either parody video by use of inherent of inherent video by use parody must either format, he of a cliché effect debilitating which departs manner, unprecedented an altogether system in or use the cliché in a usage cases this results experience. In many the normal television radically from respect In this of the technology. unique capacities advantage of the most which takes over the have a real edge performances as well as video-assisted video installation the installation conditions situation. In one-to-one…monitor-to-spectator-in-a-chair becomes and consequently entity in the artwork a primary or supporting viewer is often video used By participating with the piece. involved with experiencing more rigorously from the numbing the spectator can temporarily free himself in this unique manner perceive unhindered as well as in viewing context and can effect of cliché in content television pre-conditioning. by Pavlovian

20 23 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - Do you do performances specifically for the purpose of making a video making a video of for the purpose specifically do performances MS: Do you gives no sense videotape as a the Bum and example, The Ballerina For piece? I saw which Meditation, The King’s other hand, On the nearby. of an audience was clearly not done of Honor, of the Legion the California Palace recently at meant for taping. as a performance collaborate in your work at all? MS: Do you and David (Antin) I’ve seen. They are among the most widely accessible videotapes MS: Your pity—a whole range of human reactions. Is this a sadness, provoke laughter, and mysteriousness often found conscious effort to stay away from the elitism in performance and video art? in your ballerina pieces where MS: I find that I always react strongly to the part while living in Solana Beach. you describe learning to be a Russian ballerina you find you can only dance in one After studying from books, before mirrors, more than a simple humorous place standing still. This seems to be so much it has for you? statement—would you explain the significance Francisco) that I saw a few weeks ago MS: A flier from 80 Langton St. (San said “(Eleanor Antin’s) strong concern with personality separates her from her conceptual contemporaries.” Do you agree? EA:perfor audience. I do my space, time and for a particular I do live performances can’t call it More than we like most other artists. But you like each other’s work. EA: We Germs. work look that close? Wow! collaboration. Does our EA: but I don’t. I’m only doing what No, people often consider me a didactic artist video are primarily narrative. I do think seems reasonable to me. My interests in making need. I think sometimes that it acts on the the narrative experience is a basic human of the world, putting it together in same principles as dreams, as a kind of re-ordering those ways and paths we discarded in different ways, just for the hell of it, to try out in this world you could have taken every step you take favor of the ones we took. For us, those discarded steps. Narrative is a several others instead. They sit there haunting let the discards, the losers. You kind of exorcism, a trying-on of the “might-have-beens,” you. Maybe. them in for a while and they stop haunting EA: No. EA: I think the writer got that from an article in Art in America, “The Post-Perceptual by Amy Goldin, which was published in the winter of ‘75, I think. It was a true Portrait” mances on video only for an audience that will subsequently look at it on a small TV look at it on a that will subsequently video only for an audience mances on comfortably on the dark, or semi-dark room, hopefully sprawling screen, probably in a ) I used an audience on video (in The Little Match Girl Ballet floor or on pillows. Once the narrative I was to set up a Degas-like space from which but I used them deliberately telling overflowed its So the story I was take me far away. spieling out would eventually and faucets. Terry’s spoons unlike not screen, taking over, banks and flooded the What relationship do you see between a performance piece and a video- MS: What relationship do you see between a performance tape of that piece? MS: What about video on cable TV? What is the ideal situation for video viewing? MS: What is the ideal situation for video viewing? Why is some video so extremely boring? I’m thinking particularly of extremely boring? I’m thinking particularly MS: Why is some video so Benglis’ piece Female Video Sensibility which is in the Southland Lynda I went to some of her video work was boring, so I had read that Anthology. see it and it was boring. Is video more important to you as a documentation medium or as a as a documentation medium important to you MS: Is video more experiments? medium for technical EA: A live performance is always more interesting than a videotape of it. It’s certainly not necessarily more interesting than a videotape conceived and performed as its own thing. EA: general public trained by commercial I haven’t thought about it. I don’t know if a video. On the other hand, if that public television would be interested in most artists’ that be good or different video. Would offered themselves, maybe artists would make for an artist to walk a thin line between But it might be interesting bad? I don’t know. They’re probably too tight anyway. television and video. Loosen the genre markings. both sides. For There’s no such thing as an ideal anything. You take what you can get. If the EA: You There’s no such thing as an ideal anything. “situation” interferes too much you’ll go away. I don’t know, maybe you don’t think that’s really “female sensibility,” or maybe vou that’s really “female sensibility,” maybe you don’t think EA: I don’t know, told me his video and performance work Fox Terry don’t care about “female sensibility.” He didn’t believe me when I said I necessity. was boring. He accepts it as a fact of life. A time” and didn’t find Children’s Games boring. He gives those “humble” objects “equal any good still life. Is a Chardin boring? they fill that space with their activities. Like Neither. It’s time we stopped using that word “documentation.” I mean, after the It’s time we stopped using that word “documentation.” EA: Neither. got. That docu- that’s all you’ve talking about goes away, fact, when the event you’re what you mean. You technical experiments, I don’t understand ment is the art. As for to do. When you of technique necessary to do what you have only need the amount to experiment? That’s you’d better acquire it. Who has time say, need something, a skill, for amateurs. EA: (at UCSD performer” a “theater I meet learn. Whenever I never teach I’m where I artists what tell them about I drama department) of the into members bumping always sensational, usually go for the Barbara Smith—I performers. Chris Burden, are doing as they’re never interested. They’re always polite—but their interest. hoping to engage prob- and we do ours. They they do their thing They know smug, really. They are very they talk funny. they’re all bores. Besides approve of ours. I think ably don’t

22 25 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Carl Loeffler Carl Director of Marioni, Tom Art Conceptual of the Museum in Francisco, San (MOCA), Conversation a point of defining the Museum of CL: Maybe we can start from Conceptual Art. say that MOCA is now in a phasing out period. CL: You Well, I can’t describe what it is now because it’s in a phasing out kind of period. it is now because it’s in a phasing out kind I can’t describe what TM: Well, a museum. It wasn’t intention when I started it. It was to make I can say what was my have called it a alternative art space because I wouldn’t necessarily to make an to be part of the estab- make an alternative art space. I wanted it museum if I wanted to in museums when beginning because I had come from working lishment right from the the Cincinnati Art Museum as an assistant I was in art school in Cincinnati. I worked in and museum and that formed my interest to the curator of the contemporary gallery after I had been an artist for ten years or so, I in museum work. So then much later, as curator and that changed my whole happened to get a job at Richmond Art Center more so than a private one, like being con- outlook. It gave me a kind of social position, it changed my whole attitude. After I was cerned with getting things to the public. So my own museum because there were at Richmond for two years, I decided to start I did some things that were adventurous, things I couldn’t do at Richmond. Even though as I wanted to, so I started my own far-out experimental, I still didn’t do the things as to get canned. So, in 1970, I started space. Also, it looked as though I was going museum was I because is museum a as it started I reason the and museum, a as MOCA a museum for actions instead of objects. oriented. I was a museum person, so it was museums. But basically the defini- That’s the difference between MOCA and traditional things. It preserves works, you know, tion of a museum is a place that houses and So the it isn’t a museum technically. has a collection. If it doesn’t have a collection, I never exhibited. But the documentation collection consisted of documentation, which films, videotapes, and all that, and later I was records of art activity like documents, I was over there at 86 Third in right now. moved across the street to the space we’re Street from ’70 to ’72. relics, residues from actions that took place Since that time the collection has included and places that were used as performing here and environments built into the space, of things that have become a part of the spaces. So that now the collection consists architecture of the building. So that the works can’t be moved. When the building gets torn down by the Redevelopment Agency the works of art will be destroyed too, you owned, so they’re public works of art. They’re truly public because they can’t be know, they can’t be moved. They’re going to be destroyed. Volme 1, Number 3, Winter 1976. Volme Originally published in La Mamelle, Would you say a few words about Ernie Kovacs? you say a few words MS: Would How do you see your involvement with video developing over the next with video developing see your involvement MS: How do you if you plan that far ahead? few years,

I don’t recall watching much of Ernie Kovacs. I don’t remember why either. But I I don’t remember why either. EA: much of Ernie Kovacs. I don’t recall watching Berle. How I loved Milton Berle! remember loving Milton She, the EA: my Nurse Tapes. this time, I’m making and more narrative. At Narrative, They are the actors in these video- dolls she’s made herself. nurse, plays with paper kill discarded by her, fall in love with the Eleanor doll, get tapes. They have adventures, say it’s narrative starting on a course of regressions. might You themselves or whatever. invents her own inventions (the paper dolls). My invention (the nurse) statement as far as the other artists discussed in the article went. Since those artists are those artists went. Since the article in artists discussed as the other as far statement one around I’m the only agree that I can’t contemporaries,” only “conceptual not my with personality. concerned

24 27 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - So you say that you graduated from art school and you were studying studying and you were art school from you graduated say that CL: So you is painting studio, you had a I believe At that time art? Painting. visual that right? came for you when the Richmond Art Center thing CL: So what was going on you was just given to you or was it something that something that up? Was towards? were internally working that time? CL: What were you doing as a personal art at Yeah. I was doing sculpture when I was in art school. First painting and then I in art school. First painting sculpture when I was I was doing TM: Yeah. So I was also a freelance commercial art too. sculpture. But I studied switched to designed, the magazine so it looks why I can lay out for a while. That’s graphic designer so it looks clean. you know, designer, that were related to art. I was a commercial I always had odd jobs TM: Well, I was a graphic designer for a company That was my first job. designed rugs and stuff. in Newport Beach, art. I did different projects like a playground that did architectural and then the company different stuff like that for about three years California. I designed at the Richmond Art sculptor and after I left that job I got the job folded. It was run by a and sculpture and commercial I’ve done painting I painted murals in the Army. Center. about 6 months, in an things. I worked in a nightclub for art. I’ve done a lot of different just because I applied for it and hap- act with a model. And I got the job at Richmond like that. pened to pass the test, the interview and everything sculpture like David Smith. see, from when I was in art school I did welded TM: Well, a while when I was in the Army I did hard And then after I got out of art school and for on Masonite—things like that. Real design edge paintings, acrylic paintings, you know, and then I started doing Kelly, Ellsworth oriented, first by Stuart Davis and then by sculptures like that—until ’68, that was the sculptures. Minimal sculptures. I did a lot of works like that. And I was in shows, I had kind of sculpture I did. But I did hundreds of in ’66. But I was like a real minor shows. The Hansen Gallery handled my sculpture artist. I certainly wasn’t recognized in the artist. I was a real second-generation minimal then, and I did Los Angeles kind of art. Bay Area because funk was a dominant thinking foreign for this environment. But I was It was totally It was all plastic and polished, shiny. I just didn’t understand. But then after I trying to make sophisticated looking art. And about making art changed. Being in the went to work in Richmond my whole concept So then I began different kind of view. position, being curator there gave me a totally weren’t generally considered to be sculp- experimenting with things like materials that a work, I was a guest artist at San Jose ture material. Like taste and sound, and I did there experience the same taste that I ex State in ’70. I wanted to have the students perienced simultaneously and I wanted to have us make sound work and a taste work perienced simultaneously and I wanted to of students had made, an adobe hut, combined. So we were in this hut that a bunch near school and we had carrots so I instructed all of them to bite into the carrot so that their teeth would sink into the carrot a little bit and then, too, instead of biting through the carrot, I wanted everybody to snap the carrot at the same time. So that when you break a fresh carrot it makes a sound. I wanted it all to be simultaneous so just this loud a snap and then everybody would taste the carrot at the same time so we could make CM: Vision is viewed as an elitist publication…is it? in conjunction with your preservation attitudes? And is CL: How is Vision in conjunction with your Vision now your primary interest? Absolutely…but it’s because it’s so specialized. When you’re dealing with some- TM: Absolutely…but it’s because it’s so specialized. art, like an art magazine that deals with thing that’s so specialized like conceptual art, then you’ve got a small audience idea-oriented art, not necessarily just performance there’s no way of getting around being of people who have a special interest. I mean some people consider it a place for a kind elitist. MOCA has always been elitist. I mean to do something that’s like an intellectual of in-group of people, and that you’re going pursuit. When you’re doing aesthetic experiments and stuff like that, it’s elitist. And you just can’t deny it. So I accept it. But socialistic too because the works are public. It’s to open to the public, it’s free. I don’t encourage the public to come, cause I don’t want a spend a lot of time starting from the beginning trying to educate them. So it’s really for an educated audience. You know, specific audience. Well, I’m doing actions myself, sound actions. My concerns are the marriage of I’m doing actions myself, TM: Well, since ’69, and with preserving this space sound and visual art, which I’ve been doing And it’s extension for the publisher and with doing the magazine, which is an extension. operation because she puts out her it’s an extension of her and Kathan Brown. For like a print that she’s putting out and I’m works of fine art like prints. And the book is another format, another exhibition space. editing. It’s an extension for me because it’s the pages as if they were given so much exhi- The first issue, artists were invited to view outside the space, on the radio, on TV, bition space. So, I like to work in different ways; I mean to make something of high quality. not just in one place. I wanted you know, good paper, quality I mean physical quality, there are a lot of publications, but by high Most people told me they thought it that, you know. Nobody expected sewn together. because that’s generally associated with conceptual art. was going to be a newspaper, TM: Well, as a performance space, it is. I doubt if I’ll have any more performances here. here. performances any more if I’ll have it is. I doubt space, a performance as TM: Well, - of the acad become part They’ve academic. become have that performances I think to museum is as a of my concerns more. One do it any a need to there isn’t And emy. the same as because I’ve kept it preserving that space, what I’m doing is preserve. And the space. do anything like that to or paint it white or didn’t sand the floors I found it. I perfect. in and saw it, it was years and when I moved company for 50 It was a printing to save things think in positions be saved. People that should It was like something an industrial think of saving houses. They wouldn’t only save Victorian that they should glass windows and another age. It’s got real quality to it, stained space as a relic from get used much in so, even though the space doesn’t those things here that…anyway, being used and I’m saving it. It has it’s exhibitions and stuff, a traditional way like for It’s collecting energy and it has a lot of and that’s basic stuff. a purpose, you know, hill where a battle took that have happened in it. Kind of like a energy from past things it survives. And that’s part something you can feel the energy from, place, you know, is a relic and an too (pointing). That case of empty beer bottles of my personal setting It happened. It’s like I drank all those beers in one afternoon. activity that I did in ’72. It’s an object that was used as a material, made as an end in itself. an object that wasn’t to communicate an idea. to explain something,

26 29 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Can we get into your personal art? into your personal art? CL: Can we get was a museum for that kind of conceptual art which is a real strong West Coast Coast strong West is a real art which of conceptual that kind museum for was a with it because a lot to do MOCA has Probably aesthetic. Bay Area a real phenomena, other places there were art before kind of to do that for people to show, it was a space country. kind of art in the a first space for this around. It was because they’re I want to talk about just a couple of pieces maybe there’s TM: Well, Art Museum. I had reasons. I want to talk about the Santa Clara interesting for political I am. It is a and she’s Italian, just like Modi-Vitale run by Lydia a show there in ’72. It’s me to have a show this museum is at in Santa Clara. She invited Catholic University that So she said, $500. what kind of budget there was for the show. there and I asked her So, I bought my Fiat with my show I’d like to buy a car for myself. And so I said, well for $150 left that we Fiat and paid $350 for it and there was I bought a used the money. wedding invitations, formal nice announcements, sort of like used to print these real the name of the show in double envelopes and everything. And nice announcements was just getting See, Don Potts Don Potts. which was a spoof on was My First Car, going I was first car. the Don Potts’ everybody knew that it was ready to show this car, four years building this beautiful had spent to do a My First Car show too. Don Potts out I was going to go do this car show. and so I was going to car, kinetic sculpture, this him to the gun like a joke. And he wasn’t and buy a car and exhibit it as a joke, like beat intended like that. So, what happened was offended by it and everybody knew it was representative and she Potts’ Gallery was Don from the Hansen Fuller Diana Fuller “What’s this?” When they got the announce- called up the DeSaisset Museum and said And so Lydia project? don’t you know that’s the name of Don Potts’ ment My First Car, she didn’t. And so I explained to her and called and said, no, I didn’t know that, and and that I was going to from Don Potts’ then I told her the name of the piece came I did want a statement that I put on in the exhibition, because acknowledge Don Potts Italian car and it all goes with the Catholic the wall. I bought a Fiat because it was an it was like all connected with that. I be- Church and being Italian and everything. And did support the artist, not the government. lieve that during the Renaissance the church believed that since I was having a show in The churches supported the artist and so I that the church should Catholic University, a museum run by the Catholic Church, at a So I figured if I bought a car with the money that support an artist and I needed a car. expense or anything like that, that they would normally use for shipping or installation and I also intended that the car would be I could function better as an artist in society to give them the car for their permanent part of their permanent collection. I was going because I lettered on the side of the door collection, although I was going to keep it and my name, so that as I drove the car DeSaisset Museum and the dates of the show from the collection of the DeSaisset around, I was driving around one of the objects because I went out and bought it, with Museum. And even so the car was in my name the car and it was a small Fiat, one of the money they gave me. So then I exhibited in Europe, and I drove it up the steps, those little small 500’s like everybody drives in through the double doors, into the gallery and parked it on this nice 19th century rug the space I had had a showing in a group show two years before (Fish, Fox, and Kos) and I parked the car in there with paper under it so that the rug didn’t get ruined and at the opening. I sat in the car and drank champagne and there was a microphone in would come the back seat and in the corner of the gallery was a video camera. People and up and talk to me in the window of the car and I could listen to the radio in the car, - So you moved out of the other studio and you started MOCA with Terry you started MOCA with Terry CL: So you moved out of the other studio and was entirely at that time or was this a project that you grant-funded Were Fox? financed through your own means? Well, it’s good. CL: Well, Terry Fox was like an artist in residence. He did a show there in ’70 in the summer. in residence. He did a show there in ’70 in the summer. was like an artist Fox TM: Terry it a non-profit corporation. Because I’d By the end of the year I had decided to make Arts to apply for a grand and they said the written to the National Endowment for the a non-profit corporation. It took about only way I could get a grant would be if I were first grant from something like that to get that and then I got my nine months or a year, them in ’71, and then I had memberships and people became members and I had a few patrons. And I ran it like an art museum. I mean most people didn’t take it seriously. Most people said that’s impossible, you can’t have a museum if it’s conceptual art. Conceptual art can only be in your head. But conceptual art was people who use language, people who work with systems and people who made actions, and MOCA ing the beer all day was like a hidden part of the work. So I pissed for a minute at least ing the beer all day was like a hidden part pitch raised. It was like a musical scale. and as the water level went up in the tub the So I did this work for Alan Fish. At that time nobody knew I was Alan Fish except a TM: So I did this work for Alan Fish. At that time into this galvanized tub from the top of the few friends. I got up on a ladder and I pissed there’s a space in the piece. And on those tubs, you know, That’s my action for ladder. tubs like they use for washtubs. I drank beer the bottom of the tub. It’s one of those big at that time. So it was part of it, drink pieces all day because I was doing beer-drinking It was made out of a tape mea- Sculpture. It was made One Second piece was called My first sound in and made a loud noise and it opened up into the air, took apart and threw sure that I Sound Sculpture As. I started MOCA I organized a show called one second. So when sound works before. to make sound works. They hadn’t made And I invited nine people who were doing in at the time. They were all artists That was what I was interested a real important show. to do performances and so that was sculpture, who were starting in the show as interest in sound as a medium. And I was me it set a tone, it got my For Fish. Being a curator ’68-’71 I worked under the alias of Alan Alan Fish because from the same time because be an artist and a curator at was politically too complicated—to the tape I was an as an artist. As I explained to you before nobody sees you seriously So when I started to be a curator rather than the other way around. artist who happened Agency moved down on Third Street and the Redevelopment MOCA I was in a studio another building that tore the building down. So I moved up into me out because they out of business. When I closed my studio, I went has lately become Redevelopment. Because at the time I had stopped making sculpture and went Officially I was a sculptor. extension, it was still my studio. And Terry into business as a museum. But it was an it as his studio, and it was MOCA. and I shared a space, split the rent. He used I’m Fox making these stories too long. work of art that was a taste sensation that we’d all have at the same time. It’s like I could It’s like the same time. all have at that we’d sensation a taste of art that was work after I stopped my studio to sit in that I used But after idea of taste. that communicate think about food and I would get stoned and eat junk and I used to making sculptures subject. But I as the taste as the as a material. And a material, and the food the taste as any kind of art. develop that into anything, never could

28 31 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Well, maybe you can get yourself established as a historic landmark. maybe you can get yourself CL: Well, CL: Have you gotten any reply on that? that that church is still going to be standing. I’m surprised know, CL: You CL: What was your recent past show? I went and gave a lecture first and then we had a reception. Then I did an action in the an action Then I did a reception. we had and then a lecture first and gave I went by a was going that to the traffic to relate a drumming I designed that piece In gallery. hills, rolling There were the ground. snow on so there was January It was in big window. see it. The all white you could the ground was it was dark, but because it was at night, But it was sixty miles an hour. cars were going by at there and all these freeway was to that. I was So I drummed behind this big window. silent because we were absolutely the window, that by looking out out there. I’ve found the pulse of the traffic trying to get lot. and I can learn a that place out there it’s like framing here are going to I have. That all these buildings down this dream I have this fantasy, everything south Everything South of Market, them are already. be torn down. Most of and the museum be completely level except for the church of this building here, will buildings left standing. the only two (MOCA). We’re bar C., about that. Mainly for the D. in Washington, I already wrote to them TM: Well, So to destroy. there are works in here that they will have because downstairs. Well, case. They’re destroying art works. that’s going to be my the bar downstairs should be saved. It’s TM: I just did it a couple of weeks ago. But Virtually unchanged in 50 years. They can’t beautiful bar. It’s a real a real famous bar. in Berkeley In today’s paper there’s a merry-go-round understand, about saving stuff. to keep it any more cause it costs him that this guy’s trying to keep and he can’t afford city for $300,000. It’s like one of the oldest He’s offered to sell it to the too much money. It has all the original on it and it’s a beauty. I’ve been in the country. merry-go-rounds with the drum and the violin in it that parts, with music, and it has one of these things out of build our own merry-go-round can actually plays. So the city says, well, shit. We that they wouldn’t have the same thing. plastic for $80,000. They just don’t understand, building and put up a snap together It’s the same thing, tear down a perfectly good outside. building where they bolt the panels on the I’m just assuming that they won’t TM: I’m not sure that it’s still going to be standing. they shouldn’t tear down are the church and tear a church down. I mean, the two things no way I can convince the people who are museum. What have we got left? But there’s redeveloping this that this space is worth keeping. by David Ireland. TM: The last show was the Restoration of a Portion of the Back Wall And that was a restoration of a portion of the wall that was the leftover residue from the Because Darryl Sapien had painted a section, that big pile- Second Generation Show. that white that white space, shaped section back there and after the show was over, part in there kind of interfered with the character of the space, I decided to remove it. What is going on with your drumming? CL: What is going on with That’s what I’m doing now, and what I’ve been doing for the past two years. I’ve I’ve years. two past the for doing been I’ve what and now, doing I’m what TM: That’s them at the de Young brush drawings and I’m going to show been making these drum I didn’t make any The first one I made was in ’72 and then Museum in January 1977. almost nothing for the past couple of years I’ve been doing more after that, but then them in different kinds of situations. Andbut drum brush drawings, but I’ve been doing At 63 Bluxome St., I showed all my slidesmostly they’ve been done in instructive ways. and my own work going all the way back toof other people’s work from MOCA shows with an automatic changer thatwhen I was in art school, in carousel slide projectors up on a podium, like a lectern, youchanges a slide every 5 seconds. Then I drummed the drum, like man did thousands of years ago, but and so I was talking through know, with them. Making the drum brushI was showing these pictures and I was drumming brush stroke. Like a trace that I was there anddrawings is like making a stroke, it’s like a a pair gold plated, and a pair silver plated.the brushes are like magic wands. I’ve had gold-point drawings over a three day and five I did five silver-point, When I was in Poland prepared the wall space that they wereperiod. I made the drawings while the gallery that were at an angle and the drawingsexhibited on, and they built these wall panels it. The drawings started out dark and theywere put on it and glass was leaned against the metal had worn off and left a residue.got lighter as they went down the wall because or something, like flight. So each time I doAnd the image is like a hummingbird’s wing One time I discovered that the pattern that mythem I see more and more things in them. and a brush. And so, if I had only done thishands make creates a design like a palette to make more and more discoveriesone drum brush drawing I wouldn’t have started that a real simple act can be immenselyabout the complexities of it and so I discovered some kind of human nature. It’s somethingcomplicated. It’s something that’s basic to and it’s also based on my primitive way, that has to do with communicating in a real that it was a way that I might be ablepulse and my breathing. And so later I discovered put myself in that kind of semi-hypnoticto communicate telepathically because I might thestate through this continuous rhythmic drumming which I first discovered when I did violin bowing piece. I bowed this violin for half an hour in ’72 and for me it was a fantasy of flying. I discovered when I was in Indianapolis, when I gave a lecture there then they didn’t know anything about performance or anything. They had never seen one before in the museum. It was a year or a year and a half ago, something like that. they go in and we talked and everything and so three days later, actually the next day, next day, actually the later, three days and so everything talked and in and we they go show and like your doesn’t of the University president and said the me up called Lydia I said mind closing the show. She said, would you coming down on me. he is really so that night, That was on Friday was the show for me. mind, getting the car no, I don’t it until finally, off with it. And used took the car and drove down there and Monday I went the time, it that arose at me. But it was like something months, it blew up on in about 6 there’s in doing things because and it’s like I believe that I needed then was something MOCA,them. It’s like starting a need for an art for this kind of space, there was a need no place for them to were people doing this kind of art, there was space because there recognize it and you a need for something you feel like you show it. So when there’s I couldn’t get the car, a real strong need with me then to have like to do it, so that was up, I haven’t owned a car since then. But then when that car blew around without a car. since then. That was in ’72, I haven’t had a car I don’t own a car now.

30 33 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Linda Montano Linda Chronology Performed solo tap dance for St. Patrick’s night show. My uncle Joe played piano. played Joe uncle My show. night Patrick’s St. for dance tap solo Performed

Born in Saugerties, New York. Brother Bill, three years older, sister Chris, three sister Bill, three years older, Brother New York. 1942 Born in Saugerties, singer painter, Mother Mildred, years younger. thirteen Anthony, brother years younger, played trumpet owner of Montano’s Shoe Store, Henry, Father in a Thirties dance band. in Thirties dance band. 1949 Joe didn’t know this; I was out on was changed by my teacher. The introduction music in tears. stage, frozen. I ran off to tell the nuns because of vomiting—had been afraid 1949 Spent a week in a hospital piano lessons and tap on my coat in the cloak room. Began that someone was stepping about six years. lessons, which lasted where I had After eight years of Catholic elementary school 1952 Entered high school. a saint. At Saugerties High School began prepared for and aspired to canonization as a skunk smell. This lasted on and off withdrawal techniques by being able to produce who would tell me if I “stunk.” for ten years. Had a “smell patrol,” friends Maryknoll Sisters Convent. Body 1959-1961 Became a postulant and then a novice at pounds. eighty-three rebelled with Anorexia Nervosa; left weighing a women’s school taught by Ursuline 1965 Graduated from College of New Rochelle, sculpture of the Visitation, Mary and nuns. Majored in art; senior thesis was a junk Elizabeth embracing, both pregnant. had a For show, crucifixes. Made copper 1966 Graduate study in Florence, Italy. of junk they were assigned. “happening.” Audience assembled pieces Made a two-foot replica Ohio. Troy, 1969 Summer school, welding at Hobard Welding, of a Florsheim shoe. show: displayed 1966-1969 Graduate school at University of Wisconsin, MFA Madison. were tape recorded, videotaped and pho- live chickens in three six by nine cages; they machine with chicken sounds in my house. tographed. Installed a telephone answering coming from car loudspeaker. Rode around Madison with chicken sounds 1970 Began interest in yoga. was born. Alive sculpture. Became a chicken and stopped 1970 Chicken Woman gauze, veils, and lay in state as a dead chicken or live showing live chickens. Wore angel within a strictly formulated system. Also sat in nine places for three hours each time on the third, sixth and ninth of the third month. New York. in Rochester, 1971 Married Mitchell Payne Volume 1, Number 4, Spring 1976. Originally published in La Mamelle, Volume

The only way to remove it was to arrange to paint over it. So, I commissioned David David I commissioned over it. So, to paint to arrange remove it was way to The only and materials painter to sensitive a really painter, a really good who is (Ireland), built the scraping the floor, he spent about a month restore the space. So surfaces, to So working from photographs. retouched the wall, worked on the ceiling, scaffolding, that And so when originally. of the space as it was photo-realist painting he made a each or three-minute video I made about a two- it was open one day, show opened, So people of the reception. it at Breen’s bar the night process and showed day of the here in a also showed slides up of the place and I whole transformation could see the was the first static show the first painting show in MOCA and it carousel. And that was was a work that was wasn’t shown, it was not a performance. It because the process was kind of a shift people came to see it as a painting. So that done before and then situational things, more the performance thing. It’s doing more for me away from doing of a new direction. So preserving so that is, for me, a first sign directed to my idea of shows in MOCA,that takes care of the no, let’s see. Oh, in ’73 it was open every I think, videotapes. I had free beer in the refrigerator and showed afternoon and Wednesday actions that had shown that I invited to show and some were Some videotapes were in MOCA.taken place previously the beer bottles on the shelf right in I collected all to make in MOCA, So what I wanted record of that social activity. there, that’s a kind of space, a place that was I mean an object, I wanted to make a instead of making a thing, the program. That’s artwork. So the social activity was part of like a social and public I got from NEA,one of the things I did with the grant money was to give away beer.

32 35 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - the legend of Beuys has been The ideas and attitudes of the The ideas and attitudes [3] [1] that attempted new-old types of artist-public inter types of artist-public that attempted new-old in Beuys become apparent as a strategy. Beuys’ in Beuys become apparent as a strategy. [2] [4] Clive Robertson Clive With Transfer An Identity Beuys Joseph overinflated. Only when preparing and later after the performance did the importance overinflated. Only when preparing and later after the performance did the importance of both ambiguity and actuality Fluxus group, various collective composers working within new music and other associ- collective composers working within new Fluxus group, various environments etc. sending me scores and plans for events, ates who were continually years I organized six held extensive festivals, in the latter In 1972 and ’73 W.O.R.K.S. of Our World Thermometer, titled: A Conceptographic Reading one-hour video programs Also from Identity Transfer artists. or documents of fifty-six which contained the works of work I authored a large body an image from the same family as a public library, is a public belonging Identity Transfer was a somewhat identity transfer table I put together in 1972 bank or a video inn. The came at a time when usable sociological art. The transfer concept blinkered layout for a with the group W.O.R.K.S. I was publicly reenacting ambiguity was/is a weapon to keep the art-world both interested and at a distance, a ambiguity was/is a weapon to keep the art-world course. communication. Whatever information is Identity transfer is applicable to all forms of part be remembered, even if it is short- conveyed, the conveyor’s identity will in some alters our receptor functions: what assume that any communication We term memory. is largely determined by the traces left happens to patterns put on the memory-surface by the previous patterns. Robert Filliou’s “eternal network,” or General The emergence of common goals such as Idea,” and Joseph Beuys’ loaded but Idea’s “search for the spirit of Miss General become denominators of agreement and specific goal for “human freedom,” all have a used and abused art-language. like identity transfer they are now part of both the pattern of mapping sets of other Only a small amount of my work now follows my own as a learning experience. As for a artists’ scores or behavioral ideologies onto become, for me, too aligned with has sociological art I find that taking-it-to-the-streets benefit for those with whom I might wish token and colonial gestures to be of enough with me. The alternative is to work to interact or to those who might wish to interact that we call culture, where, no matter within the much diluted and encoded language complex possibilities and purposes remain how popular or participatory it became, its consistently traveled between this century, largely inaccessible. Art has, at least within around us, be it minimal, kinetic, linguistic, two poles: the commonplace art which is all between the two poles is missed whatever—and the legend. Much that is important for the velocity of myth and legend. due to its lack of speed, which is no contender legend of Klein, the legend of Beuys and There has been the legend of Duchamp, the of Chris Burden. A legend involves a question of balance recently the near-legend other artists and art-critics. and the art-media, between artist-instigator “The silence of Duchamp has been overestimated,” Volume 1, Number 4, Spring 1976. Originally published in La Mamelle, Volume Collaborated with Joya Cory, Suzanne Hellmuth, Nina Wise. 1976 Collaborated with Joya Cory, Mills College. With Pauline Oliveros, reenacted Holy Saturday. She lay in state for Oliveros, reenacted Holy Saturday. 1976 Mills College. With Pauline four hours. I was Mary Magdalene. 80 Langton St. (San Francisco). With Nina Wise,1976 80 Langton St. (San Francisco). played drums for six hours, six days. 1976 Separated from Mitchell Payne. 1975 Living art. Lived with Nina Wisedocumented ourselves. Living art. for a week; we Oliveros and Nina Living art. Lived with Pauline Oliveros in the desert. Lived with Pauline Art Institute): I gave birth to Baby Jesus. Wise at the Annual (San Francisco At the Chicago Art Institute, danced blindfolded for three hours in the form of a 1975 At the Chicago Art Institute, danced blindfolded cross. Heart murmur. For three days lived in the Lamkin Gallery and listened to my heart three days lived For 1975 Heart murmur. Made public vow to follow my heart for a through a stethoscope taped to my chest. year. Hypnosis—dream sing. Was hypnotized to sleep and dream in the Berkeley hypnotized to sleep 1975 Hypnosis—dream sing. Was occurred. Museum, to wake and sing dreams as they Creation of the Montano-Payne Italianate Victorian Museum. Gave tours as a nun, Italianate 1975 Creation of the Montano-Payne girl, or nurse. businesswoman, six-year-old mother of four, hooker, Birth—Death. For about three hours, lay in a crib. Listening to tape of my mother hours, lay in a crib. Listening to tape of about three 1974 Birth—Death. For 2, a Catholic holy day called All Souls It was November talking about me as a baby. that day. Chicken, my dog, died of lead poisoning Day. With Mitchell Payne, performed husband-wife fashion show of clothes to be worn performed husband-wife fashion show 1974 With Mitchell Payne, family in Michigan. while on vacation with While under hypnosis answered questions that I had prepared about sex. Event answered questions that I had prepared about 1974 While under hypnosis was videotaped. Was handcuffed to Tom Marioni for three days; we synchronized movement. Marioni for three days; handcuffed to Tom 1973 Was Story of my life. San Francisco Art Institute. For three hours recited the story of three Art Institute. For 1973 Story of my life. San Francisco on a treadmill which was going downhill. my life while walking Home endurance. Stayed home for a week documenting calls, dreams, food, calls, dreams, food, for a week documenting Stayed home 1972 Home endurance. people. Moves to San Francisco. More lying in state. Costume changed to blue prom to blue prom changed Costume lying in state. More to San Francisco. Moves 1971 twelve-foot Museum wearing Berkeley bed in the a chicken Lay in and tap shoes. dress picked a chicken cart. Was pulling San Francisco a chicken dance all over wings. Did obstructing traffic. Gate Bridge for up on the Golden

34 37 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - An Interview WithAn Interview Burn Ian Michael Auping Michael MA: I sent you. It’s thought of the questions to find out what you I’m curious point of view, interviews from a chronological for me to deal with force of habit when I feel and that kind of thing, especially asking about your background I’m in unfamiliar territory. MA: What do you mean by “smoke screens”?

There’s nothing unusual about the questions. However, there is something they about the questions. However, IB: There’s nothing unusual the kind of class-split given where we are all coming from, given brought home to me, wrong questions. It we are really encouraged into asking the environment we live in, us that it is incred- There are so many “smoke screens” around happens to everyone. wrong question, We nearly always end up asking a to start. ibly difficult to see where exists only within a we align ourselves with a distinction that or a question by which to bourgeois culture. Our ques- is necessary only should say, bourgeois culture—or, it. a status quo while assuming to challenge tions unwittingly reaffirm me, reading through the questions, for instance, one of the things that struck IB: Well, work with as artists. In other words, treat us was the tendency to want to treat people I as it can, is turn people into things, as objects. What this culture does, as unrelentingly They than subjects of history. become objects of history rather into objects. People In asking the questions like that, you are are acted upon rather than being able to act. be challenging… presupposing the very situation you should there and about Art & Language. However, There are a lot of questions here about me If we’re talking about trying to change are some very important things to talk about. we have to construct how we might ac- then things, change things in a substantial way, of change. In that sense, asking what tually participate in the already ongoing process question. This happens when we speak fairly Art & Language is doing is asking a wrong What layers of bourgeois ideology. our intuitions are channeled through spontaneously, Art & Language rather than real on, say, happens then is it becomes easier to fixate virtually compels you to ask it a society, if you can even call issues. This kind of society, relations of its economic base… this wrong questions in order to cover up the structural is one of the more insignificant sections happens particularly within the art world, which can get from the means of production in in our culture and is about as divorced as you those base relations. Which is why It is incredibly difficult to even glimpse the society. within the art world. we tend to go around in meaningless circles instance, if you look at various Marxist theories of art, so-called, you find that most For of them are really of not much use. They try to construct or reconstruct a Marxist theory of art from “inside” the art world. If you want to find a real Marxist concept of art, you a are going to have to forget about “art,” at least to start with, and deal with society “as whole” and then see where, in terms of the logic of capitalism, this miniscule unimport At this point, its place is way out on ant area we call high art has its place—and why. the cultural fringe in respect to social or political impact. It is a powerless area that lives

Queen , November , England: Beau , Toronto, June 1976. , Toronto, June 1976. Art & Artists Volume 1, Number 4, Spring 1976. Volume Originally published in La Mamelle, Footnotes: In 1. Clive Robertson, “W.O.R.K.S. Progress”, 1974. 2. See Workscoreport Geste Press, 1971-3. 3. The title of a Beuys action, 1975. 4. See “The Constructivism of Clive Robertson as Joseph Beuys,” Street Magazine

My performance-investigation was in many ways commonplace—we have to adapt was in many ways commonplace—we My performance-investigation unfortunately for the portable and can fit into our pockets; legends so that they become we label history. artist, that is the fight strategy which perhaps has not been so effectively used since Duchamp. For the public the public For Duchamp. used since so effectively not been has which perhaps strategy to either listen you is no ambiguity: there art-audience) to the (as opposed audience information, as fresh, enlightening and life-potentials on life-systems Beuys’ philosophy - irrelevant, as an intel the performance is and it. The art (object-making) or you ignore giving observable is a carrier, art and art performance the ambiguous lectual exercise Beuys The politics of Joseph specific attitude: actuality. of the workings of a indications that glamour could ever of Joseph Beuys is all sculptured politics the lacks glamour, wish for.

36 39 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology MA: Given the contradictions, does the Art & Language group have an overriding goal it is shooting for? IB: I can only give you generalizations, like sorting out some way of participating in a and that is both as concrete and as vague as I socialist transformation of society, can get. I think there are things we can and will do. I don’t know if it’s things we can do as artists. That really doesn’t matter. Yes and no. I mean, you are getting at one of the most obvious contradictions we contradictions obvious of the most at one are getting I mean, you and no. IB: Yes one and it’s the energies… most of our the where we expend that is, ourselves in, find comes your audience to change trying out. Actually, will force some of us that I think bourgeois conditioned into a and we all have been class suicide, down to committing to all the to our egos and suicide is especially violent and this kind of fear of violence so comfortable with. been made to feel things we have mention that The FoxMaybe I should respects from project in many was a contentious most of us it is of it. For us were opposed to a number of aspects the start. A number of a temporary front that essentially strategy, as I said before, as a short-term conceived of, same problem of trying in its own contradictions. It reflects that logically has to collapse are forced do it. You the art world outwards—well, you can’t to construct from “inside” to a point where the In terms of a logical construction, you get into presupposing “art.” any Marxist analysis blatant that the construction collapses. Read contradictions are so for the argument to is left out, where the analysis stops in order of art and notice what art criticism! same time, of course, it is preferable to bourgeois be convincing. At the The better stuff in The Fox“stopping short.” There’s a sense in is an example of that maybe it is that way, the walls of its own fictional world. In which it bumps up against similar thing, some of Hans Haacke’s stuff does a instance, For useful in a small way. of how far he takes limits of that fictionalized art world in terms bumping up against the than he does… it. But, like all of us, he could go a lot further with, there is a logical limit on how far you Given the presuppositions that you start off collapses. One point is, this kind of work can go before the construction you’re making it reflects the normal art world audi- is still dealing with an abstract audience, whether audience. At the same time, it doesn’t ence or is hypercritical of the normal art world up with an abstracted audience. That’s identify any other audience, thus you still end “the working class” is still somewhat of an what we have done. That is why a term like the art world can only happen through empty concept for us. Our independence from a different living presence, if you like. subjectively experiencing a different dependence, a continuing concrete or real experience. That cannot happen by declaration, only by are then talking an audience. You It means a situation where you have to particularize or talking to a specific community, a construction workers’ union; you are to, say, for most people who are artists because there is That is very uncomfortable whatever. art and the internationalism of contemporary a wonderful myth about the universality of attractive and compelling. If you specify styles that we have all been fed on and is very to communicate with a particular group of your audience in that way and actually try the fear that nobody “in” the art world is people “outside” the art world, there is always a lot of people. They want bourgeois rec- ever going to hear about you. That frightens That’s the classic petty bourgeois dilemma, ognition for their working-class sympathies. same time, switching from one to the other trying to have two consciousnesses at the whenever it’s convenient. - How do you explain the existence of your publications, then, which are the existence of your publications, then, which How do you explain Wouldn’t it be more productive, however, to drop art contacts altogether it be more productive, however, MA: Wouldn’t and get a job in an upper echelon area of NBC or ABC and try to change things from there? MA: you see your immedi- Then, in terms of any kind of social revolution, within the art ate job as trying to create some kind of consciousness-raising doing your part in terms of the system—and if you can effect this, then you’re social revolution as a whole? MP: newsstands like Jaap Rietman and not at local only available at art bookstores made any to a wider base of people? Have you where it would be available audience in that way? attempts to broaden your No. I disagree strongly with that. If we limit what we do simply to the art world, we IB: No. I disagree strongly with that. If we limit its elitism, and thus legitimizing its social end up perpetuating that world, legitimizing as an artist in the high art Basically, and political function in this economic system. a world, you exist strictly as a symbol. What you say and what you do doesn’t matter fact that your efforts don’t get beyond damn. The audience is taken care of by the vicious diatribes against Nelson can write a very specialized and limited group. We while it stays “in” the art world, it’s essentially harmless. but Rockefeller or whatever, be delighted because we would be In fact, Nelson Rockefeller would probably the liberalism, of the so-called “freedom” behaving ideally as symbols, if you like, of of a kind of freedom that really are symbols to the rest of the world We in this society. kind of freedom we have, and which artists doesn’t exist in this economic system! The because we are marginalized. revel in, is a sort of “freedom” which is permissible free to with virtually no impact. You’re The artist is out of the social and cultural fringe to have no voice. On the other hand, the closer you get free be meaningless. You’re the kinds do have impact in the society, to the center of forms of communication which you If you start working for NBC or ABC or whatever, of controls change drastically. are conceptually restricted, and productively controlled to an intolerable degree in respect to what kind of instrumentality you can develop. That is control from the top in its most overt political form. ter off without what we publish… at present, at least. It doesn’t need our stuff. It knows, our stuff. publish… at present, at least. It doesn’t need ter off without what we their heads into that is level, that art is totally fucked up and to get at least on an intuitive brains even more. The Fox,simply to fog up their specifically for example, is addressed kind of direction are and their acolytes—and the limits of that to an audience of artists of this and see its use as a short- very conscious pretty obvious to a lot of people. We’re everyone involved sees it that way. not term strategy only—although, admittedly, We realize the work is trapped in many contradictions, but we aren’t utopian. A few in many contradictions, but we aren’t utopian. realize the work is trapped IB: We we publish available expressed interest in trying to make what people in the group have bet is class working the Basically, problematic. is itself in that But audience.” “wider a to off the profits ripped off the wage earners of this and other societies. It doesn’t produce It doesn’t societies. and other of this wage earners off the profits ripped off the a is Capitalism society. value in the up surplus It just eats of profit. in terms anything level. on a superstructural superfluous structures for reproducing wonderful system the overall see it in relation to our place. Once you we really have to know The point is it’s pretty phenomenon it is, then social and economic and you see it as the landscape itself—or within the section of reconstruction take seriously any suggestion difficult to even of the section.

38 41 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology -

MA: say Art & would you situation, in a group working to your In respect phenomenon? a collective is totally Language Well, it depends on how you want to define “collective.” The only way you can really The only way you can define “collective.” on how you want to it depends IB: Well, to say I would be very hesitant terms. In those terms, is in ideological define collective of ideo- at present, that degree I don’t think there is, a collective because that we were are a collective. between us to say we logical unity of the time. That’s group, we do work collectively some or most In terms of a working over ten years ago. Some of us started working together simply for practical reasons. that. Most of us decisions about doing it or anything like never made any conscious We if you like, to avoid towards that kind of relationship as a way, tended intuitively to work art world. A way of try personality cult thing, that operates in the the individualism and ing to maintain some kind of personal-ideological space. We’ve been talking about what been kind of personal-ideological space. We’ve ing to maintain some he is trying to an artist becomes exactly that which Basically, an artist is in this society. I suppose, in terms of he becomes the object and is what is sold. create. In other words form of working. that, we intuitively went towards a collaborative avoiding something like also. We it had something to do with cultural backgrounds One could probably say even American art art being dominated by American art, not were faced with modern reflects a most perverse projection of individualism and art, which but New York really, more English than American, Coming from Australia, which is culturally personality. of commodification of people, the commodi- there is something obscene about the kind in this country. fication of personalities, which is so rampant to such things. There are some pretty At the same time, I’m not saying we are immune we have are problems from the social big egos in the group. But a lot of the problems pressures on the group, and which usually and cultural environment we live in, putting reactions within particular situations. We’re emerge in terms of people’s psychological of the product and the producer. operating in a market that demands individualization compatible to that economic structure, If you use an organizational form that isn’t around—and we’re constantly bounced then you are going to be constantly bounced terms of a lot of psychologically-based around. This manifests within the group in Maybe “psycho- psychoanalysis or whatever. conflicts. I don’t mean in terms of needing it. There are social problems that are internal- social problems” is a better way of putting either group in a society like this. You ized and manifested in affairs within a working small personal struggles as part of the sink under the conflict or see our seemingly our seemingly small personal struggles as struggle in a larger sense. If we begin to see a lot. Some of the people we work with part of the larger worldwide struggle, it changes our going-on. That is right, I think, but I don’t tend to want to treat conflict as a norm of was a fact of going-on and that struggle was like the stress it gives; I would rather say it the norm. Recently we’ve been trying to sort things out a bit better—or sort ourselves out a contact with that economic base. But that can be struggled over as long as there is an ideological commitment to struggle. Where there isn’t, or there appears not to bit better. We’ve been trying to collectivize the group along more ideological lines so lines so been trying to collectivize the group along more ideological We’ve bit better. that we might be politically a bit more organized and abrasive. Of course there are become very fearful of losing People problems—most of them to do with money. - culture. Capitalism is the moment of nega- MA: situation at all? Do you feel Art & Language is affecting this You mention participating in a socialist transformation. In other words participating in a socialist transformation. mention MA: You Could that be this society based on a socialist structure. you would like to see goal? considered part of your For example? MA: For We are affecting our own situation, however. In terms of our own histories, most of us are affecting our own situation, however. We we got over by high art. Basically, had “left leanings” before our heads got fucked of art, and into thinking that it the “hard-sell” diverted by art, by the whole ideology, Having gotten right into the middle would allow us some kind of effective expression. what was happening. What we of it, we fast realized that it didn’t and fast realized to construct a way out of it, in terms have been doing the past few years is attempting “art” activities, so-called, or from our of our “politics” not being separate from our everyday activities. I think our “art” activities now come under very real scrutiny in it’s trying to integrate an ideology respect to what we might mean by politics. Basically, It’s and our politics, given the position we find ourselves in, given a particular history. a reconstruction of ourselves against the mythology of artists. In many ways, a kind of token reconstruction since such re-integration is idealistic under the circumstances. I think quite a few other people are finding themselves in stages of a similar process. Who knows? We are trying to grapple with the situation we find ourselves in. What are trying to grapple with the situation IB: Who knows? We to learn about themselves. But I really can’t we learn about ourselves may help others say. ing class and an exploited class. The kind of high art we have today—well, we’re not ing class and an exploited class. The kind article by Samir Amin where he argues that talking about that in the future. There’s an under capitalism since there is no direct there is no possible way that you have culture culture as the mode of organization apprehension of use values of things. He defines exist, it must isolate use values and capitalism to of the utilization of use values. For We have an art world dependent value. define them through a dominance of exchange on exchange value. In that sense, it is a non tion of culture. Socialism is unavoidable, however, because capitalism is a system which can transform because capitalism however, Socialism is unavoidable, It can never lose its need to have an exploit its nature, its rapaciousness, only so much. to change the society. We see our only task being that we might be see We IB: It’s not our goal to change the society. because it is inevitable. way of participating in that transformation able to sort out some kind of socialism will what knows what it’ll be like in this country, It’s going on now! God This will probably be about the eventually does come together. develop here when it establishes itself. last place that socialism Well, I know what you’re getting at, but again I think it’s a problem of asking a wrong problem of asking a wrong again I think it’s a you’re getting at, but I know what IB: Well, in which our It’s another situation the goal of China? would you describe question. How society. This is a goal-oriented to ask wrong questions. backgrounds lead us bourgeois is to go to “My goal and materially. defined too cheaply the term “goal” is In this culture That is my goal.” Well, and make a lot of money. car, a good job, get a big college, get those kinds of goals… we don’t have

40 43 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - Then what is your relationship to New York, and why is Art & Language and why is Art MA: New York, is your relationship to Then what based there? aren’t you staying in New York and by MA: But you’re beyond that now, relationship with New making a conscious decision to feed that dependency that you just spoke of? York MA: roles in Art & Language. I haven’t noticed that any women play leading Why do you think that is? MA: is in terms of making I’m just wondering out loud what your responsibility an effort to get these people involved? Well, for instance, Mel and I came to New York because—I don’t know—it seemed because—I I came to New York for instance, Mel and IB: Well, what seemed time. In retrospect it’s rather difficult to remember like a good idea at the now there are a number of people we stayed there, and so good about it. However, and assume the move out of New York To also live in New York. we’re working with who problem. But there are we’re forcing a rather large logistic same working relationships, consider any to be sorted out before we might even other more important problems of articles in The Fox,IB: That question has been dealt with in a number and I’m not it would be silly for everybody working with sure I can elaborate much more on it. I think are able to and move somewhere else. We of New York to all get out us in New York mean we would necessarily be able to work work together in that context which doesn’t similarly together in another context. But to try and answer your question, in IB: Again, you’re fixating on Art & Language. (and still are) a male-dominated group. terms of our original collaborations, we were as much as anybody else. It’s only reproduce the structures of bourgeois ideology We women have gotten involved. Until then come up as a real issue recently when some women involved. There are no Blacks it wasn’t an issue because there weren’t any a large extent what we’ve done is fairly rep- To involved, or Chicanos or Eskimos either. art. What can I say? resentative of white, Anglo-Saxon, male-dominated can involve don’t have the organizational base or unity to “recruit” people. We IB: We Recently we’ve been participating ourselves with other groups and learn in that way. We’re in some meetings with other groups including the Congress of African Peoples. if you like, “professional artists” involved, and they tend to view us very about the only, than we are in terms of publishing The Fox. of publishing are in terms than we WhatThe Fox appropri - is unwittingly does of New them as a function appropriate that is, attitudes, of progressive kinds ate those practiced we are more since language, sophisticated up in more them It dresses York. them down out and shoves and ships them back some of the issues, at talking about dependency their rather bizarre them, if they sort out They don’t need people’s throats. with New York. relationship even. thing like that—if then, went there because that’s where We that we’re in New York. But it’s really not accidental artists. we were into being avant-garde the art world was and based, the MA:group and between the English Art & Language Are there any differences counterpart? their North American Is Joseph Kosuth still a part of Art & Language? still a part of Art & MA:Kosuth Is Joseph They assume a sort of natural relationship to their style of language, and there isn’t a They assume a sort of natural relationship form—there may be a natural relationship to natural relationship to it, at least not to the they have to see the form of language in the content… If they’re going to deal with it, In terms of what they is rotten strategy. and I think a lot of it terms of political strategy, I don’t always agree. On the other hand, I agree with it. In terms of how they say it, say, they see a lot of the stuff in The Fox it too as oversimplifying the problem and localizing an extent, I agree with that too. A lot of the articles in The Fox much “in” the art world. To which are much more complex. They also give a somewhat simplistic view of problems The Fox is very New York localize things too much in the art world. Moreover, To make any kind of comparison like that you have to treat the people working in make any kind of IB: To and, the people in England as having static rela- as having static relationships New York disagreements, of course. I tend to disagree tionships, and that is impossible. There are language that some of them in England hold with some of the assumed relationships to that will disagree with me about that, and in New York there are people to. However, rather complex in that sense. agree with the people in England. So it becomes In terms of what we’re doing now, however, we have gone beyond the limit at which a we have gone beyond the limit at which however, doing now, In terms of what we’re crucial issue for all the can be acceptable. This now becomes a laissez faire formation itself into a more ideologi- as we’ve moved the organization people involved. However, But there are other Joseph has become increasingly isolated. cal, non-liberal form, are presently being struggled over… schisms also, all of which New being here in California. Basically, extent of which I’ve kind of realized more from You “art world,” in respect to any sense of community. is an extremely isolated York in the same area, but there is very might have ten or twenty thousand artists working that produces a provincial mental- little input into it. It has a kind of baseless arrogance other contexts. It feeds off itself and doesn’t ity because it loses sight of its relations to to feed off everybody else, which gets to a permit very much input. Everybody is trying with such relief that they are treated point where the most trivial changes are welcomed as if they were the most revolutionary breakthroughs. It’s all rather silly and pathetic. and this isolates it to be self-sufficient, it must pretend maintain its position of power, To from any healthy social resources. In the rest of the country I would suggest you have people who, at least on an intuitive progressive Probably more level, are much more progressive than people in New York. That I couldn’t say. He’s never really grasped or shown any real commitment to the any real commitment grasped or shown He’s never really say. IB: That I couldn’t that Art & you have to understand been doing. But bases of the work we’ve ideological who, in faire group of people if you like, laissez has always been an informal, Language aspect faire laissez This other. each with dialogue intense fairly a developed ways, some relation to the group. like Joseph to operate opportunistically in has allowed someone be that commitment, then schisms appear which are not ideologically bridgeable. bridgeable. are not ideologically which schisms appear then commitment, be that Joseph… around particularly happened, This has

42 45 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology socialist world, you see the socialist world, you see MA: to ask you what, in your If we could move on a bit, I’ve been wanting opinion, should the function of art be? MA: idea of trying to come up with a more innovative …competition in terms it out faster or to come up with a newer idea and get before someone else, kind of thing. than someone else, that What we can talk about is the func- IB: There is no way we can blueprint the future! about how one might go about can talk We tion that art serves in the present society. the ways of transforming or changing it are However, transforming the present society. in relation to that kind of change. When we not through art. Art plays a very minor role in which the economy is organized actually have a social and economic revolution different kinds of social relationships be- along different lines, then that will generate of a more real culture, and perhaps a kind tween people, we will start to have some kind who knows. of “art” flowing out of those social relations, what that will be. Sure, I could come out But there is no way you can get into predicting think that probably fucks people up more with a few utopian ideals, although I tend to in respect to the kind of critique that we are generating, than helping them. Basically, and anybody else who is critiquing modern art, it obviously reflects a certain point of view that reflects certain ideals, which you can interpret if you want to. On such a level, essentially it serves if you want to talk about what the function of art is in this society, It represents of something that really doesn’t exist. as a kind symbol, as we said earlier, and containing it within a very small area. a means of violently appropriating creativity, same kinds of art being produced everywhere. There is an obvious monopolization of produced everywhere. There is an obvious same kinds of art being by media going on. But the kind of and a dominance of power, culture, a centralization effort which is ap- you want to call it art, still represents collective art that is produced, if don’t have isolated ideas. They People ends. for self-interested propriated by individuals and so on. It’s a else, then somebody else takes it over, are springing off somebody for instance—well, it would be incredibly complex social process. Most of what we write, of those ideas came from, and who did what difficult to try and figure out where some come out, with somebody’s name on them, which is they usually with them. However, which you are coerced into using in order simply an example of a kind of cultural form market, in order to get people to read it. For to have the “right” kind of relationship, to a The Fox, if it came out to, say, instance, you would have a very different relationship want to recognize have certain expectations. You without names on the articles. You like that. have all been conditioned individual bits of writing. We I see what you’re saying. But individuals really don’t “come up” with ideas. There is But individuals really don’t “come up” IB: I see what you’re saying. If you look around comes up in some kind of social way. a sense in which everything being produced throughout the non and see the art that is of competition in other in of competition possibility is about the to raise you have real issue IB: No. The really been hasn’t Capitalism capitalism! possible under and that isn’t senses economic been corporately monopolized years or so. It has for the past one hundred competitive possible transformed every can’t exist. It has gradually competition literally so that real means because monopoly or restricted competition and eliminated area into monopoly - can’t in a more com on a scale that you can maximize profits You control of the market. in art? see competition existing how do we I’ve lost your question… petitive situation. MA: Do most of the people in the group feel competition is a totally negative phenomenon? MA: and individualism in this It’s awfully hard to get away from competition group regarding competitive- Do you have any problems within the society. ness? How do you deal with it? MA: as economics and survival in the “real world” Are you talking about the art community? opposed to survival in The art world forces a lot of competitiveness into the group and that is one of the IB: The art world forces a lot of competitiveness things I was kind of getting at before when I was talking about psycho-social problems. Competitiveness usually emerges in various guises of opportunism. How do we deal we can learn to deal with it better. Hopefully, not very well, so far. with it? Well, Now, in terms of something like the art world, you have one of the more distorting kinds in terms of something like the Now, in which every single individual of individualism around, a splintering of communities, utterly perverted. In that context, working competes against every other individual. It’s point to it because the idea of it seems to collectively might have a little bit of political of the extreme abnormality of social relations worry a lot of people, but that is a function in the art world and little else. Where the notion of a collective is important is if you like, in terms of a consciousness- at least have found it so. important in a personal sense. We It can be developing factor. relationships to other people, in association It has allowed us as individuals to grow in So, in a personal learn anyway. with other people, which is the only way you really not important or it is a minor aspect. But sense, it is important. In a political sense it’s the personal and the political is a crucial one. also, don’t forget the relationship between No. Let’s talk about the collective thing again. In terms of political clout or impact, it collective thing again. In terms of political IB: No. Let’s talk about the produced or individu- whether what one does is collectively makes very little difference where decisions are go and see a film that is produced collectively, ally produced. If you film produced along lines, and then you go and see any other made along democratic the product, you can’t lines this society tends to use, in terms of the typical hierarchical one film was produced collectively. virtually need to be told that tell the difference. You difference— might be between the two films is an ideological The only difference there or collectively produced or hierarchically or democratically then whether it is individually earlier when I said the only way you can is somewhat irrelevant. This is what I meant then the notion of collectivity itself define a collective is along ideological lines—and isn’t as important. much as petty bourgeois artists. We are learning a lot from that involvement. But again But again involvement. from that a lot are learning We artists. as petty bourgeois much we only way to?” The are we talking the fuck of “Who the question back to we come it logically the art world because artists is to get out of petty bourgeois can stop being If we’re with other questions. out, we’re then faced art. If we get produces bourgeois Are the best way of operating? kind of collective the “real world,” is some operating in that we directly with? The fact actually participate organizations we might there other that that art world doesn’t mean collectively in the least in a working sense, operate, at at? what I’m getting elsewhere. Do you follow form to operate with is the best

44 47 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - MA: is void of formal decisions? Do you feel your work ciety, an individual is defined as sovereign unto himself or herself, as not fundamentally as not fundamentally or herself, unto himself as sovereign is defined individual an ciety, in this that exists form of individualism at the Look of relationships. in any kind existing to as exclusive of relationships individual is treated and how the sort of environment, you see a and in this society, of art that is produced Then, look at the kind other people. of idea is based on manipulation where the whole bias towards formalism very strong as a if you like, the individual other side of the coin, That’s the internal relationships. individu- itself—bourgeois object as a domain unto and the him or herself, domain unto to have you have that concept of individualism, art. If you have alism and bourgeois content and formal intimate connection between psychological formalism. This is the is art and criticism the current bullshit about post-formalism content. That’s why all we start living dif from the dominance of formalism until won’t get away laughable. We ferently, until we start relating to other people and to ourselves differently. Again to other people and to ourselves differently. until we start relating ferently, accurate way of opportunistic analyses would be the more the problems, or perhaps putting it. on a form, and but what comes first? Do you decide all make formal decisions, IB: We the content precede form? into it? Or does a point of view, then try to fit something, if you presuppose modern art, must precede the form. However, Obviously the content is negating the possibility of real content you presuppose form, and presupposing form in anything except a weak metaphoric sense. of the 19th century on is fairly plain. The The history of modern art from the middle has been singled out as the history) has, official history of modern art (meaning what increasing value on formal decisions while in the relations of form and content, placed People talk about the as form-as-content. content has been slowly lost or redefined edge, line, surface, saturation, etc. content of Jules Olitski’s work as being corner, as content. That’s basically talking about That’s not content, that’s form masquerading the inability to have content. hand, the concept of individualism you The type of relationship between, on the one and, on form of how it exists in society, get in art, which is just a slightly more perverse operating in the official history of art, well, the other hand, the kind of formalism you get people and objects, a necessarily passive you have a very funny relationship between and art objects is contemplatively, relationship. Then, the only way you can encounter a function of a fundamental structural rela- that basic relation of contemplation is really demand all the relationships between people tion of capitalism. The needs of capitalism into passive ones. This sort of relation- and between people and things be transformed to predominate. The problem is ship is necessary in order for commodity production about. Our language is built for talking about fundamental, but it’s rather difficult to talk means fixed relationships, which means structural things, not relationships. Passivity as you to feel there is some kind of, But it is just such passivity that allows immutability. an empathy it’s psychological empathy between you and the object. However, you say, of contemplation, and you passively “enjoy” it, but there is no way it engages you in It doesn’t inspire any sort of activism. It doesn’t make a co-worker out of an active way. you. It makes a consumer out of you! It turns you into an object as much as it itself is an object. In art, we’ve come to recognize this as the social function of contemplation. Throughout society as a whole, it manifests itself in many other ways, but it all comes In terms of psychology, for me there is a definite psychological aspect to for me there is a definite psychological aspect MA: In terms of psychology, object. It communication between myself and the art art, a kind of personal I’m of personal iconography—archetypal iconography. may involve some kind communica- works, but there is a kind of subconscious not all that sure how it of idea come into play in terms of your philosophy tion going on. Does this that aspect of art? art? Do you acknowledge I’m not putting down psychologists, etc., as bad themselves, but how they are used I’m not putting down psychologists, etc., as and the sorts of relationships they reproduce to people, which are just insidious. We are constantly encouraged to treat the psychological as a natural base for relating to things, which is scandalous. In this society it isn’t natural, it’s political—it’s embedded have to begin to reconceive of ourselves in relation to and in We in bourgeois ideology. keep coming back to the most basic and simple bits association with other people. We - of Marx—the individual as the sum of his social relations, and so on. In a bourgeois so Look at the history of art and the history of criticism over the past hundred years, and Look at the history of art and the history of bias towards the principle that good artists you’ll find most of it shows an increasing but they don’t have social problems. confront formal and/or psychological problems, or mystification that surrounds art. I’m not That is a function of the intense mythology problems. Obviously we all have psycho- saying that artists don’t have psychological how they are embedded, and thus a function logical aspects, but it’s a matter of seeing an argument that we are having among of certain prevailing social relations. This is Americans and non-Americans. Con- the people I work with, more or less between but with some important exceptions. The flicts seem to fall largely along those lines, psychoanalysis, and psychiatry, emphasis in the United States you get on psychology, Most of it has to do with the projection of that whole Area, has a very political function. or whatever in this environment, then there is the belief that if you feel depressed, bored are encouraged to not look at it in terms of there being something wrong with you. You psychoanalyst or whatever to readjust. So you go to a something wrong with society. that is the most violent contradiction that has prob- readjusting to something You’re are accepting the idea that capitalism is the ably existed in the history of the world. You natural form of organization of society. There are a number of sides to that. The mode by which the art industry individu- sides to that. The mode by which the art IB: There are a number of with himself and to put the artist in an exclusive relationship alizes production tends and the social rela- the psychological elements are obvious nobody else, which means tend to be reflected only within a psychologi- tions are not. So social issues in the world hard to deal with in an active or engaged cal context, which is a way of making them in fact, hard to realize as even being socially-based. way, I realize creativity is a rather funny word to be using here because it’s been taken over because it’s been word to be using here is a rather funny I realize creativity it in I’m not talking about of bourgeois art history. interpreters by the psychological relationship imply a certain In the sense that it might but in a social sense. that sense, lives—a regain control over our which we might do, a relationship through to what we help us achieve that. relationship which might It specializes creativity. It also marginalizes it. In that way it becomes a very political political a very way it becomes it. In that marginalizes It also creativity. It specializes do do or might that people most things of the basic creativity denies that instrumentality to repress creativity. is, on a mass scale, Its function in society in their lives.

46 49 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology MA: Getting back to The Fox, is the best way of do you feel that writing disseminating your information? MA: as alternative means of Have you thought about radio and television disseminating your information? or WBGH?MA: What about KCET In terms of the art world, writing is probably one of the better ways of disseminating IB: In terms of the art world, writing is probably have to make use of the various You information, particularly this kind of information. world, which include exhibitions, museums, dominant forms of communication in the art but no- Gallery, at the John Weber could stick articles on the walls and the media. We body is going to believe it. Within publishing our information is about the the art world, terms of other audiences, writing probably only way of getting people to deal with it. In haven’t come to terms with very well This is something that we really isn’t the best way. ourselves, and are presently trying to… but it’s an overtly controlled area. thought a lot about radio and television, IB: We’ve not going to get anything on NBC or ABCWe’re or CBS, still leaves us on the which fringe. somewhat, but you are still dealing with, essen- That broadens our audience IB: O.K. traditional petty bourgeois class. an intellectual or culture-oriented audience—the tially, the real function of television is in have to confront the real function of things, and We When they come home from eight hours controlling people’s so-called leisure time. want to slip into they are in a state where they just working on a machine or whatever, an almost subconscious coma because they are so, well, disgusted with how they have to live their lives. They might not quite put it like that, but it comes down to the same to neces- in contrast thing. Producing surplus value means performing surplus labor, eight hours entertainment. After Commercial television provides stupor-level sary labor. at a menial job that occupies your time but not your mind, no one wants to come home They are control centers. They are, again, one of the means by which creativity is creativity by which the means one of are, again, centers. They are control They as I’m also acting there, then If I’m in negated. ultimately and and controlled, contained as explicit try to make my situation All I can do is that controlling structure. a function of I have to the relationship that to the students That is, to try and explain as possible. some sort of ideal situation even if I work out However, the circumstances. them under take, and and a lot of give and discussions are pointed and free-flowing in which there is still the in the room, there than anybody else with any more respect I’m not treated they’re that I’m getting paid and all our psychologies gnawing away at material issue do is to point out the of getting around that one. So all you can paying. There’s no way tends to render obvious and the discreet—because control extent of the control—the political, but natural— can, as if that kind of structure is not really itself as invisible as it which, of course, it isn’t. schools, and try to extremely problematic. Should I go into art The whole situation is I go in there and try or something like that? Obviously not. turn everybody into Marxists situation. They have to kind of concrete analysis of their own to provide them with some there. make the decisions from - MA: to get out of the “art In teaching, would you encourage the student world” situation? You really bring the hammer down on most of the art being made today, made today, most of the art being the hammer down on really bring MA: You - rest of the contempo you leave for the what alternatives and I’m wondering areas in is it strictly black and white with no grey I mean, rary art community. are either with us or against us” situation? between, a kind of “you Also, even if I work with some students for a long time, I’m a very small influence in terms of all the influences working on them. They have to make the decision. In general, you go to art when art schools are not the best places to make decisions. Remember, school, you are working in an environment and being taught skills that have a given Art educa- bias towards the interests of one class and against the interests of another. tional institutions are repressive to those inside them, and oppressive to those outside. I can’t answer that. It’s a decision students have to make for themselves. The most I IB: I can’t answer that. It’s a decision students of reference in which they can come to an can do is try to give them some kind of frame They’ve got to sort out what they can do. analytical understanding of their own situation. just as soon be bourgeois artists. There are a lot of people who say they would This is a very common question that comes up. People say, “Alright, you’ve got all “Alright, say, up. People This is a very common question that comes In terms of teaching situations, we are this criticism but where does it leave people?” complain we leave students confronted with this a lot. Administrators sometimes the analysis they have achieved in any of “paralyzed”—meaning students cannot use to some extent, of not knowing have that problem ourselves the traditional art forms. We of that is a result of the we have. Part how to act in such a way to fully use the analysis analysis of the situation. No one really has fact that we’re operating from an incomplete is even possible. a thorough analysis of the situation yet, if that Basically, people have to come to an analysis of the situation themselves, and have to come to an analysis of the situation themselves, people have to Basically, consciousness— of dealing with it. It has to grow in every person’s build their own ways There is no mass way of deal- their history. class-consciousness and consciousness of there is. There are only personal or small ing with it yet. I think we will all know it when on who people are, where they are, collective ways of dealing with it, and, depending will decide what they can construct them- how far they are prepared to go, etc., they selves. ing circumstances, and that’s no alternative! It’s minor reform. We can’t conceive of can’t that’s no alternative! It’s minor reform. We ing circumstances, and about utopian enclaves, utopian in the end up talking You something like an alternative. sort of a utopian and forming some but dropping out entirely, sense of dropping out, political point to it. commune. That has no Again, you’re asking me to hand over some kind of blueprint for an alternative, me to hand over some kind of blueprint for IB: Again, you’re asking in terms of exist ends up being conceivable and defined but any kind of alternative down to the same sort of basic structural relationships whereby there is an isolation is an isolation there whereby relationships structural sort of basic to the same down Take alienation. It’s basic and things. people between and an isolation people, between inspired to do television and get often do you watch set, for example. How the television streets, there and off the keep revolution on television anything? If they can something, in controlling people. is little problem

48 51 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Volume 2, Volume Originally published in La Mamelle Magazine: Art Contemporary, Number 4, 1977. PHASE I INVASION SPACE PHASE II: GLOBAL Lynn Hershman Lynn Museum The Floating II I and Phase Phase

dealt with the indigenous spaces, resources The Floating Museum dealt with the indigenous During its first year, were invited to use the city as a site Bay Area. Artists Francisco and energies of the San The Floating Museum arranged access, and select areas that integrated with their ideas. and communicated the event. All of financed the work, paid artists’ fees and expenses the following artists exhib- In its first year, the spaces were open and free to the public. ited at the accompanying sites: of Fine Arts Palace of Honor, of the Legion Eleanor Antin: Palace Robert Janz: streets and sidewalks Michael Asher: courtyard Museum of Modern Art, four billboards, Newton and Helen Harrison: San Francisco assorted graffiti Brown O. Cotton: classroom of Norman Paul Point d’Agostino: Fort Peter Art Institute Richard Lowenberg: San Francisco Douglas Davis: cable broadcast foot mural painted on the west wall of San Hilaire Duphresne: San Quentin Mural (45 Quentin prison by inmates.) Quentin Mural. All works were temporary except for the San from California will travel to various points Phase II will be the reverse of Phase I. Artists be making broad brush paintings on the on the globe and create site works. They will d’Agostino, Natasha Reese Williams,global landscape. Artists involved in this are: Peter Susan Wick. Debra Rappoport, Mary Baker, Nicholson, Darryl Sapien, Suzanne Lacy, This phase will be coordinated with the help of La Mamelle Inc. Artists will create work in Bologna, Kassel, and Amsterdam and then participate in an exhibition in California Phase II will begin in May 1977. based on the experience of the journey. transforming formerly nonfunctioning recycles space and energy, The Floating Museum is liq- areas. The Floating Museum has no walls. The structure art spaces into exhibition of each artist. There itself into shapes determined by the scope uid in nature and pours All are a telephone and stationery. no overhead. The only concrete objects is no staff, join in the Patrons goes directly into the making of artwork. collected money therefore commissioned the and become thereby part of a collective that form of memberships and political elements into consideration the psychological, social works. All work takes of the spaces in question. Number 5, Volume 2 (1), 1976. Contemporary/La Mamelle, Number 5, Volume Originally published in ART MA: situation that you’re trying to But at the same time, aren’t you feeding a get away from? You mention exhibiting as also being one of the dominant forms of dis- exhibiting as also being one of the mention MA: You works in the art world. It seems to me that exhibiting seminating information or up for sale) in a gallery such as John Weber’s of art (and putting them of a contradiction for Art & any other commercial gallery would be somewhat Language in terms of its members’ ideology.

Sure. But again, this might be a problem of asking a wrong question. There is a IB: Sure. But again, this might be a problem of to be radical, then you have to be bourgeois notion that if you are radical or pretend If I sweep the streets to in this society. pure, and there is no way you can be pure system. It doesn’t matter what you do in survive, I am making money from a capitalist But, from capitalism one way or another. this society; you are going to make money does having some shit in John Weber’s at the same time, there comes the question, do or say? That is a point over which there gallery affect the credibility of anything we have I work with. It’s not just New York—we is a lot of disagreement among the people places. One of the rationalizations is that contacts with galleries in Europe and other attention to our activities. There is a lot of it affords a kind of visibility that draws some is, argument amongst us as to whether the drawbacks are worth the benefits. The point shouldn’t There’s also the notion that you you can’t be pure in this society. however, or that you shouldn’t display these kinds of conflicts and contradic- live “in harmony,” tions, but I think these should be something that people, all of us, learn from. Whether we do, I don’t know… No more a contradiction than being a “legitimized” member of the avant-garde or member of the avant-garde IB: No more a contradiction than being a “legitimized” If we weren’t “legitimized” figures in being a conceptual artist or any of that bullshit. to me because you would have never the art world, you wouldn’t be sitting here talking heard of Art & Language, The Fox,imperialis- or me. There is a sense in which you use voice heard at all, in order for your voice to tic or oppressive forms in order to get your hard to really know which side you fall on! exist. But there is a fine line there, and it’s You get another question coming up here, too. Given a different kind of society, given given kind of society, too. Given a different coming up here, get another question You developed? It prob- would television have been society, a society that isn’t a consumer and used to the invented, but would it have been developed ably would have been powerful tool of in this country today? It’s presently the most extent that it has been yourself firstly as a into viewing into consumer society, brainwashing, of indoctrination The “higher” the technology of the if at all, a person. and maybe secondly, consumer, of the artist and the the more those forms are determining, both forms you are using, So there are many the struggle against such determination. audience—and the harder television. problems with “utilizing” we don’t want to. want to. why we don’t understand we have to But television. educational and watch bring and so oppressive, work are which we under or the conditions of work The sort is that Now, trivially entertained. all we want to do is be changes in us that about certain Even if one information. television to disseminate in terms of thinking about a problem that you change the relationship I don’t know whether content of television, changes the audience. the form and the exists between

50 53 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - Did you manage to find an alternative to the hated Rutgers faculty? Rutgers to the hated alternative to find an manage Did you PF: of you from the strictures in which the teaching So that in fact released PF: could return to history itself. history had put you. You toward enough. And that has since oriented you That happens, not often PF: find a ter Except that it’s hard to activity. an emphasis on message-directed message— to differentiate between the purely formal minology that manages of content. What are the other which is a kind of content—and other types types of content in your work? said something and transmit But there is meaning in the content, too. You PF: ted what you said around the world via satellite. How you said what you said To answer that, I have to backtrack. The Color School started in Washington, DC, in Washington, School started The Color backtrack. I have to answer that, DD: To University as major at American become a painting up. The reason I didn’t where I grew I revere over the city. axis had taken was that the Colorist-Greenberg an undergraduate other color Louis that’s not in the intensity in Morris mind you, but there’s Morris Louis, Davis on collaborate with Gene I came to know and a very much later time, painters. At The But they are exceptions. thinker in the school. was and is the most active events; he Happening, and Dada-Fluxus ac- Pop, were oriented towards artists in New York—who about content. They amoral about meaning, amoral tivity when I was at Rutgers—were That was a great release to me. didn’t care about history. think so. I DD: Yes, in my work. I would argue however that it DD: I would argue that there is no message the form. I think this has always been so, originates in its content, which in turn shapes give you any one of a dozen examples. I could but I didn’t understand it until recently. In Seven Thoughts, in which I sent a worldwide message via the satellite, I’m more concerned about the meaning of speaking to the existential mind on the other end go to the emptythan AstrodomeI am about and the make fact that it’s happening. To sense. I did it for a reason, which is the that piece is not a gesture, in the Duchampian meaning of the bothact. tongue-tiedWe’re at this moment because we’re highly skilled awkward when talking about its other quali- in discussing the formal aspects of art and qualities and I find it very difficult to talk ties. Content or meaning is one of those other should be any reason to be ashamed about. But that’s natural and I don’t think there The meaning of Seven Thoughts is elusive, as it developed over the of our difficulty. part its form-meaning was adjusted to the years, from planning to final realization. In and very little time in had very little money, realities of the situation, to the fact that we that stood between me and this the Astrodome, to the political and social problems system. As the work finally evolved, it idiosyncratic use of the global communications of all these things, together with the core contained a meaning that is the composite composite is the documentary videotape. intention, which never changed. A part of this I knew where to put the cameras, how I controlled the aesthetics of the videotape. well. I also controlled the public address long the tape would be; I structured it pretty system in the stadium. So Seven Thoughts is authentically me, in part, and other parts and by the politics of the satellite. Out of it all came were forced upon me by necessity, a meaning that is more interesting to me that the form. I’m also more interested in the than how it was made, though in the deep- meaning of Jasper Johns’ Flag, by the way, est sense they are inseparable. -

Had you done special studies in the social and political significance of PF: artwork? The Fluxus aesthetic then has informed your work, almost from the first. The Fluxus aesthetic then has informed your PF: the iconographical situation. training has emphasized Your PF: So you were involved in Happening-Fluxus activities then. So you were involved in Happening-Fluxus PF: How long have you been involved with non-traditional, non-painterly, non- non-painterly, How long have you been involved with non-traditional, PF: sculptural artistic pursuits? when you asked the viewer— referring to the end of your aktion, when you asked the are You PF: other side. TV screen as you burst through from the the world—to break his Did he do it? Interview, July 1977 July Interview, Beuys and satellite telecast—with the Documenta have just finished You PF: in must have been live and taped, audience for this performance, Your Paik. the event—as several continents. Didn’t the enormity of the millions, touching Nielsen milker—obscure its message? a spectacle or international Douglas Davis and Peter Frank and Davis Douglas

DD: Oh, yes. When I studied at Rutgers it was in a very traditional department, very I was humanistic. I hated it, but I was drawn against my will to Swift and to Bosch. Later, involved in sociological theories of art, Marxist and non-Marxist. Perhaps. But it must also be remembered that I was very involved in the art of the But it must also be remembered that I DD: Perhaps. reason why content has become so impor past at about that time. I still am. That is one DD: Right. Also there was a constant, ongoing interest in politics, in which I was deeply involved at an early stage—the McCarthy years. I was very much attracted to the minimal word-scores of George Brecht, and to hisDD: I was very much attracted to the minimal word-scores and eminently more forceful personality, theoretical writings, but Allan Kaprow was a available. tant to me; I think it is the resurgence of the appeal of the past, of lost values and ideas. tant to me; I think it is the resurgence of the Since I was a graduate student at Rutgers University in the late ‘50s, early ‘60s. DD: Since I was a graduate student at Rutgers I’ll never know. There are too many cities and languages involved. In Kassel the There are too many DD: I’ll never know. the night before—please come and a woman told me I had broken her screen next day, repair it, she said. Only if you assume that the viewer saw it as part of the mass, as an unman. I doubt the viewer saw it as part of the mass, as DD: Only if you assume that not to millions of people. was trying to break through to him/her, that he/she did. And I or three, on the other There is only one mind, at most two anyway. That figure is a myth, side of the screen.

52 55 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology The failure of success depended on happenstance. on depended of success The failure PF: of a social It’s an explanation an exploration of a medium. This isn’t PF: have been People phenomenon. medium is just a technical situation. The The see you as in terms of your work. at least video that way, misconstruing oriented toward the and in fact you’re the medium of video oriented toward video, that is, telecommunication. social phenomenon of in real time. specific point to specific point and potentially From PF: And in recorded time. PF: in two dimensions. A film But the pencil moves according to your wishes, PF: three dimensions (only record- camera moves according to your wishes, in wishes in four dimensions ing). A video camera moves according to your (recording and transmitting). are have to be able to see beyond what you are doing, and how you You PF: doing it, so that what you are doing is not only a matter of how. It depended on who owns the telecommunications system. on who owns the telecommunications DD: It depended are many appeal- is mostly appealing to me—although there DD: I would say that video from point to point. that it carries the message or the meaning ing things about it—in DD: Yes. or a book, or real time. It’s like a pencil, or a piece of paper, DD: Which approximates No worse. The old meaning of the word “medium”— anything. No different. No better. the means, bland and neutral, of getting before McLuhan polluted it—described it as That is how I use video, whether live or an image-idea from one place to the next. It takes me from my mind to your mind. taped, telecast or single-monitor in a gallery. me. What I am That’s a given, a fait accompli; and by now it is totally without interest to make you see obsessed with is the content of the contact I make with you. I’m trying to think about them, also in specific ways. and to certain images in a highly specific way, that it works, that it is a pleasure when it I’m trying to remind the mind that it is there, and for you. works, and that it is responsible for itself, make a certain To from one another. DD: All that tells us is that one medium is different kind of line I use a very soft lead. It’s kind of line I can use a very hard lead, for another being confining himself to one medium or pretty obvious that I don’t believe in a human of address, and one of them is words. Often one mode of address. I use lots of modes us kill mediums,” and people ask whether I’ve said, “Let us destroy mediums,” or “Let of the video camera or screen. When I believe there’s nothing to the formal qualities They ask. Do you tell them to ignore the you teach students what do you tell them? The answer is that in order to destroy any medium? And the answer is obviously no. medium, you have to know it well. It’s the same as when you are teaching drawing to a group of students DD: Exactly. and saying to them in effect what I always say to students, that video is not the issue. are making the pencil/camera do what you want it to do, whether you perceive that You - PF: Success might have been part of the message as well. PF: Let me interrupt and describe Brecht. It was a multi-site multi-time perfor PF: So failure is part of the message. PF: Will another manner? Directly? you manage to express these thoughts in PF: from Bertolt Brecht’s essays, mance/cablecast, in which you read selections Live sound from a including “The Radio as an Apparatus of Communication.” element. CB radio was mixed into the reading as another We perceive the significance of the seven thoughts only if they and we of the seven thoughts only if they and perceive the significance We PF: really exist of communication. The thoughts do not are subject to this method it is an gesture. The gesture is not the message, but independently of the important ingredient in the message. Yes. But you don’t want us to hear it in any other context. you don’t want us to hear it in any other But Yes. PF: Then for all intents and purposes we will never hear the seven thoughts we will never hear intents and purposes Then for all PF: affected by is how you What we are in to the satellite microphone. whispered it. tried to make us hear you said could itself be content itself be content could What you said about. been talking you have is what some government unless to hear that, to be able not going But we’re as well. the videotape? hear it on Can we unlikely. release it, which is highly decides to DD: Yes. DD: Yes. I suppose you could make reasonable guesses at what they might be. There is DD: I suppose you could make reasonable guesses that something about Reading Brecht that’s related here. Several people complained who like the piece very much. They com- they couldn’t hear the text, including those work. plained that the illegible audio weakened the one would have listened. By hiding it, no DD: If I had proclaimed the Brecht text clearly, This is related to the issue of the “lost” I sent the audience (in effect) into the libraries. the satellite system and I fail, then I’ll give seven thoughts. If I try to speak to you using them to you anyway. I just go back to what I said before. The meaning of the piece is a composite of DD: I just go back to what I said before. The meaning tried to speak as a free single man to free all these factors. One of the factors is that I communication system in order to do private ears all over the world, using the satellite it, to make it clear and visible. it. I used the system because I wanted to expose Since part of the meaning of the work is to engage the telecommunications system of the work is to engage the telecommunications DD: Since part of the meaning Seven Thoughts. would be destroyed if I exposed the of the world, that objective You understand that I want you to hear the thoughts? understand DD: You DD: No.

54 57 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology audience. But I would see this as an approach that you picked up not from up not you picked that this as an approach see But I would audience. or one person, to reach using video You’re Body Art. but from itself, video them from the and also to remove number of private minds, even a large of an abstraction.) you into something fact of you, to make actual physical that you have worked with the medium for so long I agree with you, but PF: you in some must have influenced you or interested some of the work done special way. what you would want whom- Right. Only you are capable of doing exactly PF: ever were in front of the camera to do. I don’t think it came from Body Art; it came from a desire to have a point-to-point to have a point-to-point it came from a desire it came from Body Art; DD: I don’t think rather that put somebody honest if I do it myself It also seems more communication. was clearly directly to you. This objective is to speak of the camera—if my else in front out my thoughts to the viewer (the piece in which I typed necessary in Studies in Myself work is the content of thinking them), where the content of the onto the screen as I was else’s. my mind, not someone early tapes in you are absolutely right. Bruce Nauman’s DD: As far as interest goes, first black-and-white are of great interest to me. So were the very the late ‘60s were and 1970 and 1973. whom I worked and talked a lot between Campus, with tapes of Peter years. But the influence that a friend and a source of inspiration for many has been Paik you never heard an artist talk about. A lot seems the most direct to me are people I bet for exam- of the seventeenth century, of the radical, underground, religious movements he was romantic and idealistic and even a bit ple. The writings of the young Marx, when before, and Swift. The poets that moved erotic. I think I mentioned Hieronymus Bosch as contemporary artists are concerned, it me most were Donne and Hopkins. As far Of all the sources I’ve mentioned, is Beuys, Johns, Haacke, and Barnett Newman. direct, simple, and yet aesthetic was clear, Newman is probably the most important. His tell you how moved I was when I first unbelievably complex in its implications. I can’t to be an intellectual—to be interested in met him. He made me feel that it was all right artist, even dedicated to a single image. I many things, openly—and still be a dedicated problem with most of the video art that think that is his line in the Russian piece. The and painfully attempting to declare that it I see is that it is inhuman, feeding in on itself, a mind or aesthetic at work than a tool. is video. I’m much more interested in seeing mind when I made Studies in Myself. DD: I was thinking a lot about the content of the idea that the content of all minds is roughly I must have been influenced by Chomsky’s else the fact kind of structural and symbolic similarity, There must be some similar. be different. That’s why I made that of language—its widespread use and form—would happen when I placed myself in that piece. First of all, I was interested in what would The camera situation and started typing for the first time on the character-generator. was on and I was very conscious of that. There’s no hiding of anything there. I was also interested in what the content would be, what would come out of mind. But you won’t find anywhere in American critical writing any reference to that content—I can’t remember anyone saying anything about that tape that didn’t have to do with its means of presentation. Never once. In Europe there is much more reference to what came out in typing—there is constant reference to death and sex, which was absolutely are the issue, responsible for what you do. It’s not the tool. It’s the tool. do. It’s not for what you issue, responsible are the I don’t mean to attack the developments per se, but to attack people’s I don’t mean to attack the developments per Many people who agree with you in principle see you making the same Many people who agree with you in principle PF: particu- I’m thinking mistakes as the video artists whom you consider in error. larly of your constant use of your own image, which might show you to have been seduced by video’s narcissistic qualities. This would pertain especially (the series of short tapes in which you invite the viewer to The Austrian Tapes to participate with you by pressing cheeks, lips, chests and backs with you against the screen, either in their bodies or in their minds. Here you use your as a means of communicating directly with your and only your body, body, PF: become secure with People mistrust of what happens subsequent to them. reactive developments.certain developments and can’t deal with subsequent, should be resisted. In that regard,I guess that attitude always happens, but it the development of video from how do you perceive, critically and emotionally, (a day that will live in infamy)? its inception as an art form on October 4, 1965 I’m talking about complacency with developments in the present that I’m talking about complacency with developments PF: have evolved into a status quo. One would think we would be less prone than ever to despairing or would be less prone than ever to despairing One would think we PF: of history and our knowledge stasis, because of our awareness self-satisfied complacency the immediate future. But there is a lot of about the present and about the present. You could almost say that of all art, in fact all societal phenomena—to be almost say that of all art, in fact all societal could You PF: better. encourages the development of something against what it has been Well, I don’t like the term “Video art,” nor do I like the continued obsession with I don’t like the term “Video art,” nor do I like DD: Well, It’s almost impossible to break the as ends in themselves. tape-monitor-and-telecast I have recently found myself return- work through that hard shell of misunderstanding. printmaking, and performance (if you don’t ing to more traditional grounds—drawing, Rutgers)— at started, I where remember traditional; as performance of thinking my mind as channels. The message is perceived because they are less visible and obstructive rather than the means alone. DD: Yes. There is also a quite understandable and in some ways quite laudable flight to the understandable and in some ways quite laudable DD: There is also a quite past, or certain qualities of the past. Yes, and the only reason not to try to achieve something better is the rather shaky the only reason not to try to achieve something and DD: Yes, improve ourselves. assumption that we can’t consciously or not. You or not. consciously you. That doesn’t mean that you ignore the physical problems; the relationship of the the relationship problems; the physical you ignore mean that doesn’t you. That destroy want to say that you To that effect, and so on. paper will give you pencil to the print, know the 1974 Cologne to the medium; you an affront or insult mediums isn’t It is For Video No Video, Against No Video No prin- statement of this It? It’s just another what it do video is to be against service you can felt that the greatest ciple. I’ve always has been.

56 59 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology PF: With it does. some people PF: a fait accompli, in your is a given factor, The situation of its occurrence PF: regard. hear the text but to inform us But the point of the piece is not to have us PF: or hear it in the traditional way, that the text exists. If we really wanted to read we could look it up. fueled by some basic con- I’m beginning to perceive your work as being PF: but their factors work also in tradictions. These contradictions may be logical, leading finally to a continu- even mutually enhancing, ways, complementary, concerned with the explication of a gesture, seem ity at least as logical. You its obscuring. The Three Silent idea, or some such material, and equally with listened to the and Secret Acts (a performance cablecast in which you first side, knocked upon it, and finally video screen for a response from the other are realized in front of a televi- crashed through the other side of the “screen”) happens in real as well as recorded sion/video situation—television because it projector (at time. The Acts occur necessarily with monitors and an Advent the performance site), and incorporate the whole TV studio. But that’s another The Acts are explicated in and of themselves, and obscured by their matter. (multiple) means of transmission. same way it comes naturally to Vito Acconci when he makes an installation to consider to consider an installation he makes when to Vito Acconci naturally way it comes same of technique, sophistication effortless There is an a room. are as where people a room of the mean that’s the purpose all ‘70s art. It doesn’t things, in nearly media, physical work. situa- or post-modernist sort of post-formalist we’re discussing some DD: Hopefully about physical things, beyond those things by being concerned tion and you can’t get I am surprised and appalled when is a given; that’s taken care of. physical matters. That the physical receiving telecasts by artists that take no account of I see videotapes and shit about that if there but on the other hand, I wouldn’t give a situation—I’m appalled, to take account of in it I really liked. It’s impossible for me not were something else I just can’t do it. those physical things. interested in telecasting—perhaps exactly right. It’s not the end goal. I’m that’s DD: Yes, - because it renders the work public, or reaches large num even obsessed by it—not telecast takes me directly to your mind, bers of people. The reverse is the case. The It is at this moment that the message unencumbered by gallery or “public” distinctions. Reading Brecht—to take another for itself. is naked, stripped in your mind, and stands The means were there to reinforce the example—had nothing to do with its means. because I think it’s a very important text. message. I read that text over and over again its content. That text and man- DD: I hoped, too, that the form of that piece transmitted ner of presentation were the same. in full may be describing a process now DD: That makes some sense to me. You flower that was only hinted at in Three Acts. I thought of Three Acts as being very clear It would be like doing a piece of mail art that had to do with the position of It would be like doing a piece of mail art that PF: the mailbox in the typical home. It’s a very interesting phenomenon. Very few formalistic video artists ad- It’s a very interesting phenomenon. Very PF: work is one of the few bodies of video dress themselves to that aspect. Your implication to the social—phe- art that addresses itself to the physical—by nomenon of the television set. projected on The Austrian Tapes That’s true. As a matter of fact I’ve seen PF: an Advent, and they lose meaning as a result. It’s not hard to understand. It’s the one time when you know exactly what It’s the one time when you know exactly It’s not hard to understand. PF: do and exactly what you are going to do. you are supposed to Do you find yourself more or less self-conscious when you’re doing that? when self-conscious yourself more or less Do you find PF: You see that I think that a great deal of recent art—since the late ‘60s, let’s say— see that I think that a great DD: You that were developed in the early ‘60s, has been wrongly described by critical mentalities because the means are so carefully The means are emphasized but not maliciously. sorts of performances which you well handled, right? I’m speaking of all thought-out, aware of where the performance takes can think of immediately that are very acutely of the audience is, etc. Or Eleanor place, where people are sitting, what the psychology Antin’s postcards—they are very acutely aware of how the image is reaching the mind, and so forth. But I think that’s simply an unconscious legacy of our education. I grew my friends and all the painters were up with Greenberg. When I was in Washington, involved in those formalist considerations. So that’s my heritage. That’s something I can’t give up—it’s instinctive. If I deal with a piece of paper like a print, I don’t even have In the piece of paper. to think about the fact that yes, this goes on a flat-two-dimensional DD: As a means of carrying a message. DD: Yes. at that time. I was totally with Studies in Myself at that time. I was totally DD: I guess so. I was so involved I which you mentioned. The same with The Austrian Tapes, involved with the message. the final work has you, trying to transmit to you. But of course was thinking only about to do with where you shape of the television screen. It has a lot to do with the size and are when you see it. Less. I discover as I go on that in the moment of performance I’m really not there. I’m really not in the moment of performance as I go on that DD: Less. I discover some often hear that You when I’m not performing. I’m much more self-conscious else. I’m at my most life except when they’re playing somebody actors never come to That’s when I’m abso- when the thing is actually going on. relaxed when I’m performing, lutely tranquil. It’s strange. unconscious. You must realize when you put yourself into a typing situation like that, situation into a typing yourself you put realize when must You unconscious. about self-conscious can’t be mind, you up with your to keep you’re trying when can’t do is so consuming you up with the mind the act of trying to keep it. Because anything else.

58 61 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Also it motivates you toward greater and greater activity. Also it motivates you PF: and between the explanation of the barriers As you said, it’s the difference PF: to make them. The way you explain them is precisely the attempt to overcome them is to overcome them, and the way you overcome some sort of attempt that these of them. In making us aware of the fact to make some explanation towards dis- place you’ve gone just that much further barriers exist in the first solving them. not sufficiently aware of most As individual members of the society we are PF: that we might follow and exploit of society’s legally balanced structures so even less familiar that them. The telecommunications system is probably sufficiently informed about food most other systems. There are more people who know about telecom- stamp laws, for instance, than there are people more basic needs as defined by munications, because the stamp laws meet communications may be as In a future society the use of satellite this society. And in your It may be a way of feeding oneself. important as feeding oneself. pointing out its nature to us, exploration of the telecommunications structure, you may have helped to the nature of its drawbacks as presently structured, as a means of exploiting more bring about the use of telecommunications crucial personal situations. By both capitalist and socialist definitions, having paid for it by money or PF: to return to the issue of barriers, it seems work, we should own it. By the way, to me that the barriers are especially frustrating to us because they’re not re- is going are the only one who knows exactly what ally a frustration to you. You Is the frustration in the work or in its situation? Am I really frustrated by these things work or in its situation? Am I really frustrated DD: Is the frustration in the the barriers? I don’t contact? Or am I merely making visible that stand between perfect is. know what the answer in some of these cases I am sure DD: The whole thing is really complicated because Do you know we discovered that there are that the barrier is evil and in others I am not. the global satellite system: what you about eleven people in the world who understand but it’s a I’m using “eleven” as a metaphor, can do with it and what you can’t do with it? individual can purchase time on it; nobody mighty small group. Nobody knows how an knows anything. because you and easier than it is now, DD: More diverse. Access to it ought to be much satellite our tax dollars paid for the Center, Trade I own it. Just as we paid for the World system. and the friendship wouldn’t be nearly as intense. The line also relates to something that to something relates The line also as intense. be nearly wouldn’t friendship and the of kinds do it.” Certain is not to about sex thing most important said, “The once Warhol in which I videotape, Knocking, know that very early end in pleasure. Do you frustration Don’t you it an act of frustration. Somebody called against the screen? beat my hands on the other through to the person the screen and get down the barrier of want to break - I don’t. On Tues on Tuesdays on Mondays I do, I said, I don’t know: side? He asked. to break through communicates intensity of the desire I’m thinking is that the days what to bust it. if in fact I were able more effectively than itself much There is a sense of frustration if one is going to approach it from a rational- if one is going to approach it from There is a sense of frustration On what level are you talking about the line? As a physical On what level are you talking about the line? PF: phenomenon? PF: - computation of a text and the philosophi viewpoint, a start-to-finish ist Western might prompt one to regard for the material non-Western cal meaning within. A deal with it is, not demand so much of it, more gracefully—that perceive it, say, contradictions. as a phenomenon within which there are circumstantial It emerged from Reading Marx. graphic piece that see that in the We PF: none of which is a the three languages, with a conjunction of presents us which are as frustrating in none of of the other, truly accurate representation is kind of as satisfying in terms of what you see. Which terms of what you read tension (atten- using formal aspects in creating the interesting because you’re want to infuse the content. tion?) with which you DD: No. It does have a spatial and temporal meaning as well as a political meaning. At this moment, I’m talking about it in terms of a political line, its symbolic value as the political line between us. My students questioned me once about this piece—after I had expressed my ambivalence about the line. How can you say that? They asked: If the answered, I Yes, room. this in here right could be Komar and there, Melamid weren’t line George Steiner wrote a book that appears to contradict Chomsky. He asks why to contradict Chomsky. DD: George Steiner wrote a book that appears why isn’t there a universal language? And there are so many languages in the world, always want to be understood. This explains the answer is—he says—that people don’t that only you and I understand, why there are different languages, private languages and so on. He says that there is a and code words. Children have little play languages, and not to be understood, to speak pub- deep desire in people both to be understood not to be heard, except by a very small licly and be heard, and to speak privately and I read Steiner after I had done all these group of people. It’s a basic human instinct. talk about it in terms of the work. The pieces, but I think that is true and I think I could Moscow, Moscow New York New York clearest example is the Russian piece Questions that occurred over four dates in 1976 with a collaborative photographic-performance It involved the simultaneous asking of questions Alexander Melamid and Vitaly Komar. of photographs of the performances, about the nature of the “line” and the exchange is a literal as well as a metaphorical line be- later spliced together and enlarged. There really questions that are literally serious. We tween us in this work, about which we ask or politically (the aesthetic choice don’t understand why the line is there, philosophically the line on that level. My guess is, to put it into the work is ours). I don’t understand As to whether writings, that they don’t understand it either. from Melamid and Komar’s it is a positive or negative presence. It’s interesting that you use the word “frustration”—several friends have used it use the word “frustration”—several friends DD: It’s interesting that you with the pieces. recently in connection and simple in what the viewer has to do. I hope that the meaning of the acts remains acts remains of the that the meaning do. I hope has to the viewer in what and simple or a structure a text of providing whole issue explicit. The isn’t It certainly mysterious. in my mind until Reading Marx, time wasn’t explicit from you at the same that’s removed little- certain selections of in which I read Art Fair I did at the Bologna the performance intention no one heard. by Marx—which by known texts

60 63 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology The ghost then is not only a perception of your final self, dead, existing existing dead, final self, of your a perception is not only then The ghost PF: Davis ghost of too—the dead, self, of an earlier but your view a wraith, only as future. as the ghost of Davis past as well in Two literal element, that is—of narcissism there an element—a Wasn’t PF: in California this past The Devil, in the work you realized Cities, The Flesh, and spring? cities? Why did the performance take place in two PF: in motivation to the very com- What about future projects? Are they similar PF: plex pieces executed in 1976-1977? Will the Berlin and Budapest readings force political issues? PF: Yes… except that… it’s still me. Me at a heightened awareness of myself. That kind of myself. a heightened awareness it’s still me. Me at except that… DD: Yes… what’s wrong a masturbatory act… the self as intrigues me. As for presenting of content to do with the camera has do it. Second, facing The best people with masturbation? not narcissism. point or self-to-self, point-to that is too ridicu- I stood nude in front of the camera? No, DD: Do you mean because two sexes involved in that performance. there were Further, lous even to consider. cities—the girl only did they play similar roles in different as well as male. Not Female, I seduced her in Los Angeles—but while in San Francisco seduced me (aggressively) and sex were then the camera, as one sex, nude. Both personality they ended in front of subsumed. basis of pairs ending as one whole. Two DD: Everything in the piece proceeded from a times (lived and taped), and two cities. performers, two sexes, two seductions, two of the work: part one was broadcast- exchanged performance sites in the middle We pm. Then the two performers changed performed in both cities between 8 and 8:30 commuter flight, and Francisco places, passing each other on the Los Angeles-San was an attempt to collapse scale (the op- executed part two between 11 and 11:30. It odds the intimacy of what took place on posite of Christo’s fence) and to clarify against in the Documenta 6 telecast came out of the the screen. The use of the Caracas hands expand scale. same concern—to collapse rather than to find out what is possible in the area of DD: Just to speak of forms, I’ve only begun to they allow me to deal in very rich ambigui- simultaneous public/private performances: It is essential in space but with identity itself. ties that have to do not only with time and be aware of the other—and of its that one audience all these performances, by the way, context. I’m still working on the Flying Man seeing or hearing in a completely different years. And I have several Readings yet in image, which will doubtless occupy me for of course. mind, in Berlin, in Budapest, and elsewhere—non-audible, DD: Everything does. But I try to alert and intrigue the audience rather than to lead it. I don’t want to be a leader on that level. Like all anarchists, I am against leading or be- not to an organized Utopia (Seven ing led. I look back to a de-centralized community, Thoughts was anti-Utopian). Isn’t this clear from the way I use media—always point to I point rather than point to mass? Often I’m discouraged that this isn’t understood, but PF: Did the ghost type a prearranged script? PF: The audience at the Whitney knew. They saw you performing in real time; The audience at the Whitney knew. PF: your gesture most closely as they were able to detect the image that followed they also knew that the ghost at the character the real time image. However, looked like you, they might generator was in real time, too. Since the ghost have thought he was you, too. I wouldn’t be surprised. What you tend to do is to have live and recorded What you tend to do is to have live and I wouldn’t be surprised. PF: One Ghost Figures things. I notice in Fourimages doing the same Places Two 1976) that of Whitney Museum in February, at the (a cablecast-performance And two the same place but in different timeframes. the four places two are And the ghost is supposedly figures are the same person in different times. in the same time. Here you’re the same figure as these other two, supposedly l’oeil.” working with what might be called “video trompe I know. The performance audience can differentiate. The way you audience can differentiate. The The performance I know. PF: performance audience sees the live performance structure your work, the does not image, whereas the recorded image coordinated with its real-time coordinate. on. It’s the aspect of “multiple information” that has been occurring especially especially has been occurring that information” of “multiple the aspect on. It’s tripartite in the it’s evident Secret Acts, Silent and In Three recent work. in your (there being there are temporal disparities structure, although simultaneous the transmission from on the screen the live way to be able to tell no sufficient taped transmission). Yes, the text is a piece that I discovered going through my memorabilia. I wrote it the text is a piece that I discovered going through my memorabilia. DD: Yes, out when I was in my first year of college, I’d guess. I was going through a period when We all know this, but it’s one thing to know it I first realized I was finally going to die. and another to experience the knowing, for the first time. The “lost” text resurfaced that the I thought immediately about Studies in Myself, moment, when I read it, years later. - content of which surprised me, as I said before. I had no idea (in 1973) that death ob in this old text, when I must have been 19 or 20 years old, I found sesses me. Anyway, that obsessive self again. I think that some of the audience didn’t know anything. And perhaps a significant DD: I think that some of the audience didn’t know “Ah, he’s right there in front of out physically. percentage of the other people figured it That’s the ghost.” But this relates to another me, therefore that other image can’t be he. Physically speaking, all those things are true. But what issue we were discussing earlier. the confusion. If the physical distinc- the ghost typed out had a character that deepened people, they were complicated by the tions were immediately perceivable to certain to me than the “me” in front of you. content of the ghost’s typing. Which was closer Fair enough, but is also occurs to me that a question might be asked: who’s the enough, but is also occurs to me that a question DD: Fair “me’s” is the real person? Or is it the ghost? And who’s me? And which of the several ghost? You’d be surprised how many people who watched both Three Acts and Brecht as be surprised how many people who watched DD: You’d about that. performances were confused That’s true for the performance audience and the home audience. audience and the home for the performance DD: That’s true

62 65 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - are fixed,’ he said. ‘It is always born in anxiety.’ Not only that, he said, always born in anxiety.’ are fixed,’ he said. ‘It is that when he looks at it, he is thrown into so anxiety to the spectator,’ it is the very function of really valuable new Modern art to ‘transmit this it is the very function of really –Tom Wolfe quoting art theorist Leo Steinberg from The Painted quoting art theorist Leo Word, 1975 Wolfe –Tom ‘a genuine existential predicament.’” “Modern art always ‘projects itself into a twilight zone where no values “Modern art always ‘projects Richard Irwin Richard Hallucination Hysterical A Post Romantics New For certain aims clear while obscuring its relationship with obviously theatrical modes. Of certain aims clear while obscuring its relationship solved disaffection with almost every phantom of solidity—a conceptuality that bordered that conceptuality solidity—a of phantom every almost with disaffection solved sition. The women were at once both more colorful in their presentations and reflective a personal almost autobiographical form tinged with outright political dialectic. had performed at UC Berkeley: had performed at UC and the old-styled Angels of Light. haunted groups like Cycle Sluts, and Cockettes, and other male persona avoided the theatrical like the Fox, as Bruce Nauman, Terry ing performances of such other notable American body artists as Chris Burden and Vito ing performances of such other notable American by the object again. Others, Howard Fried, Paul Kos, Jim Pomeroy—expressed an unre- Jim Pomeroy—expressed Kos, Paul by the object again. Others, Howard Fried, plague. Their work concentrated energy in and around their bodies as did the pioneer plague. Their work concentrated energy in purely conceptual into a visuality, a sculpturality that was inescapably “theater.” Yet the Yet that was inescapably “theater.” a sculpturality purely conceptual into a visuality, - on an all-encompassing theater whether in its installation state or actual public compo expressed Nancy Blanchard, Linda Montano of the concerns of women. Martha Rosler, during the last decade, even more than Paul Cotton’s Astral Rabbit masque picked up during the last decade, even more than Paul and gender permutation that had on a particularly SF theatrical vibration of role-change of public persona. unashamedly performing in a quasi-theatrical context, that is, moving away from the unashamedly performing in a quasi-theatrical Certainly the miles of black-and-white videotape exhibiting the works of artists such videotape Certainly the miles of black-and-white that mutated into various shapes that could be ultimately dispensed with and replaced that mutated into various shapes that could the group represented in that show only the work of Darryl Sapien and Ant Farm were work of Darryl Sapien and Ant Farm the group represented in that show only the She was commenting on theater or the lack of it as much as the art world by her choice She was commenting on theater or the lack formance paradigm shift that has occurred over the past four years in San Francisco? in San Francisco? that has occurred over the past four years formance paradigm shift

work of artist Lynn Hershman was not to be seen. Lynn’s Roberta Breitmore incarnation was not to be seen. Lynn’s Hershman work of artist Lynn Acconci. This form was if nothing else, a form of centrifugalism, an interior monologue Acconci. This form was if nothing else, a form Artist Paul Kos whispered in my ear one night after having described to him a piece I night after having described to him a piece whispered in my ear one Kos Artist Paul What is the New Wave? What is its aesthetic? Its style? What is the New Art, the per is its aesthetic? Its style? What is the New What What is the New Wave? Why not, and who are we? exhibition at the SFMOMA at the beginning of the new decade here made Time/Sound exhibition at the SFMOMA at the beginning The materialistic conceptualist school of the Seventies as represented in the Space/ The materialistic conceptualist school of the “We don’t want Theater!” “We Number 9, Volume 3 (1), 1977. Number 9, Volume Originally published in Art Contemporary, In other words, all of us. PF: The exceptions are the rule. PF: The thing is to lead them to it. You lead an intelligence. The thing is to lead them to it. You PF: Aren’t you excessively idealistic about your audience? In almost every about your audience? excessively idealistic Aren’t you PF: hap- person, who ) is with a random (as in Seven Thoughts case your contact him? too much faith in tuning in. Don’t you place pens to be

DD: Yes. Yes… DD: Yes. Yes, that’s a very good way to put it. There is no rule except the exception. That’s that’s a very good way DD: Yes, The exceptional audience—the exception exactly the kind of audience I’m speaking to. that proves the rule. I was reading the other day about Mies Van der Rohe. A colleague who’d worked DD: I was reading the other day about Mies Van Mies reading a book. Nothing except with him for twenty years said he’d never seen to New Jersey and meet a hog farmer who has memorized you go out newspapers. Yet fragile. Diderot. Our presumptions are strange and The only way to pick your way out of the shit that is fed you is to look to your own you is to look to your of the shit that is fed to pick your way out DD: The only way all been raised so in the matter of an audience. We’ve experience. This is particularly anything. This is an are stupid, that they don’t understand to think that “the people” in the media world. Edi- in the art world and interestingly enough attitude very prevalent that the voters their readers are stupid; politicians are convinced tors are convinced that are stupid. Most of our producers are convinced that their viewers are stupid; television own experience? When the audience to be stupid. But what is my artist friends consider it difficult to remember that I’ve met all over the world, I find I reflect upon “the people” I go. In In fact I recall very perceptive people, everywhere real, hard-boned, stupidity. Can my mentality. I was carefully prepared to find a slave-state Russia above all, where of commonality. It can’t. I must be touching some kind experience be that unusual? experience with them, deal with the audience out of my own So I decided that I would a reservoir there of I have found or second-hand theory.And not any other experience this—it’s so natural to believe the reverse. extraordinary perception. I wish I could prove I really liked that piece, I saw a friend the other day after Brecht and he said, “Well, how many people out there know anything about Brecht?” but I was thinking to myself, they don’t. But we’re them, we know, There you are. It’s so natural to assume that they’re we. realize how dense the training is on the other side. This is a century of dictators, dictators, a century of This is other side. is on the the training how dense realize context. nineteenth-century better in a fit I probably and Utopians. pariahs,

64 67 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - cabinets. Video monitors scanning the perimeter above reported back across switching cabinets. Video monitors scanning the perimeter Snyder Show. Tomorrow, Reruns of the Tom cooled eyes inside the labyrinth passages. eyes. ever-present crisscrossed between electric blinks of the specific pieces, almost never physically involve the audience, but in fact creates an fact creates but in the audience, involve physically almost never pieces, specific drinking beer highest form of art is statement: “The Marioni’s sophist Tom evolved from stage. This art hadn’t merged with life—it celebrated it! stage. This art hadn’t and poked fun at the high seriousness of its precursors while giving the crowd a laugh high seriousness of its precursors while giving and poked fun at the audience. The implementation of the stage itself has been a distinguishing feature of feature a distinguishing has been stage itself of the The implementation audience. new has given us these and new wave Music underground punk and specifically wizened sage poet priest advancing to his ment complexes. “Quickly…” thought the is future function if no memory trace arcanum library for information… “Quickly…what historically or otherwise—it was the energy of the events, the sheer sense of fun and the was the energy of the events, the sheer historically or otherwise—it in the empty formalist restriction that gave us our desire to fill release from academic As across the hydro neural archival circuitry. his proclamation whizzed instantaneously artist, prepared to set mindlessly in front of the set gazing at photo-reproductions of artist, prepared to set mindlessly in front of her collection. Later she would sip gingerly the remaining lethal dose of cyanide from Mirage, Pseudo’s and Slimewick. performance/video classes. The beer drinking escapades of the Museum of Conceptual The beer drinking escapades of the performance/video classes. noteworthy or almost none of these actions were particularly in the meantime. None, permutations. is present?” billions of little lights flashed off simultaneously across the zomboid galaxy of Image billions of little lights flashed off simultaneously stop movements or final chords of less reverberations that had become like cluttered periodicals of the late twentieth century—Leather Fetish, Cum Spots, Joint Effort, Military dogmatists, scurried into their most secret interior designs and catacombed temples as dogmatists, scurried into their most secret Nation—dim signals merged with ancient thought bodies proceeding through end- Nation—dim signals merged with ancient thought Manhattan studio…” Instead of just talk there was art as well in the shape of entertainments that gawked was art as well in the shape of entertainments Instead of just talk there the new wave performances. Finally, the merging of the aesthetic with popular culture, culture, with popular the aesthetic merging of the performances. Finally, the new wave rays penetrated the bellies of the giant apart the oranges gasses sparkling with deathly the half-empty glass on the coffee table cluttered with issues of various bizarre art glass on the coffee table cluttered with issues of various the half-empty Scraping away a quarter-inch of glowing cobwebs from the picture album, Pauline from the picture album, Pauline of glowing cobwebs Scraping away a quarter-inch wealthy art-collector-turned-conceptual- Schwarts, the once beautiful and charming Gregorian chants. Artists like their rival scientists and arch-enemies, the religionists, or Gregorian chants. Artists like their rival scientists with friends.” 1980 at The Hotel Utah—in fact grew out of a sense of community among The Hotel Utah—in fact grew out of a sense with friends.” 1980 at Art Gang that hung out at Breen’s Bar next door had done an about face as it were. at Breen’s Bar next door had done an about Art Gang that hung out A storm of diseased insect corpses battered the roof above the rows of metal filing A storm of diseased insect corpses battered younger performance artists who had studied at the SF Art Institute in Howard Fried’s in Howard Fried’s artists who had studied at the SF Art Institute younger performance ‘Video Art.’ He will be joined later by live camera hook-up with Mr. Nam June Paik in his Nam June Paik with Mr. hook-up ‘Video Art.’ He will be joined later by live camera The Cabaret Performance attitude and materialization might be suggested to have be suggested to have materialization might attitude and Performance The Cabaret “Memory is a function of the future,” one advance aesthetic mutant proclaimed, and of the future,” one advance aesthetic mutant “Memory is a function “Tonight we have with Mr. David Ross who is going to talk about artist’s television called Mr. we have with “Tonight dreaming again of Arthur beige, where are you?” She thought out loud. She was “Arthur

control center. control center. corporate zones passed the humanoid infestations called “units.” These units were corporate zones passed the humanoid infestations cubits from the chatter of machinegun fire and the clanging of chains, dull screams cubits from the chatter of machinegun fire sculpture. The main line of conjunction between the works of artists as diverse as Karen sculpture. The main line of conjunction between the works of artists as diverse as Karen century scholasticism into a mounting hodgepodge of structural mumbo jumbo tainted into a mounting hodgepodge of structural century scholasticism single cell amoeboid up to the grandiose architect’s icons. In and out of these giant single cell amoeboid up to the grandiose architect’s emerged in that dead of night. system. The signs pointing in every direction at once like a spinning Chinese wheel of system. The signs pointing in every direction scenario of yet another savage savant depressed or wildly swinging his fists at the nose savage savant depressed or wildly swinging scenario of yet another exhibit in the basement of the SFMOMA drew harsh criticism from a young audience from a young drew harsh criticism basement of the SFMOMA exhibit in the alive, they appear always “in front of” the spectator, and with the exception of certain and alive, they appear always “in front of” the spectator, malfunction and finally terminate given appropriate electrochemical commands from malfunction and finally terminate given appropriate have recapitulated the ontological subsurface community environs from the tiniest have recapitulated the ontological subsurface munity, reality escaped through the back door of the underground and had jumped off reality escaped through the back door munity, artists succumbed to the blind narcissistic urges of post mortem man? The dreaded the blind narcissistic urges of post mortem artists succumbed to result of works so obviously divorced from its audience in most cases. The intention of in most cases. The from its audience so obviously divorced result of works Sixties had the hallmark of the that had been of “involving” the audience all-inclusion, piercing the radioactive clouds—from deep inside the very cultural complexus of civili- piercing the radioactive clouds—from deep background from a late night scary movie—as the city slept protected inside electric background from a late night scary movie—as movement—the art gallery had been transformed from gleaming white sterile labora- had been transformed from gleaming movement—the art gallery suicide. What nightmare of block paintings and ritual had dissolved in a publicist’s been reduced to a physical gesture. Terry Fox’s piece during the above mentioned the above mentioned piece during Fox’s Terry to a physical gesture. been reduced boring, and at worst, a dismal recapitulation of the past. boring, and at worst, out of themselves reproducing themselves endlessly building replica paradigm images out of themselves reproducing themselves of language. The sign system had been replaced by a increasingly technological of language. The sign system had been replaced of intellectual critics whose hallmark was that they encapsulated the worst of nineteenth hallmark was that they encapsulated of intellectual critics whose of artists either still in art school or just entering the real world. The action of walking world. The action of or just entering the real still in art school of artists either grew restless and bored by the redundancy of expression that was destined to be the to that was destined of expression the redundancy bored by restless and grew Finley, Bruce Pollack, Jojo Planteen, Phillip Hunter, Tony Labat, the many derivations of Tony Jojo Planteen, Phillip Hunter, Bruce Pollack, Finley, From the intestinal protozoan of human infestation a biological clock ticking in the the intestinal protozoan From Back in the dark ages of conceptual space in the modern caves of the centrifugist of conceptual space in the modern caves Back in the dark ages theatre while infusing the merely theatrical with a sharp, at times, sense of the visual- the “World’s First Band Without Instruments,” the Don’ts, then the Assholes, and finally the “World’s come Like Egyptian hieroglyphs the Puds, is their “frontalinear”/“frontaliteral” quality. the fire escape. tory to blue-green grottoes under city cement. The high romance of abstractionism under city cement. The high romance tory to blue-green grottoes through the audience, of turning the space into a giant conceptualist violin was at best conceptualist violin the space into a giant audience, of turning through the functionally produced so as to assist the giant megalithic central computer and set to functionally produced so as to assist the giant fortune. Strategy had successfully clobbered theory, capital tipped the scales on com- theory, fortune. Strategy had successfully clobbered with a rocky sense of avatar elitism. The critic had become encapsulated in the ironies avatar elitism. The critic had become encapsulated with a rocky sense of was happening to our artists? Was there a regression taking place in culture? Had the there a regression taking place in artists? Was was happening to our zation like a groaning animal amid winged harpies and chattering sphynx’s dreamings zation like a groaning animal amid winged Visuality still remained a problem to be solved. And what to do with an audience that audience do with an what to solved. And to be a problem still remained Visuality The New Art, as it pertains to performance then, has accepted the relationship with The New Art, as it pertains to performance Television sets locking together billions of neuron centers called brains popping up and sets locking Television

66 69 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology civilization prepared for machine interface some billion star revolutions past. The Earth machine interface some billion star revolutions civilization prepared for continued, turning to his captive admirers, “…theoretically this means that Dada still continued, turning to his captive admirers, sible scenarios. sprinkled around the green and rolling hills of southern California), I had fallen under sprinkled around the green and rolling hills at the most critical point of their transformation. Information itself had leaped beyond of their transformation. Information itself at the most critical point billion trillion pos- materialists had suggested among the five anything the modernist diagnosis.” than the quintessential process of observable and being nothing more night before classes through the hallways of the art department. Obscene and terroristic night before classes through the hallways of the art department. Obscene and terroristic and our future plans. Out of these meetings we decided to activate an event called and our future plans. Out of these meetings memory, standing in his usual Oscar Wilde-like of authority before the class, posture memory, as it with dates and words. “Now, at the chalkboard drawing a grid and illustrating has forty years left!” ing him into a corner of the room, smashing against an antique replica zenith used for zenith used replica an antique against room, smashing of the into a corner ing him posters and determination we successfully promoted our events, confusing students posters and determination we successfully phone calls arrived anonymously to heads of departments from untraceable origins. by a whirring mechanical perceptual blur knocking Arthur completely off his feet, throw - off his feet, completely Arthur blur knocking perceptual mechanical by a whirring inhabitant unified cluster Alpha Centauri. The advanced cybernet lation Sirius within the landscape in one fell swoop. landscape over a nanomillenia as suggested by DNA archive message clusters transceived as their suggested by DNA archive message clusters over a nanomillenia as damn time warp!” during the Sixties, artist, thinker and very clever man. I can picture him now in my during the Sixties, artist, thinker and very clever Extraterrestrial hordes had sufficiently prepared for their arduous, if not difficult, journey arduous, if not difficult, prepared for their hordes had sufficiently Extraterrestrial Bravo Fidel! tion. Official intra-office memos were immediately dispatched from Art Department to tion. Official intra-office memos were immediately dispatched from Art Department to the third planet from the star descending from the polar field Draconis in the constel- polar field Draconis in from the planet from the star descending to the third tion called Arthur beige. The angelic mushroom had obliterated the placid Los Angeles obliterated the placid mushroom had Arthur beige. The angelic tion called the influence of a certain Fidel Danieli—one-time art critic for Artforum and Art News the influence of a certain Fidel Danieli—one-time field model, “Qua-X 343436,” had observed this particular infestation of carbon units had observed this particular infestation 343436,” field model, “Qua-X flowering begonias, was the first and last episode in a meaningless and torpid life func- a meaningless and and last episode in begonias, was the first flowering “...Dada only lived for twenty years…” he few more squeaking squiggles and Presto! Among our actions were included: dumping several hundred pounds of garbage the Among our actions were included: dumping several hundred pounds of garbage the - A woman had slipped on a banana peel and had threatened the school with legal ac to students. No one should take from Faculty Administration, from Art Chair to Faculty A few art student friends and myself gathered in clandestine meetings discussing art A few art student friends and myself gathered you can see, every art movement in history has a lifespan roughly sixty years…” A you can see, every art movement in history While still an undergraduate at a community college (those subcultural ghettos While still an undergraduate at a community (we remained anonymous) and teachers alike. The week finally arrived. (we remained anonymous) and teachers alike. Transmission has appeared suddenly among advanced mutant robot trace projections suddenly among advanced mutant robot has appeared Transmission “Material is illusion, Time-Space a contradiction, Essence is a transmutation of being a contradiction, Essence is “Material is illusion, Time-Space said the quad-eyed bio unit to the antenna-topped cyborg, telling yourself that,” “Keep you can show me how to navigate this “and once you’ve convinced yourself maybe “Dadaweek” into the sleeping surroundings of our dull little valley college. With Xerox of our dull little valley college. With“Dadaweek” into the sleeping surroundings Xerox - - cal amplification. When asked by art critic Moira Roth if I wanted to write art criticism I asked by art critic Moira Roth if I wanted cal amplification. When sounds as they issued from all around the city than the purely academic act of histori- purely academic act the city than the they issued from all around sounds as seduced her backstage during a Clash concert at Temple Beautiful, on a full moon, next next on a full moon, Beautiful, at Temple concert a Clash during her backstage seduced sentialists, had managed to acquire the enormous wealth of his oxymoron counterparts sentialists, had managed to acquire the enormous extravaganzas that featured the best and worst of the 80s avant-garde. The work had of the 80s avant-garde. extravaganzas that featured the best and worst mushrooms after a summer storm. Club Foot, A-Hole, ARE, Valencia Tool & Die, and Tool ARE, A-Hole, Valencia mushrooms after a summer storm. Club Foot, from the belly of the Goodman Building another wave crashed onto the art beach head replied that I was writing “fiction.” To somehow keep a sense of humor about an art that keep a sense of humor about an art To somehow “fiction.” replied that I was writing and the ridiculous. I called most of the New Art “Surferealism,” a California aesthetic most of the New Art “Surferealism,” a and the ridiculous. I called mous interview with the artist who gave us “Servomechanisms,” Mark Pauline, to a Mark Pauline, artist who gave us “Servomechanisms,” mous interview with the has succumbed to entropy. Another recent splash at a club bar called Previews, and the Another recent splash has succumbed to entropy. magazine I found myself usually in the company of the bizarre magazine I found myself in the pages of Damage had survived all the fads and fashions, had even eclipsed the sublime Picasso and Dali had survived all the fads and fashions, had hem” at the monolithic grey monster space called Art Grip produced the most chilling hem” at the monolithic grey monster space over a thousand spectators in all-night response to performance. Each event drew performance art, ARE having opted for a pluralism of aesthetics and forms. And yet performance art, ARE having opted for a pluralism beige, the notorious neo-romantic avant-avatar, her spiked-haired first lover who had who had first lover her spiked-haired avant-avatar, neo-romantic the notorious beige, his thoughts to a central tracking transceiver somewhere in the Hollywood Hills above his thoughts to a central tracking transceiver somewhere in the Hollywood Hills above in the PR departments. in actual quantity of work produced, and unlike his rival creationists and their enemy es- in actual quantity of work produced, and unlike devoted to cheap thrills, loud music, and instantaneous feedback. devoted to cheap thrills, door to the Peoples’ Temple on Geary Street in San Francisco. “Ahh… Arthur, Arthur, Arthur, Arthur, “Ahh… Francisco. in San Geary Street on Temple Peoples’ door to the owner is going out of business. dorealism, Arthur was in fact still very much functional. As a youthful clip of sixty Arthur dorealism, Arthur was in fact still very much From the earliest rumblings of the punk underground at the Mabuhay between bands the earliest rumblings of the punk underground From Hopper role, more concerned with an ever warping phenomenology of sights and of sights an ever warping phenomenology more concerned with Hopper role, Club Generic. Of these only Club Generic and Valencia Tool & Die irregularly present Tool and Valencia Club Generic. Of these only Club Generic Of the many events during the years of this New Wave, “Mayhem” and “Son of May New Wave, Of the many events during the years of this Los Angeles. to be lived up to or negated. In the year 1980 Art Clubs sprung up around the city like to be lived up to or negated. In the year 1980 to the orthodoxy of the Hotel Utah in less than three years found most of us suddenly Hotel Utah in less than three years found to the orthodoxy of the the holographone as he prepared to dial a six-digit code number that would transport the holographone as he prepared to dial a six-digit taken on decidedly empirical flavor. faced with the improbability of being…Artists! We had already developed a reputation had already developed of being…Artists! We faced with the improbability walked fearlessly among the latter-day icons of the art establishment. From an anony From icons of the art establishment. the latter-day walked fearlessly among Unbeknownst to the fast fading epithet to the latter day saints of post historical pseu- Unbeknownst to the fast fading epithet to the which had housed artists for centuries came “Video Cabaret” recently, and already it “Video Cabaret” recently, which had housed artists for centuries came Acting as underground reporter, I suddenly found myself playing a New Wave Hedda a New Wave found myself playing I suddenly reporter, Acting as underground Arthur beige…” A monstrous din outside the equestrian estate remarkable for its savagery and sheer A monstrous din outside the equestrian estate remarkable for its savagery and sheer violence caused Arthur to suddenly freeze his action. A blinding yellowish flash followed violence caused Arthur to suddenly freeze his action. A blinding yellowish flash followed “New Generation of Art Surgeons” manifesto, and through regular performance columns Surgeons” manifesto, and through regular “New Generation of Art “Ah, so, it is the end,” declared Arthur to himself, or the image of himself reflected from or the image of himself reflected from declared Arthur to himself, so, it is the end,” “Ah,

68 71 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Number 14, Volume 4 (2), 1981. COM, Number 14, Volume Originally published in ART quivering machine phallus. The words stained in light above the rioting crowd: “There is above the rioting crowd: words stained in light phallus. The quivering machine hysteria bordering on violence. So great was the hue and cry of this mass that Herman that Herman cry of this mass hue and was the So great on violence. bordering hysteria ing wildly from center stage into the audience itself, causing a frenzied mob reaction of reaction frenzied mob causing a itself, into the audience stage from center ing wildly No Future in History. And No History in The Future.” Future.” And No History in The in History. No Future Noun’s last words seemed meaningless to those who heard. to those who words seemed meaningless Noun’s last PA system. Just as the flickering celluloid imagery magically appeared beneath the appeared beneath celluloid imagery magically Just as the flickering system. PA

“And remember the squid! REMEMBER THE SQUID!” he shouted into the microphone he shouted into the THE SQUID!” the squid! REMEMBER remember “And - coldly encapsulated the aesthetic academy for so long, and advance… advance toward coldly encapsulated the aesthetic academy course of historical time-space you have each of you individually and alone in great course of historical time-space you have each citizens. Your students’ participation in this so-called art project called ‘Dadaweek’ must must ‘Dadaweek’ project called so-called art in this participation students’ Your citizens. example of cosmological sacrifice—the net has been drawn around us and we are cap- example of cosmological sacrifice—the net so evident, while casting out those impurities recombined in the admixtures of postmo- so evident, while casting out those impurities solace contemplated the meaning of a random set of events and their matriculation into solace contemplated the meaning of a random mutable in every respect—ready to interface with our cyborg community in a supreme mutable in every respect—ready to interface anticipation. meet in a unidirectional orchestration of sublime, immediate and raw intention!” above the tiny podium where the professor stood—a greenish mechanical slime spurt an observable phenomenological… distortion…” he clears his throat, “…as it were.” an observable phenomenological… distortion…” he approached the safely lit podium at the foot of a darkened stage inside the vast audi- lit podium at the foot of a darkened stage he approached the safely notes he began speaking. had already begun the snowball that is Neo-DADA rolling. Bill Gaglioni and Anna Ba- rolling. Bill Gaglioni and that is Neo-DADA begun the snowball had already assault its prepared precision, military with had, permutations its and “Dadaland” nana’s burdened with meaning in a meaningless void. No longer must we cling to suspicions burdened with meaning in a meaningless void. ravages of pluralism spread across the glossiest art magazines like a strange viral infec- across the glossiest art magazines ravages of pluralism spread blissfully orgasming each individual unit. A dazzling post-cellular display obtruded blissfully orgasming each individual unit. A dazzling post-cellular be discouraged.” Etc., etc. be discouraged.” part in this disgusting event! “We encourage our students to become fine outstanding outstanding fine to become our students encourage “We event! this disgusting part in past and calling it “Dada”? Timespan had become a warpable medium and the unclear had become a warpable Timespan past and calling it “Dada”? dernity. Time-space, if nothing else, has taught us a valuable lesson. No longer are we if nothing else, has taught Time-space, dernity. of the antebourgeoises that we have in essence assimilated here tonight. Through the of the antebourgeoises that we have in essence on scholasticism, turning the tables on the art history once and for all. on the art history turning the tables on scholasticism, Now the applause response simulators sent spasms of lazer beams like crazed neurons Now the applause response simulators sent spasms of lazer beams like crazed neurons Herman Noun’s clipped articulate noise pictures floated effortlessly over the heads of Herman Noun’s clipped articulate noise pictures Little to our knowledge at the time, north of the San Andreas another group of artists another group north of the San Andreas knowledge at the time, Little to our Herman Noun preparing his lectures before the latest cum laude graduates of the New his lectures before the latest cum laude Herman Noun preparing tive in this driving essential force. Our fields forcing us to a divine conclusion, our forms tive in this driving essential force. Our fields forcing us to a divine conclusion, our forms the eager carbon units seated in the darkened space in front of the podium. “A void.” he space in front of the podium. “A the eager carbon units seated in the darkened he continued his lecture, “avoid those prurient sentiments which so thought, “Avoid…” us our supreme duty to deify that which is the light of which we are now part. Each of torium. Clearing his throat into the microphone and leafing nervously through a ream of into the microphone and leafing nervously torium. Clearing his throat tion. for fate, destiny, and the billion other shocks of new that flesh is heir to!” and the billion other shocks of for fate, destiny, School of Advanced Hybrids recapitulated silently to himself the pre-kinetic scenario as recapitulated silently to himself the School of Advanced Hybrids An undercurrent of excitement breezed through the hall like a short electric buzz. An undercurrent of excitement breezed through What is the significance of artists of the present re-performing “Futurist” works of the of artists of the present re-performing “Futurist” What is the significance The individual carbon units restlessly squirmed as they each stretched forward in The individual carbon units restlessly squirmed “Now faced with probability as essential factor beings that we are, telepathic and trans- “Now faced with probability as essential factor “It was on the occasion of Monet’s death and de Chirico’s grand triumph over the forces “It was on the occasion of Monet’s death and

70 73 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - ...... sequences of Winston Tong smoking like a syphlitic mandarin corpse behind Art sequences of Winston Tong so long as we didn’t use the stage or the sound system or shoot any video, unless a the stage or the sound system or shoot so long as we didn’t use a bright Sunday afternoon. Carol’s band exited with typical punk mixed emotions. Art Carol’s band exited with typical punk a bright Sunday afternoon. avant-garde action, or so we had assumed. The upshot was that the article came just in action, or so we had assumed. The upshot avant-garde magazine edited by Judith Aminoff entitled “SF Fashions” by an unknown writer named “SF Fashions” magazine edited by Judith Aminoff entitled hey? Echoes of “Fashion is Fascist” demimonde materialized in my ear. Super-animated Super-animated in my ear. demimonde materialized is Fascist” hey? Echoes of “Fashion at North Beach’s Savoy Tivoli, in Performance I produced As a kick racket. Savoy Tivoli, Beach’s at North Underground then by the sound man, then the bartender then by the assistant manager, manager, I informed him that producing an alternative to the dreaded R&R; had worked for years intensified it. His classes became breeding grounds for Fashionism.” Fashionism, what Fashionism.” grounds for intensified it. His classes became breeding informed by staff and management alike). A Disappearing Act ensued, first by the Club management alike). A Disappearing Act ensued, informed by staff and ist Lynn Hershman stood outside faithfully, asking were we or were we not. Critic Tom were we or were we not. Critic Tom asking Hershman stood outside faithfully, ist Lynn “STOP IT! STOP IT! MY HEAD screaming: ly visible color videotape of Michael Peppe modernism. What was going (hysterical) lost in the fog of such terms as post-historical FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE, a teacher at SAN sensed the confusion and on? Fried, deco chinese screens... paramilitary eunuchs grandiosely castrating themselves while deco chinese screens... paramilitary eunuchs social misfits...chic S&M parlors reeking deliciously attacking a bereted audience of forces setting riot to the Art museums of blood and urine...a decayed vision of satanic paranoiac rage, “I DON’T WANT ROCK AND ROLL IN MY CLUB!” He told me that he He told IN MY CLUB!” ROCK AND ROLL WANT paranoiac rage, “I DON’T had already arrived outside on A trickle of guests the owner. contract was signed with been imaginably worse. I invited everyone in for free, after first asking for a simple buck been imaginably worse. I invited everyone Huyser of The Pudsbizarre, but amusing, event ended with Phillip exhibiting himself in grotto that was the mecca for Jazz over a quarter of a century (I was lubriciously century (I was lubriciously over a quarter of a was the mecca for Jazz grotto that HURTS!” The media continued its slow burn. An article appeared in New York’s Cover An article appeared in New York’s HURTS!” The media continued its slow burn. By the mid 1970s, isolated from N.Y., David: “Let me give you some background. M.O. Art ‘gurus’ London, and even L.A., was lost in a backwater. Fashionism San Francisco continued their eclectic work, while the rest of the city was Fox and Terry Howard Fried Michael Peppe, Bruce Gluck and myself as Host. Bruce Gluck and myself Michael Peppe, scheduled event tacitly reached: we could go on with the Art, as well, was Performance Mr. Albright, a rarity from a man who publicly detested anything remotely resembling Albright, a rarity from a Mr.

fad to look after things, busy oneself with trifles, back formation from obs. faddle to play fad to look after things, busy oneself with trifles, back formation from obs. faddle to fact, on the same shoestring I had tripped over a year earlier at the Hotel Utah. This time Utah. at the Hotel a year earlier over I had tripped shoestring the same fact, on time to be included in my MFA show at the San Francisco Art Institute along with a bare- show at the San Francisco time to be included in my MFA tically by a group: The fad of wearing white neckties swept the campus. (n. use of dial. tically by a group: The fad of wearing white neckties swept the campus. (n. use of dial. there was a door charge of three bucks for a glimpse of The Puds, bucks for a glimpse door charge of three there was a Carol Alter’s Band, the owner himself screaming in a Finally a phone call from threatens to walk off. to assuage tempers and keep our audience from going to a movie. Two hours later a from going to a movie. Two to assuage tempers and keep our audience basement. the club’s brick-walled At the scheduled moment of preparation a few of us arrived in the dimly lit underground in the dimly lit a few of us arrived moment of preparation At the scheduled Albright jutted playfully with Tony Labat who had just completed his Art prizefight, and had just completed his Art prizefight, Labat who with Tony Albright jutted playfully wracking havoc on the sad philistine pillars, DEATH TO THE INFIDELS! wracking havoc on the sad philistine pillars, DEATH with, fondle. (See FIDDLE)—fad’like, adj.—Syn. craze, vogue.” who took exception to something Albright had said in his article. Still, things could have something Albright had said in his article. who took exception to Two weeks later an article about the event appeared in the SF Chronicle by no less than weeks later an article about the event appeared Two - “fad (fad), n. a temporary fashion, manner of conduct, etc., esp. one followed enthusias Notes from the Invisible Theater Theater Invisible from the Notes Fashionism: or Beyond the Alternative, to Alternative of the New Frontality Rising Voice Theatre as Art & Artists’ Richard Irwin Richard - sleep inside a gallery for 12 hours; that the Cabaret encroachment practically demand slice off Big Apple and whosit to European ports. Bad timing and even worse communi- slice off Big Apple and whosit to European system in toto. support serious doubts about the hierarchal art-world show laced with several illusionist’s firecrackers, moving down the coast to UCLA where show laced with several illusionist’s firecrackers, sip to fill in the ludicrous and amazing details, let’s say it was a one-person show of con- sip to fill in the ludicrous and amazing details, arm-in-arm with one half of the infamous duo, The Kipper Kids, who’ve since gone to of the infamous duo, The Kipper Kids, arm-in-arm with one half night and would have liked nothing better than to score on some big bucks in the Art night and would have liked nothing better than to score on some big bucks in the Art humiliation-and-despair at the old ARE building on Market Street. Leave it to nasty gos- humiliation-and-despair at the old ARE building integral space and good business; that nobody would pay money to watch some guy integral space and good business; that nobody would pay money to watch some guy phone, “It’s too bad you guys didn’t investigate the money-making possibilities further...” possibilities further...” phone, “It’s too bad you guys didn’t investigate the money-making cation with Intersection staff damaged my showy entrance and I was beginning to have cation with Intersection staff damaged my leries (or alternative you-know-whats), theater halls, in short, whoever would have me. leries (or alternative you-know-whats), theater performance art for a whirlwind tour of the colonies. This escapade had more twists and performance art for a whirlwind tour of the pilings, and raucous music were, I assume, preferable as real-life to the pretentiousness pilings, and raucous music were, I assume, Or so it seemed… of the art-life. pieces. Bryon (Kipper) has not yet performed his destruction-and-desolation-laced-with- pieces. Bryon (Kipper) has not yet performed was left in the hitch between her Karen, I’m told, display of paranoiac libido. Poor Kipper #1. Meanwhile, she was content pressuring peers and her romance with Harry corner of Columbus and Broadway, wearing a scant costume of bright red spangled wearing a scant costume of bright Broadway, corner of Columbus and anymore,” she majorette top. “I’m not interested in performance panties and matching invites me inside to Saturday North Beach tourist night. She declaims in the bejeweled meet again, this time walking but I faithfully decline. A few days later we catch a show, ed entertainment in return for cold cash. Howard Fried lamented broadly over a tele- lamented broadly ed entertainment in return for cold cash. Howard Fried Meanwhile, I received a hand-scrawled letter from Valencia Tool & Die’s Peter Belsito & Die’s Peter Tool Meanwhile, I received a hand-scrawled letter from Valencia Department and then winging it to Moira Roth’s Chicago Art Institute seminar. Next a Chicago Art Institute seminar. Department and then winging it to Moira Roth’s Karen Finley leans out of the fake Arabic arched entrance to the Garden Of Eden on the of the fake Arabic arched entrance to the Karen Finley leans out I was living in a cheap Hotel in North Beach fighting off armies of cockroaches in the red the in cockroaches of armies off fighting Beach North in Hotel cheap a in living was I I was busily attempting to garner a slide-lecture of three years of SF underground I was busily attempting to garner a slide-lecture

for its unique MALE & FEMALE LOVE ACT. The gaudy red lights, pseudo oriental plush ACT. for its unique MALE & FEMALE LOVE Chris Burden holds court, stops in between, back up to Hayward, Berkeley’s Helen Holt Chris Burden holds court, stops in between, turns than a strand of DNA—it was a new business for me, hustling universities, Art gal- turns than a strand of DNA—it was a new business to serve drinks to the jaded clientele of one of North Beach’s little body shops, famous to serve drinks to the jaded clientele of one tempt for the more virile forms of avant-gardism circa SF 1980 that included a smashing circa tempt for the more virile forms of avant-gardism which, in uncertain terms, decried the current Performance Art legacy: a reduction in which, in uncertain terms, decried the current Performance The plan was to open during Intersection’s International Theater Festival with a midnight International Theater Festival The plan was to open during Intersection’s

72 75 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - if the theater is the double of life, life is the double of theater, and that has nothing to do of theater, if the theater is the double of life, life is the double of the energies made up of Myths which men no longer incarnate is incarnated in theatre. its forms, is only the figuration while we wait for the theater to become that element’s transfiguration.” And by this double I mean the great magic element (‘agent’) of which the theater, in And by this double I mean the great magic element (‘agent’) of which the theater, Balinese Theater at the Colonial Exposition,” and reprinted in The Theater and Its Double. with the ideas of Oscar Wilde of theater on Art. This title will correspond to all the doubles The reservoirs the plague, cruelty. which I had found over so many years: metaphysics, –Antonin Artaud, “Oeuvres IV,” published in the Nouvelle Revue Francaise, October 1, 1931, under the–Antonin Artaud, “Oeuvres IV,” title, “The “I think I’ve found a suitable title for my book. It will be: The Theater and Its Double, for “I think I’ve found a suitable title for my book. It will sance. The collective vision of at least twenty promising artists (just off the top of my vision of at least twenty promising artists (just sance. The collective staring at them dead center. paws after getting five and ten thousand seen the fat cats ahead of them licking their and support intensify in the areas where it is most needed, namely, presentation and presentation namely, where it is most needed, intensify in the areas and support or Elsewhere simply commercial marketplace of New York ative species to the gutted auspices of D.C., was notable or even note-worthy and that might be an underlying was notable or even note-worthy auspices of D.C., head) could very well instigate a lasting supply of fresh air from the seminal reservoirs. instigate a lasting supply of fresh air from head) could very well message. lished linking the new-new with the old-new, a strain of philosophy seeming to have strain of philosophy seeming a the old-new, the new-new with lished linking beast that lay in its support chose to ignore the veritable magic because the system of own backyard. capital enterprise, and lose the name of ac- dom, not to be struck blind by the beast of performance events at Previews, but hosting a radio program for and about artists on about artists for and program hosting a radio but at Previews, events performance could provide a soaring and our pocketbooks, San Francisco our innermost instincts, mystical credo common metaphors. The maverick stance and poetic phoenix of cultural too much of their energy and money posed Art landlords and landladies, who spend instead recognize brilliance when it’s variety of regionalismo, might on the County Fair between life and Art, between materializa- careful and sometimes criminal high-wire act of the Art produced, perhaps under the dollar NEAs during the ‘70s. Not all, not half of crass commercialism in the guise of formal aesthetics. Fashionism, a vision of the aesthetics. Fashionism, of crass commercialism in the guise of formal present. entered the minds of artists and their purveyors. It’s essential that this communication that this communication their purveyors. It’s essential minds of artists and entered the cre- were to lose our best foul thing indeed if we It would be a economic support. KPFA, Mondays from 2-7 A.M. Mondays KPFA, that new Art is created. The it is against this backwash of cultural indifference Perhaps If instead of playing footsie to East Coast traditionalism we were to reach deep into to East Coast traditionalism we were If instead of playing footsie funded endowments while the bigwigs got their lion’s share. It’s reasonable to assume while the bigwigs got their lion’s share. It’s funded endowments tion! To recognize, in the heart of darkness, a self-reflected strength and a truly inspired strength and a truly inspired in the heart of darkness, a self-reflected recognize, tion! To that their individual and collaborative genius deserves now more than a polite obei- collaborative genius deserves now more that their individual and by our sup- by a second-rate self-opinion to these Bay Area winds of change, unfogged notion for our artists, especially having tion and all hope lost, certainly is an outdated Aside from the purely mechanistic business end of things, a network has been estab- a network has been business end of things, the purely mechanistic Aside from vision, whether of good or evil, is preferable to the tedious and offensive commonplace vision, whether of good or evil, is preferable The artists themselves created feverishly without this support and without federally created feverishly without this support and The artists themselves to the entropy created by Art star The important thing is for the artist not to succumb - occurred late last year in a bomb shelter located beneath a severe studio in a bomb shelter located beneath a severe B’reath occurred late last year series, Performing Performance, at La Mamelle, being a case in point: a “Cabaret” set scripted text piecing together footnote with humorous anecdote and contemporary pop scripted text piecing together footnote with scene who is not at least moving in a unique direction. scene who is not at least moving in a unique so it seems). Though forces fragment, aligning themselves temporarily, only to suddenly temporarily, forces fragment, aligning themselves Though so it seems). a cue to what has happened in a space of perhaps eight months. The alternatives who a cue to what has happened in a space of not exactly succumbed to lethargy, in fact, Previews is still going strong despite the not exactly succumbed to lethargy, Berkeley Student Helen Holt, artist and curator of the UC rumor begun by its proprietor. major performance gallery (80 Langton). are the Fusionists of tomorrow. And the beat continues ad infinitum. From the truly punk From the ad infinitum. And the beat continues of tomorrow. are the Fusionists on the perishing male ego symbolized by a ludicrously inept historical Napoleon, a on the perishing male ego symbolized by a her earliest pieces: a party for dogs; the lyricism. Her work has matured saliently since meanwhile continues to amuse if not amaze the uninitiated with “Servomechanisms” meanwhile continues to amuse if not amaze next performance for many months since and expect it to be ready for delivery hopefully many months since and expect it to be ready next performance for hybrid lunatic fringe ensemble of artful dodgers (with names like Monte Three, Tommy Tommy names like Monte Three, artful dodgers (with fringe ensemble of hybrid lunatic by Halloween, the Sabbath of our Underground. by Halloween, the Sabbath opus of Mark Pauline & Co. to the gaudier aspects of post-wave New Symbolism as New Symbolism of post-wave Co. to the gaudier aspects & Pauline opus of Mark the latter a Man and Sonezone, streams as Minimal by such underground characterized of electronic wizards, in the Mission District. Sonezone is a cast dungeon somewhere by a militantly dressed guard. The accompanied on an elevator, lowered to the depths of Cocteau’s Orphée welded together subterranean scents performance unbelievably gone awry, beating, slashing, and smashing each other to smithereens in a spectator- beating, slashing, and smashing gone awry, Now I’m told Karen Finley teaches high school Art students in Chicago, after having Now I’m told Karen Finley teaches high school Magdalen Pierrakos’ new work fuses elements of theater à la Robert Wilson,Magdalen Pierrakos’ new work fuses elements using Nein, Leroy Six, and Dani Seven) take up the burnt crucible of symbolismo in their dark of symbolismo take up the burnt crucible Six, and Dani Seven) Nein, Leroy Mark Pauline’s Survival Research Laboratories (including Mark Sangerman, Janice Survival Research Laboratories Mark Pauline’s Fashionism. Multimedia crafted in the pit of darkness, their Art is created at the foot of in the pit of darkness, their Art is created Multimedia crafted Fashionism. Russian Hill eye me as I pass: “TREND-EE!” they swipe. The Fashionists of yesterday of yesterday eye me as I pass: “TREND-EE!”Russian Hill The Fashionists they swipe. ting in an Art Gallery? Contrary to my last piece in this pub, the smaller Cabarets have ting in an Art Gallery? Contrary to my last piece in this pub, the smaller Cabarets have turned a deaf eye to our alternative suddenly have eyes to see and ears to hear, the turned a deaf eye to our alternative suddenly have eyes to see and ears to hear, trashing of the Hotel Utah. Her confidence certainly reinforced by recognition from a trashing of the Hotel Utah. Her confidence at 80 Langton was a haunting diatribe tions. Her recent The World of Message Units transversed Europe with Mr. Kipper and exhibited at David Ross’ Berkeley Museum (or transversed Europe with Mr. the Abyss where nightmare merges with calculated irony. They’ve been working on their They’ve merges with calculated irony. the Abyss where nightmare tar and cement once again. Bleach blond teenage boys punked out on doorsteps on doorsteps out on boys punked teenage Bleach blond again. cement once tar and Union Gallery and self-created one-woman art tornado is at it again, curating not only one-woman art tornado is at it again, Union Gallery and self-created Art graduates, and generally eclectic somnambulists. Their first performance, B’wana eclectic somnambulists. Their first Art graduates, and generally Spartan minuteman parody of the decline of Western civilization. of Western Spartan minuteman parody of the decline Sangerman, Matthew Heckart, Jim Storm, Eric Werner, and his brother Neal Pauline), and his brother Neal Pauline), Eric Werner, Sangerman, Matthew Heckart, Jim Storm, where formally attired guests were served hors d’oeuvres before being ceremoniously guests were served hors d’oeuvres before where formally attired through the web of of Occult and Surrealist doctrine glimpsed with scattered fragments variegated structured scripts delivered to chosen actors through whispered stage direc- variegated structured scripts delivered to chosen veer in an unexpected direction, I know of no artist involved in the so-called Fashionist no artist involved in the so-called Fashionist veer in an unexpected direction, I know of and not in the pages of Damage, is COM, The fact that you are reading me now in ART The tawdry tinsel slum goddess of modern romanticism raising its pretty head above the head above its pretty raising romanticism of modern slum goddess tinsel The tawdry

74 77 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - Number 15, Volume 4 (3), 1981. COM, Number 15, Volume Originally published in ART appendage of the Present and commit ourselves to a recreated future. We are gods are gods recreated future. We ourselves to a of the Present and commit appendage and the authenticity of graffiti scribbled on public walls. on public scribbled of graffiti authenticity and the rebellious Art of youthful Punk, necessity of grounded desire. necessity of grounded hostility toward Image Nation. hostility toward ization/miniaturization-micromillenium. We comment on the Past as if it were merely an as if it Past comment on the We ization/miniaturization-micromillenium. arenas of action lay in the wilderness of time-space. Unknown ied voices crying out playing dice with the universe. But we are a poor excuse for gods: everything we think universe. But we are a poor excuse for gods: playing dice with the are disembod- We of which science only partially reveals. larger informational fields courage to must have just beyond our senses. We beneath our level of perception, The new Art like to embody the will of change and chance. change, to take a chance: the white washed historical metronome to embrace humor, ethnicity, bizarre immediacy bizarre immediacy ethnicity, humor, to embrace metronome historical washed the white the new age is an Art of actualization/separation/embodiment/technology/and the of actualization/separation/embodiment/technology/and the new age is an Art we know, we don’t; everything we say we are, we’re not. We are small shadows of are We everything we say we are, we’re not. we don’t; we know, whose look is as outrageously reflective of pop culture as it is clue to a generalized as it is clue to a generalized of pop culture is as outrageously reflective whose look Technology advances means for instantaneous communication paradigms, computer paradigms, for instantaneous communication advances means Technology . . . poem). sphinx of poetic found film footage as evidenced in works like Crosswords where the soon to meditate in an ashram. She is sincere about this and I’ve recognized a definite ashram. She is sincere about this and I’ve soon to meditate in an to occur for many is probably the next most important change search for spiritual values appropriated cast-off abandoned scraps of energy...themselves iconic mirrors of a abandoned scraps of energy...themselves appropriated cast-off audience watches reel after reel of giant mushroom explosions in the darkened theater: about a little “re” generation? musics fading also in Rotterdam, making music. Blaine got beat up in New York, hand smashed by a by a hand smashed York, up in New got beat music. Blaine making Rotterdam, also in despite itself, a basic grimoire of exciting Art. Three rhyming words to a magical incanta- a basic grimoire of exciting Art. Three rhyming words despite itself, cities constructed rooms buzzing legends the size of pea pods crawl out of the lips of saharas cinematic ear turned to point toward a language of misread signs postindustrial pre-computerized society. This contains the Art of Bruce Conner, veritable This contains the Art of Bruce Conner, postindustrial pre-computerized society. grey buildings erected change from her previous nervous persona to a more mature and positive exterior nervous persona to a more mature and change from her previous of guilt and masochistic aggression charnel houses people. Out of the self-imposed toward a frenzy, underground nihilistic shadows of our latter-day commonplace in the lifting weights with Joel Glassman. with Joel Glassman. lifting weights junkie. Guitar solo. Riots in Germany. Kristine Stiles in San Luis Obispo with Abalone with Abalone Obispo in San Luis Stiles Kristine solo. Riots in Germany. junkie. Guitar emanating from within. I hope she doesn’t mind me speaking about this, but I feel a I hope she doesn’t mind me speaking about emanating from within. unmanifested radios universal wholeness and political commitment. The values destroyed must be replaced political commitment. The values destroyed universal wholeness and Francisco Art Institute. Performance students tasting food at various SF restaurants or SF restaurants tasting food at various students Performance Art Institute. Francisco (an alchemical In a Putrid Vesper, from my unpublished poem: Carving the Work Valhalla for unborn computer programmers

that modern platonic cave; womb of nightmares. Funk freed modernist aesthetics from that modern platonic cave; womb of nightmares. Funk tion: Junk, Funk, Punk. From Junk we see the fetishistic poser of materials, found and Junk we see the fetishistic poser Punk. From tion: Junk, Funk, the great pyramids OUT INSTRUMENTS, and who is a star performer now on her own, will travel to India and who is a star performer now on her own, OUT INSTRUMENTS, Jojo Planteen, former member of the original DON’TS: WORLD’S FIRST BAND WITH- WORLD’S FIRST BAND the original DON’TS: former member of Jojo Planteen, Alliance. Tony Labat at LACE Gallery in LA Exchange with SITE, in LA Exchange Labat at LACE Gallery at San also teaching Alliance. Tony figuration and the winds of expressionism of one generation removed, has seeded, figuration and the winds of expressionism Stefan Weisser (Z’EV), in Rotterdam, living off a government artists’ grant, Tuxedomoon, Tuxedomoon, grant, artists’ off a government living in Rotterdam, (Z’EV), Weisser Stefan with integers of faith in the human resemblances. We’ve had the “me” generation, how had the “me” the human resemblances. We’ve with integers of faith in you must escape you must become an escape artist The Art world of San Francisco, tied as it is now to its retroactive fiction of Bay Area The Art world of San Francisco,

76 79 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology [5] rubbish on the ground. Flooring, sidewalks, flagstones, plazas, the washed out grounds rubbish on the ground. Flooring, sidewalks, flagstones, beauty and ugliness. Who has shown the beauty of sprigs and twigs, splinters, fragments, beauty and ugliness. Who has shown the beauty of river beds… all are transformed into a temple for dreamers alone.” of river beds… all are transformed into a temple for “A broken twig is as beautiful and important as the stars and it is mankind who decides on broken twig is as beautiful and important as the stars “A of Chance. chance patterns. “Merz aims only at Art,” maintained Schwitters. chance patterns. “Merz aims only at Art,” maintained Their paintings became progressively continued the Dadaist experiments with chance. society), Marcel Duchamp’s readymades and Jean Arp’s torn papers showed that the society), Marcel Duchamp’s readymades and simple objects d’Art. “In nature,” wrote Arp, simple objects d’Art. According to the Laws According to the Laws random, patterns so he labeled his work erning these apparently abstract, culminating in the elimination of the image by the Abstract Expressionists abstract, culminating in the elimination of the reduces the number of possible II. As an image directs associations, it War after World engenders an almost inexhaustible richness of meanings. Imageless painting, however, a result of Joyce’s conclusion that intelligibility equals banality. Nevertheless, Joyce Joyce Nevertheless, banality. equals that intelligibility conclusion of Joyce’s a result of chaos and cosmogony; a “chaosmos,” a mixture the book as himself characterized interpretation, confronting the viewer with the relativity of a fixed interpretation. Abstract interpretation, confronting the viewer with the bourgeois critics. is still receiving abuse from the public and aspects of it through conscious choice. Chance broke down the hierarchy between conscious choice. Chance broke down the aspects of it through and noticed the aesthetic quality of the patterns. Arp sensed that there was a law gov- quality of the patterns. Arp sensed that and noticed the aesthetic that sets the implicit boundaries implicit boundaries that sets the Wake to Finnegan’s is an underlying order in fact, there 20th century have artists in the Yet of order. information with a minimum maximum of bubble chamber. If Pollock rejects representation, he somehow depicts the particle-less rejects representation, he somehow depicts the If Pollock bubble chamber. this understood contemporary, John Cage, Pollock’s processes, not process itself. problem; his task became the elimination of artistic intervention from his presentations internal structure to the work of Art. internal structure to the between the world and its representations. Nevertheless, the Dadaists, with the excep- between the world and its representations. of the world. - have an order or it disin anarchic, must Eco, a work of Art, however For of the book. discovered that an order independent of will or consciousness can be utilized to give an independent of will or consciousness can discovered that an order grains of sand, etc., the celebration of rubbish is distinctly foreign to these movements. grains of sand, etc., the celebration of rubbish Expressionist painting is anathema for those with a limited tolerance for ambiguity and it Expressionist painting is anathema for those Dadaists went much further than the Romantics and Symbolists in narrowing the gap Dadaists went much further than the Romantics On the other hand, Kurt Schwitter’s Merz collages (from Commerz with the detritus of Schwitter’s On the other hand, Kurt Chance allowed Arp and the other Dadaists to accept creation rather than eliminating the other Dadaists to accept creation rather Chance allowed Arp and tween a Jackson Pollock painting and the sub-atomic energy exchanges recorded by a tween a Jackson Pollock tion of Duchamp, embellished their found objects and selected the most interesting tion of Duchamp, embellished their found objects In 1916, dissatisfied with a drawing, Jean Arp tore it up, let the pieces fall to the floor with a drawing, Jean Arp tore it up, let the In 1916, dissatisfied tegrates into an entropic like state of random formlessness. And he strongly implies And he strongly of random formlessness. an entropic like state tegrates into convey a the author’s ability to open work of Art is measure of the that the qualitative world of sub-atomic physics. Yet Pollock’s paintings ‘are’ artistic imitations of natural paintings ‘are’ artistic imitations of Pollock’s world of sub-atomic physics. Yet Abstract Expressionist painting signifies nothing. There is an uncanny resemblance be- Abstract Expressionist painting signifies nothing. There is an uncanny resemblance is Wake, Finnegan’s literary successor. greatest Mallarme’s Joyce is to Eco, According With in their paintings, the Surrealists the use of automatic drawing and accident While the Romantics and Symbolists accepted the luminous quality of flowers, children, While the Romantics and Symbolists accepted - This paper will discuss the [2] [1] His poetry is a non-linear sequence of images that His poetry is a non-linear sequence of images [3] Laurie Anderson I mean…I’ve got a funny feeling this isn’t…it just isn’t…you know…what I mean…I’ve got a funny I paid my money for…” – “I don’t know…I’ve got a feeling this isn’t what I paid my money for… “I don’t know…I’ve got a Open Work of Art: Traditionalism Traditionalism of Art: Work Open and Performance Mark Levy Mark the and The Avant-Garde Few readers are able and willing to take the leap into the void that it requires. And, Few constitutes the avant-garde attitude. constitutes the avant-garde capability,” which Keats defined as the ability to dwell in “uncertainties, doubts and defined as the ability to dwell in “uncertainties, which Keats capability,” concept of the open work of Art and apply it to the visual Arts and performance areas concept of the open work of Art and apply classes, is supported by the universities, the N.E.A.,classes, is supported by the universities, the and the corporations. critics there is no longer a subversive Art which exists in an adversary or dialectical a subversive Art which exists in an adversary critics there is no longer suggests but does not explain. Thus, Mallarmé forsakes the poet’s traditional role of suggests but does not explain. Thus, Mallarmé seeable goal that is led by a revolutionary elite of artists ready to martyr themselves for by a revolutionary elite of artists ready to seeable goal that is led mysteries without any irritable reaching after facts and reasons,” to appreciate such making sense of the world. Connections and associations are made by the reader and making sense of the world. Connections and there are no privileged interpretations. no response is more important than another; (1962), but not well known in the U. S. his Opera Aperta (1962), but not well known in the U. many viewers and will continue to develop in the future. The basis of this avant-garde in the future. The basis of this avant-garde many viewers and will continue to develop an exceptional Artwork. And the artist, if not fully accepted or assimilated by the middle an exceptional Artwork. And the artist, if not relationship with bourgeois society, nor is there an inexorable progress to some fore- nor is there an inexorable progress society, relationship with bourgeois “nothing is true, everything is permit a new idea. Instead, in the words of Nietzsche, is “the open work of Art.” A term coined by the Italian Joyce scholar, Umberto Eco, in the Italian Joyce scholar, is “the open work of Art.” A term coined by poetry. Mallarme argues that Symbolist poetry is “accessible to only exceptional spirits.” Mallarme argues that Symbolist poetry is “accessible to only exceptional spirits.” poetry. outside of Eco’s expertise. Yet this endeavor is only an incomplete beginning, a précis outside of Eco’s expertise. Yet of a much larger work. For those accustomed to traditional narrative poetry with a beginning, middle and end, those accustomed to traditional narrative poetry For of chaos. It takes a prodigious “negative Mallarme’s poetry is ambiguous to the point Hilton Kramer, and Donald Kuspit, have noted the end of the avant-garde. For these For have noted the end of the avant-garde. and Donald Kuspit, Hilton Kramer, [4] to my mind, it is negative capability that separates the artist from the bourgeoisie, and to my mind, it is negative capability that separates the artist from the bourgeoisie, and the world and its representations.” ted.” Postmodern pluralism is a diluted congeries of styles occasionally accented by pluralism is a diluted congeries ted.” Postmodern Since the Sixties, critics of the most diverse ideologies, including Harold Rosenberg, of the most diverse ideologies, including Since the Sixties, critics

Art intelligentsia, I believe there is an avant-garde today which is highly disturbing to today Art intelligentsia, I believe there is an avant-garde While the above scenario for the present state of the Arts is currently accepted by the While the above scenario for the present state The earliest exemplars of the open work of Art are the19th century French symbolists. Art are the19th century French The earliest exemplars of the open work of “(Stéphane) Mallarmé,” says Eco, “hoped to abandon the traditional duality between “(Stéphane) Mallarmé,” says Eco, “hoped

78 81 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology

, , Middletown: Environments, Silence Wesleyan University Press, Wesleyan University 9. Bronson and Gale, p. 172. 6. John Cage, 8. Allan Kaprow, New York: Harry Abrams, 1985, p. 205. p. 188. 7. Ibid., p. 44. Assemblages and Happenings ,

[9] , eds. A. , trans. Joachim L’Ouevre Ouverte Arp on Arp: Poems, Number 16, Volume 4 (4), 1982. COM, Number 16, Volume Originally published in ART 5. Jean Arp, experience an aspect of life that is usually not given significance. If Performance is the Performance If is usually not given significance. an aspect of life that experience 2. Umberto Eco, regurgitated or too well digested.” regurgitated modes who narrow the gap between the world and its representations. These artists cut gap between the world and its representations. modes who narrow the the cutting edge of of postmodern pluralism and maintain across the stylistic categories in reducing the boundaries between Art and life it forces the viewer or the participant to the viewer or the Art and life it forces the boundaries between in reducing Footnotes: leading contemporary expression of the open work of Art, there are many artists in other Art, there are many of the open work of expression leading contemporary 3. Ibid., p. 78. Filippo Marinetti, the Futurist writer of performance, encouraged his collaborators to his collaborators encouraged of performance, writer the Futurist Marinetti, Filippo Performance, more than any other medium, necessitates negative capability because capability because necessitates negative than any other medium, more Performance, the avant-garde. Neugroschell, New York: The Viking

editions du Seuil, 1964, p. 22. This 4. Ibid., p. 77. A. Bronson and Peggy Gale, Toronto: A. Bronson and Peggy p. 44. Art Metropole, 1979, Essays and Memories Press, 1972, p. 211. 1. In Performance by Artists trans. Chantal Roux de Beziex, Paris: trans. Chantal Roux de Beziex, Paris: translation of Opera Aperta. is the revised and expanded French “take pleasure in being booed: applause merely indicates something mediocre, dull, mediocre, something indicates merely applause being booed: pleasure in “take - [7] In such [6] Indeed, Kaprow [8] so much Art as it is life and anyone making it, no sooner finishes one of it than begin mak anyone making it, no sooner finishes one of it so much Art as it is life and Irritating one way or another keeps us from ossifying.” simply thinks it is irritating. and so on. Very frequently no one knows that contemporary music could be Art. He frequently no one knows that and so on. Very ing another just as people keep on washing dishes, brushing their teeth, getting sleepy keep on washing dishes, brushing their teeth, ing another just as people “There is no communication and nothing being said…and so contemporary music is not contemporary music is being said…and so communication and nothing “There is no (Hansen Fuller Gallery, San Francisco, September 10-21, 1974) ended San Francisco, Gallery, in Three Parts (Hansen Fuller create a more natural framework of space and time in the Happening—a semi-theatrical create a more natural framework of space closed flat rectangle of the canvas which separates the work from life. closed flat rectangle of the canvas which extremely boring to the middle class audience who wanted epiphanies or, at the very extremely boring to the middle class audience who wanted epiphanies or, end of four minutes and thirty-three seconds without touching the keys in the interval. touching the keys seconds without minutes and thirty-three end of four make sense of reality, but it is far from senseless; it is a meditation on human action that but it is far from senseless; it is a meditation on human action that make sense of reality, made me aware of the power of my own “commonplace” motions. and participants has become increasingly blurred, especially as the participants are net and participants has become increasingly repetitive motions or task-like Moreover, actors who carry theatrical habits to the work. drain the performance of drama, activities, easily accomplished by the participants, Jon Gibson and Robert Wilson.a collaborative performance by Lucinda Childs, Childs’ actual locations and sometimes without props. Howard Fried, in 40 Winks, for example, Howard Fried, actual locations and sometimes without props. made a significant contribution to the concept of the open work of Art by attempting to made a significant contribution to the concept nist uncover the keyboard at the beginning of the piece and close the keyboard at the keyboard close the piece and of the at the beginning keyboard the nist uncover is a radical refusal to my mind, Relative Calm least, sweets at proscribed intervals. To producing an overall equilibrium of energy that is closer to everyday existence. producing an overall equilibrium of energy led his “audience” in a long journey from Berkeley to Hayward expecting the “audience” led his “audience” in a long journey from Berkeley life should be kept as fluid as possible” and this entails the elimination of the frame, the fluid as possible” and this entails the elimination life should be kept as pieces, says Cage, pieces, says dance troupe repeated very simple movements to a “minimal” score in an austerely dance troupe repeated very simple movements decorated space. This seemingly random, eventless and interminable performance was often informed by literal space; they take place outside of the box frame of the gallery in often informed by literal space; they take place open work of Art would be indistinguishable from life. So Cage has settled for aleatory be indistinguishable from life. So Cage has open work of Art would as a way of avoiding artistic intervention. or chance procedures (1965). According to Kaprow, “the line between Art and Kaprow, (1965). According to Assemblages and Happenings On December 18, 1981, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, I witnessed Relative Calm, On December 18, 1981, at the Brooklyn Academy Followed to their logical conclusions, Cage’s ideas would lead to the end of Art; the Cage’s ideas would lead to the to their logical conclusions, Followed - a pia Cage had in 1952, College at Black Mountain performed 4’33, a composition For to leave him to go back home. Fried’s 40 Winks illustrates another difference between to leave him to go back home. Fried’s performance the division between audience theater and performance; in contemporary tion but last for the actual period in which the work unfolds. Chris Burden’s Sculpture tion but last for the actual period in which the the listener from “judgment to awareness” of the immediate environment. of the immediate from “judgment to awareness” the listener Silence or the “noise” in the room became the concert and Cage’s goal was to provoke and Cage’s goal was became the concert the “noise” in the room Silence or fusion of text/drama, visual Art and music. Unlike theater, most Performances do not represent time or create the illusion of dura- most Performances Unlike theater, when he fell off his chair in exhaustion. In addition to literal time, Performances are to literal time, Performances when he fell off his chair in exhaustion. In addition Allan Kaprow adapted Cage’s ideas to the visual Arts in his seminal text, Environments, Cage’s ideas to the visual Arts in his seminal Allan Kaprow adapted Today, Performance has subsumed the Happening in challenging the limits of the frame. has subsumed Performance Today,

80 83 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - By the end of the show, the new direction will have taken hold. will have direction the new show, end of the By the to be just response. It used buzz word for audience technology is a media Interactive with a was two-way cable, a station. The next step a phone call to fan mail, perhaps in- Then came a telephone several response modes. pad equipped with viewer control tallied, bank, the vote instantly feeds into a computer 800 or 900 prefix that novation: an ducts any of these feedback No busy signals. Though available on printout. and results best suited line polling—would be cable, and phone the last two—two-way would work, for IMPROVIDEO. THE BEST USE IS T.V. premise is: COMMERCIAL IMPROVIDEO’s Unlike most video art, that define TV as the doctrines of commercialism and advertising, OF THE MEDIUM. So Most prominent the conceptual foundation for this program. become we know it today, among them are: as much as they can about their : Networks want to know 1) Audience Demographics of program raise advertising support, and increase chances audience. This helps of children, vaca- income, age, illness, sports, hobbies, number renewal. Average questionnaire, phone is culled by programmers today using tions…All this information what advertising ratings. But today all these facts go to determine interview and Nielsen uses this information to design a goes with what program’s audience. IMPROVIDEO it. (More on this in Narrowcasting). show relevant to the community that watches 2) Audience Feedback the audience to : Shows and advertising work together to get vote, or change themselves, or their But sometimes to do something. Usually buy. by networks, and used as fodder for lifestyles. This indirect feedback is also measured in TV is routed through the marketplace, ad campaigns. The feedback loop that starts revenues. These revenues generate where it is measured, and fed into advertising shortens the loop. TV IMPROVIDEO money tor the show and the loop is regenerated. goes where it should: to shape the program out, TV in. Audience feedback is direct, and rather than the viewer’s sense of identity. watch: The recent rash of “live” week 3) Live TV is more real and more interesting to end shows proves the point. Live TV is full of risks, and has an aesthetic of its own, end shows proves the point. Live TV is full frame: three o’clock at your house is three even when replayed. There is a shared time for you watch There is also the need to adlib. When you watch live TV, o’clock on T.V. his quick wit to cover for missing a cue. mistakes, for when Dick Cavett has to use embraces the aesthetic of live TV, That’s interesting - but it’s not enough. IMPROVIDEO on this in Improv.) and capitalizes on it’s inherent values. (More monologue, news cover IMPROVIDEO might just be a cross between Johnny Carson’s age of Reagan’s assassination, and Nam June Paik’sage of Reagan’s assassination, and Nam June self parody. Precedents II—A Few Q: Why was the first interactive TV show in the country (QUBE) set up in Columbus, according to Ohio? A: Because Columbus is the most “average” city in the country, demographic information. IMPROVIDEO: Interactive Interactive IMPROVIDEO: Conceived Broadcast of New Direction as the Television Subscription Gregory McKenna Gregory The third episode opens with a choice of four different possibilities: 1) a jealous girl- - friend; 2) the student is a spy; 3) the teacher falls ill; 4) resolution, the student is trans by cable or telephone, allows the viewing audience to ferred. Interactive technology, screen. and displayed on the choose one. The vote is tallied halfway through the show, For example, a program for a university town like Berkeley might be about a teacher example, a program for a university town like For location and general character outline— A loose script—defining only at the university. Say it outlines a teacher/student would be developed for the first few episodes. literacy meets a foreign exchange student relationship, a teacher (male) of computer to transfer from Lit to computers. Enter (female) in the English department. She wants require a year processing, further complicated the conflict: transfers by foreign students by… Enter the audience. The parameters of the narrative base are determined by local demographics. The parameters of the narrative base are determined I—Meet the concept. with cues pro- time improvisation on live TV, A Program or real Here’s IMPROVIDEO. it includes cameo time. Like the talk show, vided by the viewing audience also in real a moderator (main character) who and performances, exposition of “personality,” the “guests” are drawn from a troupe of trained represents the audience’s mind. Yet and who interact as in a serial or soap improvisers, who appear regularly on the show, opera. There is a narrative base. Media Technology is jarring. Interactive TV, Home Information Services, Electronic Home Information Services, is jarring. Interactive TV, Media Technology to your TV set, fiddling Electronic Mail…jarring. Imagine going Newspapers, Satellites, flipping chan- yourself in a heretic’s library, with the dials, and tuning into a program of channel, all talking to you. Jarring. I’m talking nels and finding images of aliens on every show is about interactive impro- Today’s to you live from a heretic’s library of video. In four parts: I—Meet the Concept; II—A Few for short. vised television. IMPROVIDEO List; IV—Considerations. Precedents; III—A Parts Purpose: video content and the viewing a parametric correlation between Establishing audience’s state of mind. (v.t. to make the best of materials at hand, to compose, speak, to make the best of (v.t. Improvideo. Im-pro viz Vid’-i-o (n. television) or perform without preparation.)

82 85 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - tion with multiple unknowns. Opening a direct feedback duct for audience opinion is a opinion for audience duct a direct feedback Opening unknowns. multiple tion with resonate. in conjunction, used loose parameters, These factor. nonlinear or by David as in a nightclub with comedy ad-libbing, : Often confused 1) Improvisation espe- rest is more dramatic, part of the picture. The But ad-libbing is only Steinberg. of underlying assumptions and cooperation, the done by a group. Trust cially when that the on impulse confident the freedom to create give the performers improv acting, is the result plays a part in this, it hanging. While ad-lib will not leave them other actors interaction is complex, of creation in the moment. The characters’ rather than the cause recognition hits. at times, rambling. Suddenly resolution, unpredictable, directionless keep the reader/ stories or novels, the digression is a ploy to Like successful short the story is and somehow you feel turf, on familiar BAM. You’re viewer off balance. Then aesthetic of live TV. about you. This is the 2) Viewer Feedback three by four (screen size) times time, : A mirror in four dimensions: the audience? With happen in a program that changes with times opinion. What can or fifth. The opportu- calls will be answered, not just the fourth all interactive technology, change is a new direc- self with a program that mirrors community nity to compare your six months, is hard to predict. A local even after The future of IMPROVIDEO, tion in TV. could evolve into a situation comedy in an academic community program that began as long limited by formula writing and Viewer expectations, a suburban murder mystery. and perhaps create totally unknown acting, would drive the program to hybrid formats, occasional instance where majority most exciting would be the story lines. Perhaps view. viewer opinion is ignored in favor of a minority is the inverse of broadcast 3) Narrowcasting: Another media buzz word, narrowcasting ing: it aims at a select audience, rather than the largest possible viewership. We’ve the largest possible viewership. We’ve ing: it aims at a select audience, rather than or a neighborhood, or an ethnic group a city, seen it in specialty magazines that cater to for 21-33 year olds in metropolitan within that neighborhood, in radio programming It ‘s been around. Cable and low- areas, for 65 and over audiences in the suburbs… an important next step. Since it’s getting power TV make narrowcasting for television share, limiting the possible audience harder and harder to take the majority of audience and going for it makes a lot of sense. programming tool, helping the cable or low- a valuable It also makes IMPROVIDEO all the time. Using demographics to power station find out more about its audience as those demographics change, makes design a program, then changing the program local environment. In hard times, for in- a living mirror of the viewers’ IMPROVIDEO economic and job-related issues. If the stance, the program could change to address it could have become part of on the air, was had been shot while IMPROVIDEO Pope in the program continuity. the show in a moment’s notice, with no break IV—Considerations of IMPROVIDEO? Who picks up the tab Success of a TV program is a financial matter. - Corporate sponsorship, government funding, advertising support, or pay TV arrange for ments are all possible, and would depend on the local business climate. In Berkeley, in example, government funding or industry sponsorship would be more available than the suburbs, where advertisers would jump at the opportunity to appear before or after IMPROVIDEO seeks video multiplication. Improvisation can’t be quantified in advance seeks video multiplication. Improvisation can’t be quantified in advance IMPROVIDEO but has a multiplier effect when performed. Each character improvising on what the results cannot be The other characters have just done. It is a loosely defined parameter. Performance is solving an equa- quantified in advance. Same with audience response. Today television is linear, a process based on addition and subtraction. You add charac- a process based on addition and subtraction. You television is linear, Today share. you add conflict, you subtract an audience ters, you subtract a sponsor, Q: Can a TV show be more than the sum of its parts? A: Yes. But why add when you its parts? A:Q: Can a TV show be more than the sum of Yes. can multiply? III—A Parts List III—A Parts All of the above rely on an 800/900 number for audience feedback. Serving a national All of the above rely on an 800/900 number television. UTV hopes to be the Na- market, UTV’s programming is similar to network tional Interactive Network. INVOLVISION offers weekly horseracing—“If your viewer picks a winner he wins a offers weekly INVOLVISION to make investment judgments…for prize”—a weekly investment/game show—“Learn service. Its “Sports and shop-at-home fun and free prizes”—along with a help-wanted other and athletes and compare notes. Wrap” even calls for viewers to talk with each UTV offers special programming it calls INVOLVISION to local cable franchises from UTV offers special programming it calls INVOLVISION coast to coast. Unlike pay TV (i.e. HBO) supported, and costs the viewer it is advertiser carry UTV programming, as in the broad- nothing. Cable franchise owners are paid to cast/affiliate relationship. I was at that convention. It boasted of three thousand participants. Among them, UTV, a Among them, UTV, It boasted of three thousand participants. I was at that convention. Over its booth it had a huge sign that read: New Jersey based national cable network. I gasped. Had someone beaten me to the studio? in UTV.” the You “You’re Karen Frank, of KQED San Francisco, was honored with an award by the National was honored with an award by the of KQED San Francisco, Karen Frank, did she do? She at their 1981 conference in Los Angeles. What Cable TV Association on Channel 9. The show aired locally an interactive talk show, designed and executed great success. But it for instant audience response. It was a relied on telephone lines to award her for the show? Because moved was the NCTVA wasn’t on cable, so why there are people out there of audience response. Yes, it demonstrated the workability their views. who want to express QUBE is Warner/Amex’s market study. Its purpose is to try out interactive technology interactive technology purpose is to try out Its market study. QUBE is Warner/Amex’s like. It fulfills its mind, and find out what it likes and doesn’t on a statistically average purpose admirably. Soho Wants Wants years. Soho for several on cable programming testing interactive has been QUBE idea of QUBE’s COM, is indicative of ART issue in a recent profiled a program Know, To made in artists’ videotapes show that introduced It was done as a talk of interaction. liked and by saying what they Viewers responded Columbus audience. Soho to the In no viewers answered. was a success because That was it. The program didn’t like. program. applied to shaping the audience feedback way was this

84 87 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Performing Post-Performancist Post-Performancist Performing I Part Performance Carl Loeffler Carl December at La Mamelle’s Performing Performance Cabaret, LIVE surgery is performed as video performance while an audio blip from a telemetry system tells us that every —Country Joe MacDonald, circa 1960’s, lyrics. 1981. —Bob & Bob, Across America lyrics, but none of them of ‘performance,’ or there are many definitions, “There is no definition very clean is very social and also very individual, Performance are good for anything. very healthy and terribly sick… very natural and very artificial, and very confusing. Very Art’ is boring.’ ‘Performance contradictory…the word —Monty Cantsin, from Art Montreal, 1981. Performance for a Decade of California Performance Anthology: Source Book Art not but closes the door upon it as well. only documents the live Art activity of the Seventies Sensation understood like a used up lover. Strange, that definition leads to dismissal take the place of the sensation? “Whence leads to the rejection of same; but what’s to do we come: what are we; where are we going?” “I just want to fuck, I don’t like to kiss.” from Portrait in Red. —Kathy Acker, but I don’t care, stu- Cantsin. This sounds very stupid, I know, can be Monty “Anybody pidity irritates people and that’s what I want.” —Monty Cantsin, from Art Montreal, 1980. “Shoot the Survivors.” I Don’t Give a Shit, lyrics, 1981. Skratz, from —G.P. Influx of creatures on the streets Francisco. It is November of 1981. Raining here in San for show biz war! Art? Art is the life that finds day and night. Haig says to drop the bomb loud music, booze, and confrontation. Live audience in cabarets, clubs, and scenes of illusionary; illusive; rehearsed Art circa 1981 soon to be ‘82 is show biz. Momentary; new! chaos. Change channel for tonight’s program...all gates...we’re it’s 5-6-7-8...open up those pearly “2-3-4...what are we fighting for...and all gonna die!” the audio-pre-recorded one and two, dim down, now up with Lights out! Up stage lights into Recorder (VTR) one and five seconds Tape mics. On Video first, then mix the live Change on the follow spot. down stage lights. Turn two. Fade program cut to camera sets. Program out. On to intermission. Change tapes. Cut to VTR one. unless you let it.” “Nothing exists in meaning - Number 16, Volume 4 (4), 1982. COM, Number 16, Volume Originally published in ART

Real-time production is stickier. The viewing public is used to very slick, sophisticated to very slick, sophisticated public is used The viewing is stickier. Real-time production interest might at first seem less IMPROVIDEO on TV. and special effects cutting, editing the show. The use of products in the show is a distinct possibility, since they contribute contribute since they possibility, is a distinct in the show products The use of the show. the the end of at of…” disclaimer “Courtesy The usual situations. reality of the to the used. nature of the products clarify the commercial show would ing because it lacks the sheen of pre-taped, rehearsed programming. With pre-taped, rehearsed it lacks the sheen of ing because and time, the produc- by video artists, techniques developed sophisticated real-time drawing on is a new TV of today in visual impact. Since IMPROVIDEO tion could equal or surpass That can only take root when it would have to evolve its own aesthetic. direction in TV, we go into production.

86 89 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology —Hugo Ball, from Flight Out of Time,1916. a “New Cotton, and a company of three form Novacaine, Skratz, Paul of 1981, G.P. Fall jug band for the performance of numb wave music applicable to Punk hoe- Wave” board, jugs, gourds, the accompaniment of violins, fiddles, tub base, scrub downs. To and the like they sing: —Bob & Bob, from Across America, lyrics, 1981. Chris Burden in There Have Been Some Mediumistic—that’s what it is—mediumistic! Pretty Wild stage Me Lately (1981) sits behind a desk on a proscenium Rumours About microphones smack in front of his face and reads from a yellow legal pad. The two system) notes from a mythical life. The audience blare out (through a mammoth P.A. fiction extreme. Machine guns, sex, the (massive) recoils line after line of a life turned of a good Hollywood story are in place. police, drugs, drama, and all the elements of his life’s performance, performs, in a Burden, desensitized by excess to the spectacle minimum of impressions is enough recollection. I recall, “A his bored, detached manner, to evoke unusual images.” an arena that expands with each system of the multimedia, There is also the back-up At times, yes. A predilection based on new hardware invention or application. Failsafe? turning it loose. overwhelming them into place, if not all together group of Dutch boys arrives. They have banjos and mandolins midnight a large “About star performer) gets up on the stage and with them and act like perfect fools...He (the and shakes of the knee...So they dance executes steps with all kinds of twists, bends, jingling carnival goes right out onto the and turn the whole place topsy-turvy...The street.” “The cops in Chicago are scary. cops in Chicago “The about you think makes The Alamo American history. perfect. Animals are think of can’t help but You corn in Iowa. think of can’t help but You Idaho. potatoes in help but think of cheese can’t You in Wisconsin. help but think of cars in can’t You Detroit. help but think of oysters can’t You in Louisiana. help but think of tobacco can’t You in Winston-Salem. help but think of truckers can’t You on the highway. help but think on the can’t You highway. can’t help but feel on the You highway. Snow makes you spin out.” - - The success, even the survival, of the Arts has come increasingly to depend on their The success, even the survival, of the Arts ability to defeat theatre. of theatre. Art degenerates as it approaches the condition the extent that these are central to Art, The concepts of quality and value—and to wholly meaningful, only WITHIN the the concept of Art itself—are meaningful, or is theatre.” individual Arts. What lies BETWEEN the Arts —Hugo Ball, from Flight Out of Time, 1917. 2) 3) of the ‘60s has become an impor What was shocking to the reductive formalists 1) a boundless readiness for storytelling and “What interests me in these productions is a principle…the nervous systems have exaggeration, a readiness that has become absolute Art—what is become extremely sensitive. Absolute dance, absolute poetry, meant is that a minimum of impressions is enough to evoke unusual images. Everyone or because there are no from agony, from terror, has become mediumistic: from fear, it is only that our conscience is so frightened, bur laws anymore—who knows? Perhaps “At this point I want to make a claim that I cannot hope to prove or substantiate, but I cannot hope to prove or substantiate, but this point I want to make a claim that “At theatre and theatricality are at war today, that I believe nevertheless to be true: viz., that painting and sculpture), but with Art not simply with modernist painting (or modernist Arts can be described as modernist, with as such and to the extent that the different be broken down into three propositions or modernist sensibility as such. This claim can theses: the manner of theatrical presentation of tant milieu for the ‘80s. Current interests in artists’ continuing pursuit of life. A quest performance are illuminated by recapping then to the performance of life’s sensations, which presently has led, if not to life itself, such often retorts to a myriad of and certainly contradictions. Performing complexity, meaning which appear spectacle-like and overlapping planes of consciousness and entertaining by virtue of its own performance. dened, and tortured that it reacts with the most stupendous lies and pretenses (fictions and images) at the least provocation, provided that one will grant that images are only and divert from wounds received.” just to conceal, heal, lead astray, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B & Back Again), (From1975. from The Philosophy of Andy Warhol —Andy Warhol, so warned us of would head of theatricality which Michael Fried It was inevitable that the in 1967, speaks Art and Objecthood, an essay written by Fried become our fascination. of theatre tendency of “presence” and the encroachment very clearly against minimalist upon visual Art: “Don’t touch/brush near/Don’t kiss.” “Don’t touch/brush near/Don’t 1981. Burnham, from Don’t Kiss, —Linda Frye “I only eat candy.” Manifesto: Cinema Art, Manifesto: Cinema1980. —Al Razutis, from “That veneration of the past be displaced by a discourse with the present and future. An with the present and by a discourse of the past be displaced “That veneration cultism of masterpieces.” end to the thing is O.K.! G.P. Skratz gives us a moment-by-moment commentary and the bar is the bar and commentary moment-by-moment gives us a Skratz G.P. is O.K.! thing in is zooming Color camera tonight. is thirsty crowd for more beer—the Send out open. meaning? Importance; surface. glistening a over everywhere Red Focus. shot. tight a for

88 91 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - Number 16, Volume 4 (4), 1982. Number 16, Volume COM, Originally published in ART of the current context for the presentation of performance and Cotton’s questions. Per questions. and Cotton’s of performance presentation for the current context of the haps all will become clearer when I convey that at this very same studio performance, performance, same studio at this very that when I convey clearer all will become haps a dinosaur, more or less felt like commented that he afterwards, Cotton, in discussion and prob- suit within a cage his infamous Astralnaught was going to mount and that he first rank does it mean when What is going on? What to a museum. Hmmm. ably sell it confines of within the control led to do a performance Alpert and Cotton opt artists like La- Tony artist San Francisco What does it mean when in their studios? meaning found of a Cuban and in the manner at La Mamelle up on a chair for a performance bat stands and that if you think this everything, including La Mamelle, sucks, Lenny Bruce says that that you-should-have seen-what-they-used-to-do-but-nobody- is cabaret you suck and it mean was too much work... too hard.” What does “...it does-it-anymore-because, says, in one of our Joe Rees, a videophonic-Bruce-Conner, when SF’s video producer doing performance and Art rags that he was spinning his wheels town’s local advertiser mass audience at the we to interpret this as opted for opted for the mass audience...are is the integrity of the the root of Cotton’s dilemma? What price of integrity? Is integrity Does it matter? Does of the past decade presently compute? 80s and does the integrity reminded of a conver in the present let alone in the future? I am the past ever compute sation I had with Joanne Kelly of Video Free America (VFA) fame...she recounted the America (VFA) of Video Free Kelly sation I had with Joanne Art rags’ video via telephone with one of our local advertiser horror story of conversing perhaps the visiting artist Nam June Paik, referred to VFA’s columnist who off-handedly world artist.” Or another local, self-described greatest name in video Art, as “some third who, in the offices of La Mamelle, was confused over the Suzaan Boettger, Art critic star, and the great, vast project created Ant Farm distinctive difference between the infamous Where did they come from? Where Who are these writers? by Bonnie Sherk, The Farm. write for our town’s current glut of because they are they going? Most importantly, us? Last, but not forgotten, what does all Art advertisers, where are they taking trashy, the city walls I read—The Minimalists are this mean? What is the bottom line here? From dead and long live the Punks...I wonder. on...and on.” dear Art, dance “Dance on, fair, 1981. —Douglas Davis, from Post-Performancism, Program Out. Cut VTR. Last night I attended a sort of private studio performance and video screening by Rich- Last night I attended a sort of private studio performance artist. Alpert’s performance ard Alpert, one of SF’s “second generation” itself through a drawing reflexive of the was narrative in base and in the end evidenced the artist. But all the although highly professional on the part of process; standard stuff, while I kept reflecting on the idea of this being a studio performance. The subtle impact earlier Cotton informing me a week or so of same comes into view when I recall Paul that he was performing a work in his studio and that he had many reservations about the now rampant style of cabaret presentation for performance. I predict that we will witness many more such studio performances in the time to come. The positions and questions that spring to mind spurred by the notion of studio works is interesting in light “Fuck you and so what?!” “Fuck —from the audience at La Mamelle’s Performing Performance Cabaret, 1981. —Linda Frye Burnham, from High Performance, 1981. —Linda Frye —Michael Peppe, from Why Performance Art is So Boring, 1981. —Michael Peppe, more interested in human nature than “The true appreciator of performance... is simply Some- lot more satisfying than the Art itself. he is in Art. The idea of this kind of Art is a these people do, but the fact that they are thing tells me that it is important—not what doing it.” “The cliché has been leaping so merrily from the service of lip to lip in the half decade “The cliché has been leaping so merrily from been that Art, and particularly performance since the Ramones and the Sex Pistols has are given to understand that all Art has Suddenly we has been revived by New Wave... but that or at least pedagogic, solemnity, been theretofore characterized by a funereal, up to 120 db., throwing in some tap, one this can all be remedied by cranking the P.A. How below 20 minutes and serving beer. liners and found footage, keeping the works did we arrive at this pretty pass?” —Hugo Ball, from Flight Out of Time, 1913. “The form of present day theatre is impressionistic. What happens on the stage appeals day theatre is impressionistic. What happens “The form of present and stilts again, it will intellect...The new theatre will use masks to the individual and his across the stage and use megaphones. Sun and moon will run recall archetypes and wisdom.” proclaim their sublime On the other side I find it interesting to see an onslaught of the application of very cheap it interesting to see an onslaught of the On the other side I find the mask finding their way into the black lights, and powder, devices such as flash eclectics are now such elements reserved for magical performance arena. Previously impact of electronic out upon the audience with all the intended conjured up and thrust for a simplicity of means? mystification. Excuse “Get me to the wheelchair, “Get me to the show. get me hurry, hurry, Hurry, loco, before I go my fingers, I can’t control my toes, I can’t control oh, oh, oh... Oh, oh, oh, BE SEDATED.” I WANNA The Ramones, lyrics.

90 93 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - - Buster Cleveland [4] In Los Angeles Bob & Bob, a performance Bob & Bob, a performance In Los Angeles [3] ver artists Eric Metcalfe. Kate Craig, Michael Morris, Glenn Lewis, and General Idea (in General Idea Lewis, and Glenn Morris, Craig, Michael Kate Eric Metcalfe. ver artists Tom San Francisco, In including painting. 2-D art and performances produced Toronto) the late sev- Art (MOCA), since Museum of Conceptual Director of the Marioni, founding Marioni 1976 In actions. type performance from resulting drawings produced has enties, restore a portion of MOCA, David Ireland to commissioned painting, a “It was making a we had to a photograph and all was clear…we had where the idea very large painting, a photo-realistic painting.” do was make mances, correspondence Art and paintings. Cleveland, who does fantastic Merz-like Art and paintings. Cleveland, who does mances, correspondence Higgins has been a working in watercolor and egg tempera, while collages, is presently artists Performance to all else for the better part of a decade. portrait painter in addition along either as an as- painting and have utilized the medium all do have an interest in What needs overhauling is not the in itself. pect of documentation or as a primary form the categorization of artists. It remains current performance-painting debate, but rather or any other medium handle that can be far too stunted to refer to artists as painters thrust forward. suddenly appearing as the next wave. Per It is interesting to consider why painting is and E.F. Higgins, who for all intent and purposes reside in New York, produce perfor York, who for all intent and purposes reside in New Higgins, and E.F. terms of the economy and the shock value haps this development is best described in is grim and we see all around us that the of art. The economic outlook for this planet before have I heard such a continuing population is ill at ease with the situation. Never Artists, and the related support struc- preoccupation with money as the current tune. to hold the promise of quick bucks. After tures are no different and painting appears on the painting medium and now might be all, the field has had a sense of moratorium my crass commercialist statements, the the time to develop some careers. Apart from of painting with regard to shock value. remains exciting content in the apparent rise is shocking and results in perceiv- it, for performance artists to produce paintings Face of calling attention to ideas. Recalling ‘the ing painting as a marginal medium capable marginal media employed by visual artists Seventies’ means recalling the profusion of artists’ books, video Xerox, Performances, for the sake of experimentation and shock. can now be added to the list. and music are primary examples. Painting within the realm of performance art there In addition to the cross-current of painting, it seems as though Theatre is Presently, are astounding backlashes occurring as well. unexpected twist of fate. Throughout the attempting to claim performance; a previously - Seventies performance continued to approach the theatrical experience. This is exem of plified by acknowledgement of the audience, narrative structures, and the application in the Eighties, performance theatrical devices such as the proscenium stage. Further, is well entrenched in theatrical venues inclusive of cabaret, nightclub and the operatic. The preoccupation with theatre is antithetical to the high art proclamation of Michael who, fourteen years ago in Artforum, warned, “The success, even the survival of Fried, duo lets-do-everything Art team, are well noted for their performance antics and paint performance antics are well noted for their Art team, duo lets-do-everything of Contemporary SEX IS STUPID at the Los Angeles Institute ing. The Bobs presented revolved the performance performance and painting. Factually, Art in 1979, integrating the magic hour arrived, paintings. “When and sale of twenty-five around the exhibition up on the walls, each the main gallery to see the paintings lined the crowd tumbled into Without out to grab the numbers and pause, hands reached one tagged with a number. Bob and Bob sold within ten minutes…When the dust cleared, all the paintings were are the art.’” ‘We high on the wall…as if to say, were visible hanging [1] [2] Performing Post-Performancist Post-Performancist Performing II Part Performance Carl Loeffler Carl Clearly, performance has always had a relationship to painting and other media, so for Clearly, di- painting to appear to be of sudden interest is not such a heady change in tradition or rection. Simply recalling Marcel Duchamp, Yves Klein, and Robert Rauschenberg bears witness to the historical validity of this statement. Contemporaneous examples include a vast multitude who, as performance artists, have made a cross-over to painting or - who have worked through a variety of media all along. In the early Seventies, Vancou Fortunately, Helena Kontova’s essay puts this condition in perspective by adding, “It essay Helena Kontova’s Fortunately, associated with the concepts of action must be stressed, at this point, that the painting are numerous precedents and precursors and performance is certainly not new; there in the history of the avant-gardes…” And yet, in the space of just a few years or a few months, artists who had succeeded And yet, in the space of just a few years or abilities by adopting a moral severity that in frustrating their manual skill and creative the technicalities of installation and the often impoverished their work, have abandoned mental and physical stress of performance.” “Objectively speaking, a few years ago it would have been difficult to imagine that “Objectively speaking, a few years ago it would photography could be contaminated or, media such as performance, installation and color and painting; particularly in view of the mental rigor taken over by analines, rather, artists. that accompanied the work of some of these While the Eighties push on, it becomes clearer and clearer that performance art is in on, it becomes clearer and clearer that While the Eighties push the dissolution of its form dwindling away transition. By saying transition I do not mean of the definition of its form and possible into other media, but rather the expansion and backlashes taking place worthy of discus- venues. There are specific cross currents new in performance. The most paramount sion in light of the supposed theme of what’s is dead and that painting is next in of currents is the rampant rumor that performance Flash Art magazine which in a recent issue line. Such notions are supported in part by performance to painting. published a lead article on the movement from New…1. not old: recent: modern. 2. different from the former. 3. recently discovered. modern. 2. different from the former. New…1. not old: recent: 5. not unfamiliar. about. 4. not formerly known or experienced: recognized or learned 7. refreshed, regen- as a repetition of a previous act or thing. accustomed. 6. beginning or place for the first time. erated. 8. being in a position The following is part two of a continuing series on performance art. Part I, published in art. Part of a continuing series on performance The following is part two to con- conveying the form and attitude inherent Art Com 16, was more or less a script as a script-type type works. In short, it should be regarded temporary new performance II is performance. Part notion of what attitudinally constitutes new work possessing the new in performance art. concerned with what’s

92 95 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Live

, 1980, , 1980, Astro Artz Astro Bob & Bob, 4. Bob p. 74. p. 74. Gentilhomme,” 5. “Soho’s Bourgeois Bonnie Marranca, Douglas Davis, 6/7, 1982. - Performance , No. 106 Flash Art , San Francisco: Contempo 1982. 2. Ibid. of of a portion 3. The restoration floor of ceiling, and the back wall, MOCA, the Main Gallery of Anthology p. 206. rary Arts Press, 1980, Footnotes: Footnotes: to Painting,” Performance 1. “From Helena Kontova,

- - Let’s get the facts [5] Number 17, Volume 5 (1), 1982. COM, Number 17, Volume Originally published in ART Clearly, performance art is in transition. Painting and theatre are only two media cur performance art is in transition. Painting Clearly, I remain suspect of the editorial position of Live and to quote Marranca, “This kind of I remain suspect of the editorial position of and their public, and on performance writing is dangerous in its influence on artists itself.” straight. Performance is a Visual Art form with a highly established and recounted his- is a Visual Art form with a straight. Performance theatre nor will it ever be or wish to be if it tory of experimentation, performance is not those of Marranca. Other equally insipid and means conforming to stilted ideas such as cited, i.e., “(performance) ignored the matter unqualified comments in the essay can be accept anything as ‘performance,’ and, “Artists of skill which theatre is based on,” or, end because it is based exclusively “…the solo performance form leads to a dead the sole resource, one can hardly expect it on the personal experience, and with that as in the life of an artist. Solo performance to be more than a brief phase, even exercise, can.” cannot create a ‘world’ in the space as theatre include those previously mentioned and life rently tested by performance. Other media as a visual art form is boundless. The future of performance itself. form with its own set of imperatives. mance is an art form when in fact it is a theatrical the modernist doctrine… The theatrical One cannot circumscribe performance within of faddish Art talk. And if ‘performance impulse lives its own aesthetic cycle outside be saved by theatre.” art’ is to have an ongoing life, it will have to edited by Bonnie Marranca and published in issue of Live, edited by Bonnie Marranca An essay in the current performance to date. Besides carries the strongest attack on visual Art New York, to petty personal Davis in an unnecessary manner equivalent unabashedly denouncing attempts to cut the throat of Marranca clearly slander, argument and approaching was to believe in the first place that perfor performance. “The mistake of the Art world Fried’s well intended warning, although now an art/literary cliché, is presently largely cliché, is presently now an art/literary warning, although well intended Fried’s through encouraged is art” “low and theatre of approach the as performance by ignored that It should be stated of performance. and expanded definition the acceptance and to testing new definitions lends itself is healthy and performance experimentation to whatever situation visual art form applicable is an open ended venues. Performance experimenta - is the ideal form for regard performance that may arise. In this or condition are highly for the undefined. The borders of performance tion and the ideal container hell with “To essay, that Douglas Davis stated in a recent Artforum flexible. So much so Let us have structure-as-structure, New-Wave-as-the-next-thing… medium-as-medium, Davis’ attempt to nullify the umbrella: ‘Post-Performancism.’” instead a reliable verbal spokespersons although inspiration- proclamation did not go unnoticed by theatre Fried to end the Fried At last Davis suggested the approach al to performance practitioners. theatre reissued the argument. but surprisingly, debate for the visual arts, the arts, has come increasingly to depend on their ability to defeat theatre.” ability to on their to depend increasingly has come the arts,

94 97 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - ing system. Nothing could be more true for the moment and my excitement with artists’ ing system. Nothing could be more true for Warner Bros. perspective. Imagine who else influx toward mega-media is based on this and consider how important the situation might consider following Laurie Anderson Years ago such a deal was the pie which now is be- is for the development of the field. in that the more we get out there, the more coming accessible. The equation is simple necessary actions to be undertaken in the we’ll get out there. One of the single most programming positioned television immediate future is the formulation of artist-based I could envision several programs and all on national distribution during prime time. video or programming of gallery-oriented of them are something other than the general film works as usually is the case of such programming. or the 8 o’clock movies by Andy Warhol, How about Johnny Carson being replaced Steel and Flesh. Michael Smith could preempted by a serialized version of Eric Metcalf’s by Mitchell Kriegman. And, of course, fill the daylight hours with ‘soaps’ augmented Sound interesting? It is and will the evening news by Willoughby Bear. Sharp and Liza range of probable occurrence. The ques- be, noting that I framed all of this within the The only possible answer resides in tion, “Who will pay for all of this?” goes begging. will pay for it but only after it is demonstrated the structure of mega-media who can and that it is wanted and that they can make money from it. What we have to do for the next decade is clear. Somewhere in all of this I did want to talk about the album Revolutions Per (The Minute Art Record), which, as a whole, is effective in assisting to broaden the marketability of Robert C. Morgan’s introduction to the record states, “by artists’ media. Appropriately, accrued new territory. I feel the imperatives now are really to make programs that offer that make programs really to now are imperatives I feel the new territory. accrued far.” given so been than they’ve artistic views values and set of a different the viewer part with Michael McClard, Update, initiated in program Communications While Bear’s Willoughby and of television upon the manipulations and Rolf Brand, focuses Sharp, entertain- shuns the political for programming other new art television NYC, cablecast in tele In all of the- TV or The Live Show. of Andy Warhol’s such as in the case ment values of intent apparent of a breakdown or no evidence was mentioned, little vision programs Seemingly, the production. part of the artists behind of values on the or representation their grip on the nature that the megamedia structures are losing the bottom line here is NBC. their programming. Roll over, of form and content within and in no presented above is complicated with contradictions Certainly the picture I relations with as a signifier of a total change in artists’ way should be interpreted record deal and Nightflight, Andy Laurie Anderson’s is just one megamedia. Frankly, cable television systems TV and The Live Show are tucked away in obscure Warhol’s production is still generally inaccessible times. Artists’ media or programmed during undistributable, leagues. Most of this production is under-funded, relegated to the minor as nothing may be dead competitive edge. The term avant-garde and lacking a strong is still a but the impoverished condition of the avant-gardist is shocking anymore of possible gain in artists media productions. If there was a sense reality and evident in my thesis, will ground be lost now that the the last five years or so, which in general is of new media? granting system is winding down in its support of the importance of developing an audience Elsewhere in this issue Davidovich speaks up the slack left by the exodus of the grant in support of new media to assist in taking Performing Post-Performancist Post-Performancist Performing III Part Performance Carl Loeffler Carl Getting back to Laurie Anderson, isn’t it interesting that general consensus embraces Getting back to Laurie Anderson, isn’t it interesting with no apparent damage to Bros, whole-heartedly Anderson’s cross over into Warner distant past, when such a crossover would the goods? Remember back, in the not too accusations. The fact of artists entering have met with decries of protest and sell-out into the megamedia structures is important and signifies what all of us can expect more magazine, of in the future. In a recent Artforum article, the former co-editor of Avalanche explored We’ve is quoted as saying, “It’s a shift from hardware to software. Liza Bear, When we started it looked like the possible ways to tap into the technologies sufficiently. - there was going to be much more opportunity for the disenfranchised independent pro ducer to have a stake in the new technologies, but instead, the feudal overlords have Years ago who would have thought that Andy Warhol would have his own cablecast thought that Andy Warhol ago who would have Years and other spectaculars as program along with Jaime Davidovich, The Live Show Arts Intermix series of video art coordinated by Electronic Nightflight, an eight-week extending into additional conversely, and distributed by USA Cable Network. And and all of the murmurings about the deal media—consider the Laurie Anderson/Warner its death appears to be as long and drawn videodisc although don’t wait for that one as out as its rise. For the greater part of my life I’ve been in awe of media. I can recall my first television the greater part of my life I’ve been in awe of For those early stars who were beamed into the experience and how impressed I was with the concept of the networks and their I marveled over house weekly and often daily. “How did they get to do that?” It has I asked myself repeatedly, production capability. understand the processes of television and only been within a decade that I’ve come to the making of television becomes easier my conclusion is that it’s not so hard. In fact, isn’t a highly specialized field involving This is not to say that television almost daily. of course, it is. A simple walk through the talents of many skilled practitioners because statement. But, nevertheless, television is a television control room will confirm this of a visual artist. becoming easier to deal with from the position This is Part III of a continuing series on the subject of performance art. Part I was art. Part of a continuing series on the subject of performance III This is Part type works while Part and attitude inherent to new performance expressive of the form III will begin to explore what’s new in new performance. Part II was concerned with available to video, radio and television programming currently new media: records, around for a while Certainly such media as listed has been performance-type artists. there remains numerously for expressive purposes but seemingly and has been utilized So, if in fact the new. approach to media that is interesting and a change in attitude or evidenced by the loss of shock value of no charm unto itself, simple lure of media holds Paik retrospective at the Whitney, exemplified by the Nam June a medium such as video about media? Considering the title Revolutions Perwhat then is interesting Minute begins to lead toward the right direction. (The Art Record) released by Ronald Feldman

96 99 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology And hit And fat And cat And this And fast And thin And that And bite And kiss And dog And vain And past And Dick And miss And Jane And modest And present There’s prissy There’s And there’s slow And there’s raunchy And there’s And there’s Bob & Bob And there’s And there’s gettin’ a job And there’s And there’s Vito Acconci And there’s And there’s being an artist And there’s And there’s Joseph Beuys And there’s And there’s Laurie Anderson And there’s Number 18, Volume 5 (2), 1982. Number 18, Volume COM, Originally published in ART It’s interesting that the apparent main influence at work here is Dylan who DB parodies It’s interesting that the apparent main influence out the essentials. Expect no less than a with a rising and falling broken voice drawling in a and travelling recollections packaged good dose of L.A. based art gossip, tragedy, Blonde on Blonde or even in spots, Highway say, recording humorouslv reminiscent of, most likely would have been tossed into 61. Dylan it’s not and if released in the sixties it Revere and the Raiders, I gauge it Paul a discount bin along with The Monkees and required listening. additional television programs, video In part four of this continuing series I’ll pursue discs, more records and related software.

- Continuing with records, the L.A. Bobs are at it again but this time only one of them. we can consider it the DB’s One Job Bob, starring the ‘dark Bob,’ is hysterical. I guess personal and introspective lyrics to the Bob Dylan phase who here performs highly accompanied by the ‘light Bob’ on guitar and M. Gonna Fall,” Hard Rain’s tune of “A the following: LeDonne-Bhennet on clarinet and piano. Imagine formance in the old church of Santa Lucia, Bologna, Italy in 1979. For the work Fox the work Fox For of Santa Lucia, Bologna, Italy in 1979. formance in the old church feet), which are played the length of the church (three-hundred installed two piano wires The excerpt contains drone. a continuous and ever-changing with the fingers to create in effect, produces a one of the wires with his fingernail which, the result of plucking or amplifica- from acoustic means utilizing no manipulation sense of electronic sound to hear it again. I played the cut repeatedly and still wanted tion by electronic sources. performances while he was ‘in of Fox’s I’ve had the opportunity to experience many and I’m not disappointed by the recording. The biggest residence’ in San Francisco, recording of the Atomic Alphabet. I disappointment to be found is Chris Burden’s inconsistent with the rest of the record. and regarded this cut as way under-produced poignant for the times but The Alphabet is an interesting work which is specifically quality of the initial recording or the post- here suffers in presentation either due to the production efforts. All in all RPM is worth it. is heavy on the narrative, which becomes tiring, there are, spectacular which becomes tiring, there are, spectacular Although RPM is heavy on the narrative, in a country western style, performs Levine, Fox. and Terry contributions by Les Levine gets Fox manner. of topical issues in a straight but humorous songs on the subject day) per from International Sound, an eighteen hour (three first prize for the excerpt seeking out avenues of financial backing, access to recording equipment, and expertise and equipment, to recording access backing, of financial out avenues seeking artists and performance composers experimental techniques, production in advanced will con- media. Such outlets use of recording a more significant have reintroduced to irregular otherwise restricted whose works are valuable among artists tinue to prove settings.” RPM is an excellent colleges, and museum in lofts, galleries, engagements In listening to be unpackageable. what may otherwise future packaging of model for the original sound the twenty-one of their choice among the good and the bad it one finds Sound work following categories: the selections in the Morgan classifies works featured. and heuristic texts. narrative, situation and encounters, songs, compositions, allegorical

98 101 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology in visual artists’ approach to the television medium. There is a difference between video between is a difference There medium. the television approach to artists’ in visual troublesome. has been of the terms the misidentification for years and and television (art) and between video the following distinctions to clarify the situation, In an attempt are proposed: television (art) segment of television. gallery context or a “framed” often presented in a Video art is gallery context or “framed” “unframed” television art is presented in an Television situation. the criticism applied to painting and sculpture. Video art is subject to sculpture but subject to the criticism of the art is derived from painting and Television information environment. the high art value of the individual as genius. Video art is subject to crew and obscures the genius of the art is dependent upon a production Television individual. that increases in value over time. Video art is perceived as an art commodity as information that only has value for as long as it is useful. art is perceived Television Video art is distributed to an art audience to a non-art audience. art is distributed Television mystification. Video art applies hardware as an aspect of hardware to become more accessible. art applies Television and patrons. Video Art is funded by the art system of grants by investment groups, advertising, and mega-distribution. art is funded Television in the end. Video art looks to the art context for meaning to the art context as a means to the end. art looks Television substantiated but the remaining question is: The development of a television art can be art resides in the ratings, will television assuming that the ultimate criticism of television of visual art and become television produc- artists cease to be identified as practitioners ! the next “art book” to appear will be titled, The Painted Tube ers? Perhaps transmission and the Returning to the two projects mentioned, the Artist and Television Prime Time Video series, are they to be regarded as video art or television art? Al- though important as both of the projects are in the development of a television art, both are transitional, and more aligned to video art than television art. The internal conflict -

Performance or The Televisionist or The Televisionist Performance Televisionism Performing Performing Post-Performancist Post-Performancist Performing Carl Loeffler Carl The crossover of visual artists into television raises the particular question: where does The crossover of visual artists into television raises the particular question: where does video leave off and television begin? Even more important, does the participation of video artists and television result in the production of what can be termed television art? In order to heighten the drama of these briefly stated questions this essay is retitled, to suggest a sense of change taking place Televisionism,” Performing “The Televisionist Speaking as an active participant in Iowa City, the excitement was terrific and the pres- Speaking as an active participant in Iowa City, historic nature of the transmission to vent sure enormous. Jokes were made about the around and makeup applied. History the mounting tension as scripts were passed was, in one word, massive. The camera was in the making and the potential audience who with hosts Davidovich and Pollock, lights went up and the transmission opened weaved through an odyssey of dialogue, in the manner of television anchor persons, interactive in concept, originating from interviews, prerecorded video art, most often it, PBS those of you who missed is rumored to broadcast an the three project sites. For date. edited version of the transmission at a later of video art on television is Jaime the most notable name in the distribution Perhaps transmission. The hosted the Artist and Television Davidovich who with Estera Pollock and Los Angeles and New York, in Iowa City, project conjoined live interaction from sites states. If participation and distribution are was distributed via satellite to over forty-three of the three interactive sites organized a the measure, this project is the model. Each The three hours scheduled for the actual multitude of activity intended for participation. the the activity prepared for the format. Yet transmission could not accommodate all of of interaction and remains the most col- transmission contained an enormous amount work in the history of video art. satellite laborative and widely distributed artist-based The current tendency of the visual artist crossing over into mega-media venues was of the visual artist crossing over into mega-media The current tendency expressed in two recent projects occurring within the format of television. The confer City was the project site for the Artist and Television University of Iowa in Iowa to over three-hundred event transmitted via satellite ence, a massive telecommunication Saskatchewan, states. And the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon, cities in forty-three featuring 5 works an original video art project Canada, sponsored PRIME TIME VIDEO, the Canadian Broad- broadcast television in cooperation with produced for prime time casting Corporation (CBC). interfacing Both projects are ruggedly aggressive toward in its own terms: and attempted to deal with television visual artists with television and sponsorship. A discussion of distribution, factor, production value, entertainment but in conclusion, both projects are the debatable success of the projects follows, activity between visual artists and television important signifiers of increased crossover in the future.

100 103 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Number 19, Volume 5 (3), 1982. COM, Number 19, Volume Originally published in ART production. In comparison to their other work this videotape is restrained in application in application is restrained videotape work this to their other In comparison production. im- of manipulation in the subtle work resides of this The success effects. of special videotape of a grain tower the Opening on a shot to the Canadian plains. ages familiar houses, machines, tractors, farm wheat fields, harvest images of unfolds accumulated for art audience yet identifiable the attention of a video manipulated to hold each subtly by General were produced videotapes in question audience. The remaining a television narrative. far too long and too Idea’s videotape is Sherman. General Idea and Stuart what but interesting is production the in color with segments white and black Conjoining video acute sensibility expressed in Pilot, a superb example of ever happened to their intended to amuse children but this is doubtful. art. Sherman’s work is to it. The most impressive is the sponsorship Prime Time Video has sensational aspects of the of the series resides in the production value the quality of the CBC. Factually, without the support of not have been attained in this situation videotapes, which could the CBC. as an important series is televisionist in nature and will serve In this regard, the model for future activity.

transmission that by virtue of the by virtue that transmission and Television the Artist in is evidenced suggested of art. a function as the experience “frames” television and artist from the title isolates transmission for the works selected live performative-type of the the nature Additionally, this context, situation—in placed in an artist-space inappropriate and better were vastly not fare art does Performance art works on television. across as performance they came Burden’s transmission was Chris One disaster in the scheduled format. well in a tightly and technical problems which developed not interactive), (by the way, performance greatest video was exceeded. The the time allotted prior to completion when was cut off with the enormous was the endless technical problems art signifier of the transmission here. Factually, that technical credit should not be granted system employed. Not available and typical a massive undertaking but the limited budget the transmission was - of “under-bud positioned this project within the context last minute “art scrambling” execution. The most the idea is often more interesting than the geted visual art” where Davidovich and the transmission consisted of the anchors televisionist aspects of replete with posedas wonderfully predictable television hosts who came across Pollock, series sponsored by the Mendel Art Gallery was produced to The Prime Time Video series sponsored by the Mendel Art Gallery The concept of the project is televi- be entertaining for a television viewing audience. title and the nature of the videotapes sionistic but transitional in execution. The series context of video art on television. Surpris- produced, positions this project within the series are interesting as video art let alone only three of the five videotapes in the ingly, is toward the development of a television television. In short, as important as this project value, and in application to a television art, the series is uneven in concept, production viewing audience. People’sThe most successful work is Noel Harding’s Who Live Homes Belong to Those art. The success of this produc- In Them, a primary example of video art if not television special effects, performative aspects, tion is derived from well-paced edits, compelling in and out of the work in a sculptural and an exceptional audio track that weaves will stick with viewers Television are a real attention grabber. The camera shots manner. opening smiles, speaking in phrases completed by the other, and utilizing the standard in phrases completed by the other, opening smiles, speaking segments, or returning introducing station breaks, program devices in television when example of televi- distribution of the transmission is another from same. The massive the most success- stunning completion. Regarding performance, sionism carried out to City) and interactive with Quinn (in Iowa Sturgeon and Aysha ful was produced by John overlapping visuals and audio, the piece was Gary Lloyd (in Los Angeles). Consisting of open interpretation for a general television wonderful to watch and provided accessible are to be found in those areas viewing audience. The successes of the transmission concerned with the conventions of television. of the program that in some manner were is to take the conventions of television to a The ultimate function of the television artist further conclusion. Chitty’s contribution, in essence a this one just to see what it is all about. Elizabeth witnessed:scenes opening spectacular most the of one utilizes TV), for (made story love zooming from outside of a window into a home, to a television set displaying a slow vertical roll and accompanied by an audio track suggestive of an amplified heart beat. When the zoom is completed the set is near full frame and Chitty interacts with it in a manner representative of preoccupations expressed in her recent performance, History, there the videotape tends to drag, but what an opening sequence. From Color TV & You. The most accessible work to a television audience is John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald’s

102 105 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology mulas it glorifies. The question is whether these structures can be avoided or reworked or reworked can be avoided structures these is whether The question it glorifies. mulas alike. participants viewers and benefit of to the with has thought to experiment within broadcasting recently that anyone It is only very Toron- in center video non-profit a Video, Square Trinity of chairman Amis, Ric television. slowness of such a development. to explain the the history of broadcasting to, points to by emulated and structured level that only later was on an experimental “Film began with the other hand, began on TV, of the United States. And it began outside Hollywood. TV was born of radio, so it’s always been controlled. networks as outgrowth the U.S. of expression for Film was looked upon as Art, as a medium standardized and formed.” of making money. and actors. TV was looked upon as a way directors, technicians (home of cable and the promise of new technologies Because of the proliferation whole new group of increased competition has created a video, videotex, satellites), broadcast entrepreneurs, particularly within the Again, cable the industry. increased This time, though, money from these new technologies. activity is based on making a number of important factors will factors come intothat play, just didn’t count in the they have never broadcasters to concentrate on areas that 1950s. They will force - Telecommuni (Canadian Radio-Television one, the CRTC For before really considered. in the areas of pay-TV alerted to the increased American activity cations Commission), agreed to begin considering applications and direct broadcast satellite technology has condition that these new services make and awarding licenses in these areas but “on broadcasting in Canada, make effective use of a significant and positive contribution to amount of the revenues flow to the Cana- Canadian resources, and that a significant point is especially important. Add cable, The latter dian program-production industry.” channels already existing slate of over-the-air and satellite transmission to the pay-TV number of program hours to fill. Ric Amis, for and there becomes a significantly greater producers will be increasingly consid- one, hopes that Canadian independent video There is a strong lobby within the ered by broadcasters as sources for programming. Canadian independent film industry on this issue as well. The audience, too, will have with the arrival of these technologies. It’s to be considered in new and different ways to audiences because of limited always been relatively easy to locate and broadcast signals arrive in a family that over-the-air channel choice, fixed schedules and the fact or living room at almost no cost. With allowing a viewer to record pro- home-video cable bringing ten or more additional grams when he is not at home for future viewing, direct payment for specific channels or requiring channels into the home, and pay-TV to interact more with each other and with programs, broadcasters are going to have mind ahead. Ratings systems will no longer their audiences just to keep in touch, never General audiences will begin to either to broadcasters or advertisers. tell the story, specialize. industry in recent years to deal with the There has been some attempt by the broadcast for specific audiences under the label need to communicate with and provide outlets “narrowcasting.” Narrowcasting works like a specialty or vertical-interest magazine, basing its appeal and its potential for a success on pinpointing an audience. This is the difficult on television because of its history a broadcasting medium, and because of Children’s programs, religious habits viewers have adopted as a result of this history. programs and science programs all deal to some degree with specialized audiences and attract specialized advertising, but fail to qualify as narrowcasting because they are - - Talking Back to Television Back Talking Anne Milne Anne able. As the American media observer Gene Youngblood writes, “If we heard exactly Youngblood able. As the American media observer Gene we’d no longer answer the phone: receiver, the same thing every time we picked up the there’d be no uncertainty to reduce.” It’s that there’d be no information to gain because his brain or his television set when con- lack of uncertainty that makes one turn off the quality of the there is spontaneity, fronted with TV in its existing forms. Even when A football player on the sidelines who interaction is usually conditioned by television. waves and says, “Hi, Mom.” At a hockey realizes the camera is on him almost always and a happy adolescent retrieves it, he game, when the puck flies over the glass then to the people around him. His sensitiv- shows it first to the television camera and fast and to how how ity to his electronic audience shows that he has learned how far, many people his image and voice can travel. What prevents him and others from using that knowledge in more vital and interesting ways has much to do with the history of television and the structures it has always imposed on itself and on its viewers. Rather nostalgic than looking at the history of television as The All Night Show did—as campy, trivia—it can perhaps be more profitably considered in terms of the structures and for The important thing for any interactive medium is that it be spontaneous and unpredict The important thing for any interactive medium The success of the switched telephone network as an interactive medium is phenom- The success of the switched telephone network it has been ignored or taken for granted enal. More amazing still is the degree to which groups, artists—who most want to react by those people—broadcasters, community in the telephone industry have only meaningfully to the mass media. Even people longest duration, and therefore a key source recently realized that the interaction of the the personal, long distance call. The of revenue, lies outside of the business context: nostalgic commercials in the long, slow, beauty of this sort of call, as we’re reminded and and user-controlled; it’s user-initiated the Bell has turned to in recent years, is that The only restriction on the transmission the information transferred is not predictable. is time. developed a cult follow- Show developed 1981, The All Night 1980 and August Between September program television station, the multilingual Toronto’s Broadcast by MTV, ing in Toronto. shows of Chuck look at the antics and the favorite television nightly was a four-hour of the station’s his sidekick cameraman as they took control the Security Guard and a large portion of the and films of musical groups occupied programming. Videotapes hours, and viewers lines were open for most of the four program time. The telephone instruments over the in contests, tell jokes, sing and play musical called in to participate by one newspaper critic. with a capital A” was hailed as “Art phone. The All Night Show and colo- It was lively and sometimes clever and it discovered It was no such thing. but it failed to utilize and varied audience for its advertisers; nized a surprisingly large changing Rather than exploring television’s video technology. the unique aspects of merely repeated The All Night Show history, medium’s thirty-year forms throughout the well as on radio. The ways the show would have worked just as those forms. In many the reaction and being used—that allowed for all of the vitality, medium that was really interaction—was the telephone.

104 107 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology which has been running weekly since November 1978, is one of the 1978, is November since running weekly has been which Show, The Gina other artist- have been There in Canada. for cable series artist-produced very few on Rogers which ran By Artists series, Television Watt’s collaborations—John cable outlets in for six weeks on cable Video, which ran Tele in 1980, and Cable in Toronto of 1981—but Victoria in the spring and Vancouver, Guelph, Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, “It’s on the part of the producer. sustained effort not demanded the same these have shows are thirty percent of the Anderson, “so about of work,” says John a hell of a lot Unlike the last two years.”The All Night material over packages of Gina only re-edited serials, a primarily with ancient American television Show which filled its four hours of new wave shorts, and commercially produced video-tapes few National Film Board independently produced Canadian artists’ provides an outlet for bands, The Gina Show of alternative Art otherwise be shown solely in the closed circuit videotapes that would into the community— allowed for a certain amount of spillover galleries. Anderson has Marble Giants, was interspersed British new wave band Young one program, about the The Best of the Gina for The Gina Show viewers who visited with comments and praise lacks the telephone link, direct Art Gallery—but the show Show display at the Vancouver the work of small-format, inde- ’s commitment to airing interaction. Still, The Gina Show is rare and admirable. pendent video producers and the restructuring equipped to deal with interactive media Video artists seem well as Prime Video in Mon- centers such out of artist-run of television formats. Working and Ed Video in in Vancouver, Front in Halifax, The Western treal, Center for Art Tapes with small format video systems. Most of Guelph, they have become adept at working for which a world without television does them are young; they belong to that age group depend on funding primarily centers in Canada not exist. Because most of the artist-run Council is no longer in the position it was in, from the Canada Council and the Canada for video equipment, the centers must look in the early Seventies, to grant large sums could be broadcasting. for new sources of funding. One of these sources interaction through computer systems, The new technologies offer opportunities for Bill Barlett of Direct Media As- transfer. teleconferencing, electronic mail, and facsimile with these technologies and con- Island in B.C., has been working sociation on Pender world. These are people he might never meet necting with interested people all over the discouraged by the content of these trans- except through electronics. He is sometimes but hopes that people will begin to take missions (the “Hi, Mom” reflex still prevails), Real advantage means remembering off. real advantage of them as the novelty wears how sophisticated, still involve communica- that communication technologies, no matter uses slow scan video to transmit in Toronto, tion between people. Sunnybrook Hospital, from remote communities in Northern Ontario to the hospital… information and X-rays involves a from Northern Ontario to Toronto that the eventual transfer of a patient Aware technology is used, in addition, to trans- cultural as well as a physical shock, slow scan as he/she lives in the hospital. fer images of the patient’s family to him/her Give The Gina Show a telephone, or give a show like The All Night Show independently produced Canadian videotapes, and Canada would take a large step towards a truly have always gone through some kind responsive, interactive form of television. People or of reactive process while watching television, i.e. crying through made-for TV movies sneering at ridiculous commercials. Occasionally someone blows his set apart with a provided the same outlet for hasn’t yet Television shotgun or throws it out the window. Community programming on cable TV offers a more complete involvement and accessi- Community programming on cable TV offers can step away from the guest’s chair, narrowcasting. Participants bility than over-the-air learn the grammar of television. product programming and gain technical experience; is guarantee an audience or financial reward What community programming cannot do in the Maclean Hunter cable system, (in Canada at least). Dave Lamb, a programmer outside support are best able to sustain points out that producers with some kind of he says, “for an organization, say easier,” programming on a cable outlet. “It’s much programming and use their local community the Kiwanis Club, to sponsor and organize This doesn’t have the time or the money.” outlet than for an individual off the street who programs (arguably the best programs is unfortunate because the best community and programming involving children. Live of any kind on television) are live programs and accident. On camera, talent unpredictability programming survives on spontaneity, intensity to the performance that and brings knows that there can be no second try, television armed with an alarming mix would not otherwise be there. Children approach Organized groups, more goal-oriented of silliness and shyness that is quite irresistible. in their composition, show the greatest tendency to mimic commercial television, a trait Cable 10. This noticed by John Anderson, producer of The Gina Show for Vancouver’s attempt almost always falls flat not only because most of the cable systems lack the sophisticated technical facilities of network broadcast outlets, but also because people camera station’s cable a of front the in Giant Friendly The or Nash Knowlton like act who succeed only in telling audiences how badly they imitate their TV models. They’re not using television; they’re being used by their own stereotypical notions. Much of this programming is trivial and unimaginative, but over-the-air narrowcasting is trivial and unimaginative, but over-the-air Much of this programming Its accessibility process for all television viewers. begins an important demystification and use the medium surely outweighs and its role in teaching people how to “read” which, in any case, can be overcome problems of production quality—problems of a viewer’s expectations when he through experience and through the realignment of television programs. There are almost or she becomes involved in the production news programming, say, discovered for, certainly viable alternative formats still to be outside the network television and these may well be found by people working tradition. The only functioning example of narrowcasting within commercial television exists of narrowcasting within commercial The only functioning example program- is contained and restricted by language. Multilingual because its audience programmers to deal allowing is community-oriented, ming on radio and television ethnic group. Such problems and concerns of a particular specifically with the interests, and advertisers television and radio accessible to both audiences programming makes sorts of people— All something to offer their own community. who feel that they have heard community leaders—are Armenian architects, and Polish German hairdressers, broadcast outlets. and seen narrowly through regularly watched by general audiences. Religious programs, especially the big budget the big especially programs, Religious audiences. by general watched regularly seek Club, actively The 700 Club and as The PTL such programs evangelical American tune in. that happens to the general audience financial support from converts and innova- no attempt to explore programming makes this kind of specialized What’s more, to build an contrived effort there is a blatantly approaches. Instead, tive or alternative Thus with certain formats. to the viewer’s comfort an appeal to familiarity, audience with - morals replac Show with Jim Bakker’s resemble The Tonight is made to The PTL Club Carson’s monologue. ing Johnny

106 109 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - [3] [1] Hero-Redoux: Hero-Redoux: Sandwiched Superstars Lynn Hershman Lynn [2] I made negatives from the publicity photos, sandwiched the negatives together, sandwiched the negatives together, I made negatives from the publicity photos, the painted print, printed it again and printed them, painted the print, re-photographed From this process emerged the first of a series I now call finally enlarged the image. Hero-Redoux/Hero-Sandwiches/Time-Pieces. The Bogart/Rowlands began a sequence of androgynous consolidations between male/female cultural heroes: Monroe/Freud, In each set, the participants lived in different Parton/Wayne. Allen/West, Hearst/Presley, in time frames and achieved celebrity through somewhat different media forms. Yet the pairing they overlap either by gesture, intent or effect. And could, as well, recognize the myth: and universal themes in some kind of nar Myth is a generic category describing basic rative form. Formula the specific way in which a particular is a subcategory representing and its own preoccupations in narrative culture has embodied both mythical archetypes form. from Gloria as well as from “typical” gang- Later that week I sent away for publicity stills As the photos arrived, I lined them ster films like The Maltese Falcon and Little Caesar. Humphrey Bogart next to James up on my dining room table, obsessively squeezing of those heroes dissolved into one an- Cagney next to Gena Rowlands. The gestures posture, grimace, shiny suit, and even cigarette of her male “Gloria” adapted the other. the archetype. predecessors, clearly attempting to reshape less import than its ability to convey the The depiction of historical accuracy is of much point in time. human condition as it is perceived at a specific to see John Cassavettes’ newest I went afternoon last summer, On a particularly long gangster film that an imitation updated film noir, movie, Gloria. It turned out to be an stereotype. The languid as the lead, reversing the expected sexual substituted a woman exchanging the me as I blinked in and out of the screen, matinee darkness seduced who strutted in heroine. It was I, not Gena Rowlands (“Gloria”) role of spectator with was I, as well, who had down the corridors of the underworld. It shoulder padded suits suspense, I could anticipate unlike “Gloria” who existed in dramatic the advantage. For, It was not my hyper knew in advance what would occur. the action before it happened, prediction. Rather, abilities that signaled this accuracy of celluloid sensitive precognitive formulas: I had learned to recognize It consists of things system for structuring cultural products. A formula is a conventional known metaphors and other lin- like favorite plots, stereotyped characters, commonly guistic devices. Number 17, Volume 5 (1), 1982. Volume COM, Number 17, in ART Originally published our reactions as the other media have. There are no personal columns, no letters to the no letters columns, no personal There are have. the other media as our reactions Gene why not, as relation; change the at last to not begin but why on television, editor chair from in the easy down asks in settling one the question says, change Youngblood on my TV?” TV?” to “What will I put “What’s on

108 111 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology David Levi-Strauss David Neoist Songs Non-Nagasaki

Records) (Yul Monty Cantsin: Neoist Songs the successful leader of Budapest with an Eraserhead haircut become Can a poor guy from Monty Cantsin’s album of Neoist songs last longer!” Neoism! You’ll a world movement? “Try than of Pataphysics although the message is more in the tradition is message music too, which symbolically attributes the is the science of imaginary solutions, politics. “Pataphysics (Exploits and Opinions to their lineaments.” described by their virtuality, properties of objects, Jarry’s 1898, Paris). of Doctor Faustroll, Pataphysician: A NeoScientific Novel, by Alfred Jarry, be neon-lit above the Are the Armature of the Absolute,” could pronouncement, “Clichés Research Center. entrance to the Neoist “The Neoist Movement is within a movement without a cause. Monty Cantsin is a movement and its aim is to make efforts for the sake of a worldwide network of international conspirators that always different thing which keeps the Neoists the common cause. The common cause is communicable this solipsism can get in the hands of a true be surprised how You’ll busy.” Neoist. Kantor (‘ist,’ German is; ‘van,’ the vanguard, Monty Cantsin (can’t sin) used to be Istvan to Latin, song leader), transplanted from Budapest through Paris singer in forefront; ‘cantor,’ 1979 has been the drawing and selling of his Montreal in 1977. His continuous action since But you needn’t do Neoist Cultural Conspiracy. own blood to finance the operations of the “Everyone can take the role of Monty Cantsin that to be Neoist. Or even to be Monty Cantsin. The long-range goal of the Neoist Move- and do everything in the name of Monty Cantsin.” learning, a grove of trees, from Plato; the (a place of ment is to establish AKADEMGORODOK promised land of Neoism). a “syntheticwave musical Neoist Songs is a selection of three songs from CATASTRONICS, action art that has been performed in Montreal, tragedy” combining music, video, poetry and “The Neoist activity is a part of the 80s complex Yugoslavia. and Germany, West Toronto, If you have a better expression to make us symptom, what I would call now synthetic-wave. a million dollars.” understand the present chaos, I’ll pay you (catastrophes and electronics are All three songs are thoroughly delightful. “Catastronics” is a “Neoist marching and recruiting song & the most important subjects of human history) anthem.” birds. In the blue, endless sky/ a new song flies/ and the little boys and the girls/ sing like little Catastronics, is In the blue, endless sky/ a flaming iron flies/ Mummy says “Get up Daddy/ your breakfast ready.” Catastronics, Catastronics,

[4] . New York: Celebrity 3. Ibid. p. 14. 4. Conversation with Todd Getlin, May 10, 1982. 5. James Monoco, Delta Publishers, 1979.

[5] . Ann Arbor, The Six Gun The Western Hero in Number 18, Volume 5 (2), 1982. Number 18, Volume COM, Originally published in ART , Bowling Green, Ohio: The best way to describe all the PattysThe best way to describe narrative technique that is to use the parallel There was no single Kane in in his portrait of her grandfather. Orson Welles employed were set in the framework of All of them there were many. the mythic American movie, mediated reality—the newsreel. For example, James Monoco views Patty Hearst’s public image as a direct reflection of Hearst’s public image views Patty example, James Monoco For media history. With nostalgia is invented. each new image released, Footnotes: Footnotes: 1. Joseph Cawleti,

Mystique Bowling Green University Popular Press, n.d., p. 27. 2. Rita Parks, Film and Television Michigan: UMI Research Press, 1982, p. 18. The landscape of modern technology is verdant and lush as collaged archetypes grow The landscape of modern technology is verdant infinity) into memories yet to become. into electric palettes they will implode (like An audience participates interactively. In a process that involves seeing, remembering, In a process An audience participates interactively. time, which acts as a filter to alter the We remember through projecting and reflecting. that first electronically orchestrated media original impact. Do we remember Vietnam, of Punk? through the symbolic manifestations The shocking pinks, vibrant greens, war, are the same colors used by early televi- hair patches of iridescent blue of punk-colored the images shown on the news about the sion. The violence, and the clothing, reflects Do we remember The Wild through the real-life antecedents of The Hell’s Ones war. present? our alternative Angels? Is this Xerox-mentality As the prints waded in the chemical solution, a curious thing happened. The transfor happened. thing a curious chemical solution, in the prints waded As the Mass media, I realized, was like Penelope, weaving myths and heroes by day, erasing by day, weaving myths and heroes was like Penelope, Mass media, I realized, Lacing for new. old images reweaving the thread again. Trading them at night, and then itself. cannibalizing crossbreeding strains. Finally, new poses with old. Incestuously mation shape was determined by which sex was emphasized. Two images were printed were printed images Two emphasized. sex was by which determined shape was mation recessive of both dominant and one image consisted In each combination in each set. like the final image looked in Bogart/Rowlands, the female dominated female. When looked like dominated, the image and when the male (a hero of the ‘70s), David Bowie by side, (Male, Male/Female, The four images side (a hero of the ‘60s). James Dean mass hero tastes as of reflected mark a historical progression Female) Female/Male, geneticist. I felt like a cultural through four decades. they evolved

110 113 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology is a more general condemnation of “the system.” “The system might have might “The system system.” of “the condemnation general Little A is a more Big A Queen, God, the lord rehearsed—the are well The players get me.” but it won’t got you the dyke, Dutch boy’s finger in to us all/ like the minister” (“She’s a mother the “prime (“…No of violent revolution. Crass stops short in the wall.”). No Maximalists. her arse is the and you’ll never change pulling down a steeple/ the church by one ever changed mostly made of bricks they’re systems aren’t just made bombing number ten/ system by ) of people.” information into a 14 x 22” sheet crammed with anti-nuclear The record “cover” opens and Maggie Nagasaki, the Queen pictures of post-bomb and rhetoric. Visuals include across from a Rolls into flash-burn victims, a silver altar Thatcher being transformed a USAF cruise mis- Heinz Baked Beans stacked for shelter use, Royce hood ornament. yukking it up, Leaders a large tableau depicting our World sile whose nose is a penis, (Indira Gandhi clinging charred bodies in foreground mushroom cloud in background, hands with Brezhnev, beside himself in cowboy hat shaking to Castro’s arm, RR literally bases, airports, reac- showing the locations of submarine etc.) and a map of England missiles, etc. tors, power stations, cruise Eve Libertine, one good reason to call yourself Steve Ignorant, This makes apparent It leaves holes in the Files. Joy de Vivre, G., or whatever. Phil Free, origins of the Civil Defense system in There is some useful information here on the people. It’s about keeping control of England (“‘Civil Defense,’ isn’t about defending of Regional Commissioners who would people.”); and about the contingency network State of Emergency. have absolute power of life and death in a private bunkers, over one thousand of Unfortunately not located on the map are the to shelter Civil Defense, government, and them, constructed by the British government blast, with the absurd intention of insuring military officials from the effects of a nuclear “business as usual” after The End. “limited” vs. U.S.S.R. for a U.S. England is rapidly emerging as the prime candidate of that nation still able to think are making nuclear battleground. And the few citizens some noise. Igno music, and production by Crass (Steve - Nagasaki Nightmare/Big A Little A. Words, Vivre, Rimbaud, Joy de Wright, Penny Pete N.A. Palmer, rant, Eve Libertine, Phil Free, Aug 1980. Copyright Exitstencil Music. G.). Recorded and mixed at Southern Studios, Rd. Park 202 Kensington Rough Trade, Catalogue no. 421984/5. Crass Records c/o London. W11 England. Mode of Infection/Knife Ladder NON: This disk isn’t normal. One glance tells you that. Normal consumer recording products do not have two holes in them. They do not have only one side and NON MR-00 on them. And even if you play it safe at first (in the center of the turntable), it isn’t right. it plays the same thing over and over. When you lower the tone arm and walk away, that groove move the tone arm over a bit and walk away and have a drink. It plays You have to actively play this get it. You stupid. You not You’re And another. over and over. - - The song dies after every verse. Noise, strangled screams, death. Cherry blossom hanging in the cherry blossom tree/ Flash blinding flash, then there’s Cherry blossom hanging in the cherry blossom tree/ Flash blinding flash, then there’s nothing to see/ They’ve done it once, they’ll do it again. This record is from England. It has two sides. Them and Us. Them is “ambassadors, This record is from England. It has two sides. is us. The label on the disk has a re- military men.” Us archbishops, vicars, the Pope, on the charred faces of Japanese children. versed Civil Defense symbol superimposed A-bomb survivors. No ambiguity here, the message is clear: CRASS: (Crass Records) Nagasaki Nightmare/Big A Little A Music and words by Monty Cantsin (except words of “Blood and Gold,” Neoist Songs. Music and words by Monty Cantsin (except by Cantsin) Arrangements instrumental written by Endre Ady [1877-1919], translated by Monty Cantsin, with Kiki Bonbon aka Kazimir Vocals and synthesizer by Bill Vorn; Deserio & Monty Cantsin. YUL Produced by Pat Stassman and the Neoist Mixed Choir. Street East, Montreal, Quebec. H2Y Paul Management c/o Studio du Havre. 240-A St. Blvd. Ville St. Limited. 4515 Poirier 1G9. Canada. Distributed by Downstairs Record Laurent, Montreal, Quebec. H4S 2A4. Canada. Disrupting the tired old chain of cause and effect, Neoists are all effect, all action— Disrupting the tired old chain of cause and Christ and he didn’t want it, if you’ve looked they’re activists. If you’ve given your life to rock to find something to breathlessly under every recent post-modern earnestly, Take your life and to Montreal! believe in and come up only with bloody fingers—look “Dance to the and hats regularly.” blood into your own hands! “Flame irons, umbrellas, beat of Neoism!” Nations die and rise again/ And brave the saint who like me vows/ Forever:Nations die and rise again/ And brave the saint blood and gold. Everything dies, departs/ The glory, the song, the rank, the wave/ But blood the song, the rank, The glory, Everything dies, departs/ and gold live. I know, declare, It’s Everything/ And declare, I know, Blood and gold, blood and gold. anything else is in vain/ I was prepared to enlist after the first hearing, but the more you play it, the better it gets. more you play it, the first hearing, but the to enlist after the I was prepared ex-member by Bill Vorn, synthesizer arrangements doing anything to. The It’s good for recruit only marching and and infectious as are somehow both lyrical Youth, of Rational trickles or me whether/ Lust pants or pain rattles/ Blood It sounds the same to Gold clatters. JECT TO THE LIES OF SCIENCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOLD AND BLOOD. AND IN BLOOD. GOLD AND FOR YOUR OF SCIENCE.TO THE LIES JECT YOU THANK PERPETUAL ARE FOR WE YOU. LOVE WE THAT OF ALL NEOISTS I DECLARE THE NAME LAST LONGER. YOU’LL TRY NEOISM! FREEDOM. TOTAL CHANGE AND and song) cradle Neoist (a Culture,” “Caoutchouc of true is same The be. can songs ing (1877-1919): from the Hungarian poet, Endre Ady “Blood and Gold,” translated OUR CONSPIRACY IS THE POTENTIAL ENERGY OF THE FUTURE. ENERGY POTENTIAL IS THE CONSPIRACY OUR NOT SUB WE ARE

112 115 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Lynnette Taylor Lynnette Into the Culture Disappearing Bytes Frequency: as a with a conversation from Willoughby Sharp “I took the PLATO system out of the Computerbased Education Research Laboratory out of the Computerbased Education Research system “I took the PLATO had never been put be- a few doors down into a museum where it (CERL) and moved it to have Is this supposed was worried: they said. ‘Well. fore. The computer department them or anything.” art?’ I said. ‘No, No’: I didn’t want to scare something to do with —A Video Event, at the University of Illinois Television Watching At a recent conference, Willoughbyin Urbana-Champaign, system, PLATO, Sharp utilized CERL’s computer of I. for a computer/ Bitzer at the U. Donald the direction of Dr. which originated under is the largest most sophisticated non- Station. PLATO video installation, The PLATO military computer network presently in existence. systems is that you don’t know where “The wonderful thing about the use of these so vast in themselves. The PLATO “They’re they’re going to lead,” explains Willoughby. terminals worldwide… At any given moment system has between five and six thousand Bitzer says that in a couple of Dr. there are about 500 individuals riding the network… with the addition of cable satellite and years it’s going to have 40,000 terminals, and other modes it will become a global phenomenon.” Willoughby decided “to focus on PLATO’s Bitzer, with the CERL staff and Dr. Working information files were entered Four inherent capacities as a communications station.” of the event; a Video Exhibition Notebook in into the computer: an electronic catalogue they see fit;” a Video Exhibition Opin- which “visitors are able to comment on anything an on-line displayed; and the Talkamat, ion Index, where visitors rate the videotapes enough. I wanted to give people more interterminal communication. “I felt that wasn’t Bitzer was here… made it obvious that an and the fact that Dr. information about PLATO a necessary part of the ‘jaw’ that would on-camera interview for local cablevision was sense I’m like a critic. I’m taking something allow people to enter into this world... In a After all, that’s what art is…” out, holding it up and saying, look this is valuable. room murals are copyrighted, coffee in In remote Urbana-Champaign, where hotel hand, tape recorder on, Willoughby began… TeleConsciousness I’m interested in the systems that move electronic-magnetic information around the world, and identifying them as systems for creative people to use. - Number 21, Volume 6 (1), 1983. COM, Number 21, Volume Originally published in ART

(Boyd Rice recorded live by Mitch Holdinghausen) /Soundtracks rington)/Knife Ladder (Boyd Rice recorded live by Mitch Holdinghausen) #2 recorded by Boyd Rice & Jimmy Holiday, #1 recorded by NON, San Francisco: London: #3 recorded by NON, EI Cajon, Boyd Rice: vocals, noise manipulation unit, unit, noise manipulation altered drum machine, tapes. Robert Turman: iona, roto guitar, CA, 94103. 326 6th St. San Francisco, from Rough Trade. tapes. Available (Robert Turman, Boyd Rice, recording assistance from Scott Har Boyd Rice, recording assistance Mode of Infection (Robert Turman, The second groove played on the off-center hole at 33-rpm could replace the sound- The second groove played on the off-center mode track for the storm sequence in The Wizard I found the 45-rpm off-center of Oz. in this configuration, a swarm of flies most pleasurable. When I played “Knife Ladder” gathered and circled slowly over the turntable. Played on one of the other holes (some of these records have several), the record takes Played on one of the other holes (some of locomotive being pushed and pulled by the on the appearance of the drive wheel of a forward, speed up and slow down, wreck tone arm. The sounds move backward and the needle. NON is mostly Boyd Rice, perhaps best known as the Boyd who tried to present Betty NON is mostly Boyd Rice, perhaps best known file is no doubt extensive. He’s also with a bloody goat’s head in San Diego. His Ford one of the featured artists in the Industrial known as The King of Noise Music. NON is by Re/Search Publications. Culture Handbook, recently published in San Francisco “Mode of Infection” is some speech. Cut and folded in drum machine, steam powered “Mode of Infection” is some speech. Cut and prelimi- a guitar and several girls in half, organ run amok.“Knife Ladder” is a saw cutting obscured words, abrupt end, host sounds nary screams and squeals, “knife... ladder,” (needle circling the center). The repeating loop soundtracks at the beginning of the record sound like: 1) a synco- at the beginning of the record sound The repeating loop soundtracks wong a bee, wong beat; 2) mechanical voice: to a four-part pated saw in a bind, cut slow; 3) the 8:25 persistent sound of generator behind, pulsing a bee, wong a bee... Express on hold. Geneva-to-Paris I awoke in a studio at 8th and Folsom to industrial noise coming in through the floor- to industrial noise coming in through 8th and Folsom I awoke in a studio at Across the hall a thousand grinder. Jack hammers, radial saw, to-ceiling glass doors. music they cat-killing competed with the popular Chinese sweatshop sewing machines NON comes on. always play in those places. This last statement is, of course, a challenge. Not only does this disk have multiple play does this disk have a challenge. Not only is, of course, This last statement product is The life of the of its own destruction. it contains the insurance possibilities, Nothing is unbreakable. of the consumer. determined by the imagination “Multi Axis. Multi Speed soundtracks designed for play at 16, 33, 45, and 78, designed for play Multi Speed soundtracks “Multi Axis. record is suggested on this home, maximal volume to permit remixing at engineered unbreakable.” absolutely record. Take things into your own hands. Read the directions: Read own hands. into your things Take record.

114 117 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - Number 23, Volume 6 (3), 1984. Number 23, Volume COM, Originally published in ART TeleFrequency of works called FoundI have a series and tune in infor I set up antennas Frequencies. constitutes our reality has any idea of what No one goes through the air. mation that that I see. to display the reality and I want TeleAesthetics honest communica- it’s art or not. I’m interested in good I’m not interested in whether tions. work is no longer brokered but self-evident. The judgment of good is that the whole benefices of the telecommunications revolution One of the near term two things work aestheticized, more intelligent and those culture will become more reciprocally. TeleProjection a distant star frequency, into the culture as just a resonance, a I would like to disappear that you know is there and plays a part. When they ask, “What did Willoughby I hope they will say he had the sense Sharp do?” and that telecommunications is as to know that ART wasn’t as small as they thought else. much a part of the global aesthetic as anything TelePleasure the network. It’s more like being in My pleasure is in riding these systems, riding the flow. demo, I felt viscerally transported the In ‘77, when I went on camera for a two way I actually felt that in my body. 22,300 miles up to that satellite and down.

- - When you bring telecommunication devices into play, you become more heightened, When you bring telecommunication devices into play, to think and act forced more online, more alive, more in the total spirit of things. You’re more creatively because you’re communicating with the world. We are losing the structure of the half hour, hour and time itself. In the same way that hour and time itself. are losing the structure of the half hour, We we are becoming 24 hours a day. television is becoming 24 hours a day, TeleSelves Avalanche . . . realized there are through Avalanche John Lurie, of the Lounge Lizards in New York, a permanent conduit of television infor It’s not far fetched to realize a vision of having pivotal in the development of humankind, this decade, is absolutely This time in history, new telecommunication tools…we have If we can make human connections with the real possibilities as a human race. I was a “funnel” between the culture and the magazine. The information the culture and the magazine. The information With I was a “funnel” between Avalanche, magazine. In telecom- deposited into the “bottle”—the went into me—the funnel—and I am the carrier. munications systems TeleSophy with the rest of humanity is so overwhelming Information and the ability to communicate that I never get depressed. I don’t consider myself a video artist. Telecommunications, computers, computer net a video artist. Telecommunications, I don’t consider myself me. works and systems interest continue to ability whole his forced realization That world. the in people there” “out other who he became. This will happen on being who he was, who he wanted to be, and TV sets and see people all over the world a world scale when people can tune in their “doing it.” would allow a person to exteriorize their mation going out into the world. These tools money is Money, because it is real power. mind on a global scale. That’s very exciting over obviously. TeleIdentity My vision is predicated on the electromagnetic spectrum as a tangible way. on the electromagnetic spectrum as a tangible My vision is predicated There is a difference between putting your finger in a rotary dial telephone and a touch- a rotary dial telephone your finger in between putting There is a difference with a circular conversation introducing a telephonic is a difference between tone. There up to you have set yourself profoundly implies how a pointed gesture. It gesture and access it and your relationship changes the desire to of information talk. Accessibility to it. You can’t touch a tool, you use it. you use it. a tool, can’t touch You The carrier is more interesting than the content. than the interesting is more The carrier

116 119 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology

[8] Though aware of the archetypal significance of the Though aware of the archetypal significance [7] the chroma key V-shape extending as an open- the chroma key V-shape [4] As the station-keepers astro-project into other environ- As the station-keepers [5] [6] ments, sage fields or aspen groves, they struggle for balance in sometimes enigmatic aspen groves, they struggle for balance in ments, sage fields or the Hanged Man and striking sequence they are suspended as poses, although in one signs of tense expectation and mystical classic the Tarot’s the Hanged Man Reversed, isolation. All this might suggest that the performance could only work for a convention of semiolo- that the performance could only work for All this might suggest is not to litter the installation with meta- gists. Sturgeon and Quinn’s intention, however, “to construct an arena for stretching, opening physical illustrations. They are attempting up a zone of answers to occur in.” Improvisation becomes both parallel and prescription, allegory and rite of passage. As the inevitable difficulties arise, the performancists/station keepers invent ways to guided by an intuitive grasp of their simul- continue the aesthetic/metaphysical unity, taneous purposes. When a voice delay doesn’t kick in during a segment of circular They have frustrated conversations with their children at home, a mutant woman who woman a mutant at home, their children with conversations have frustrated They sequences, most memorable of the In one and themselves. to breathe, their help seeks match, having a shrill shouting shows the pair projected overhead a taped segment The dance-fight onstage. each other in a mimetic and Quinn circle while Sturgeon of the ab- dialogue in theater referents like the war is stripped of objective screaming underlying does, by crystallizing of the performance the way the rest surd, succeeding abstractions. audience loaded force feeding the concerns without composition The installation’s case with the visual symbology. This is particularly the squares with the screens and monitors constituting echoes alchemistic iconography, with in triangular constellations, performance’s icons, their approach emphasizes diversity of interpretation, exemplified performance’s icons, their approach emphasizes associations are invited, with formulations Various by the nearly universal triangle/trinity. the open-ended zone/open-bottomed left to subjective interaction/intersection with triangle. central constructs emerge. The dazzling array It is from this experiential process that the there are sometimes six different videos of station activity easily overloads the viewer; within the installation’s supra-compositional functioning as separate presentations and themselves and the electronic environ- pattern, while the performancists interact with experience, the schizophrenic effect of ment. This creates a condition central to the With on it’s impossible to separate so much going modern information technology. do, and what is done to them, thus particu- cause from effect, what the station keepers with it the ability to predict and control. and larizing the modern dissipation of causality, is only a preface. No Earth/No Earth But displacement from the linear continuum into a spontaneous forcing the performancists Station is executed extemporaneously, and symbolic complexities. In saving the and instinctive mediation of the technological creative process mirrors what moment of creation for the audience, the problematic a gestalt when existence is divisively the performance is essentially about: improvising of the present tense. Sturgeon subjective and infinitely recast in the ever-evolution says, “It’s about not getting blown out by the randomness of the apparent reality.” bottomed triangle to be completed by the intersecting plane of spectator rows. The completed by the intersecting plane of bottomed triangle to be invoking one of the main and monitors form three sets of three, video channels, screens lines of force in numerology.

Their most recent tapes evidence the tension in this Their most recent tapes evidence the tension [2] [1] The words seem present made everything almost present present Merwin S. —W. The imaginative premise is that the pair are “keepers of the station” The imaginative premise is that the pair are [3] Present Tense: Rites of Passage Rites of Tense: Present Michael Nash Michael Sturgeon and Quinn are perhaps best known for their individual video works, which perhaps best known for their individual Sturgeon and Quinn are proposing new collaborative uses according to Sturgeon, constitute “a dual statement while at the same time reaching back into of technology to emulate internal functions, connections: a double stretch going our primitive past to rekindle psychic and intuitive both directions at the same time.” Writing about a performance is somewhat like conducting an extispicy. Meaning is is somewhat like conducting an extispicy. Writing about a performance with divination moment like entrails from a sacrificial beast, severed from the vital and paraphrase. Interpretation of John Sturgeon of post-hoc imperiled by the heresy at the L.A. 26 video performance No Earth/No Earth Station Quinn’s July Aysha County is with the mode precarious since the preeminent concern Museum of Art is particularly present tense. (synchronicity) of performing the (improvisation) and, meaning The station keepers/performancists, dressed in white lab coats, use the technological The station keepers/performancists, dressed in white lab coats, use the technological environment to communicate with different personas, astro-project into a variety of personalities.“inter” and individual own their of dimensions the explore and earthscapes, The station/installation is a high-tech environment, where the partially exposed technol- The station/installation is a high-tech environment, tape and live video on three screens and ogy displays three channels of pre-recorded the screen triad prominently above the three monitors forming triangular configurations, at or below stage level in the foreground. At stage, the monitor triad less conspicuously chroma key blue field, and to either side are two terrariums center stage sits a V-shaped containing dry ice, gardens that the station keepers must periodically feed. conducting rituals of global significance while, as the audience is told at the beginning conducting rituals of global significance while, of the performance, “we are in a holding pattern.” in its second permutation after a rough draft presentation in No Earth/No Earth Station, in its second permutation after a rough draft is “about main- Intermedia Arts Festival, the summer of 1982 at the University of Iowa’s Quinn says in explana- is up in the air,” taining a minimal status quo when everything tion of the title. (1983), accomplishes a seamless integration of the mundane Quinn’s Excerpts (1983), accomplishes a seamless integration duality. approach, contrasting Sturgeon’s and metaphysical with a straightforward theatrical hejira through time awareness in painter/poet pyrotechnics which effect a mesmerizing apparent in the performance which Spine/Time (1982). The confluence of their duality is with Quinn’s stage presence and dramatic synthesizes video, installation and theater, and spatial fix to give the collaboration a timing punctuating Sturgeon’s conceptual distinctive balance.

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, New Barnett Newman . New York: Pantheon Books, 7. Interview with author. 8. Ibid. 9. Ibid. 10. Freud and Psychoanalysis York: Pantheon books, 1961, p. 200. 11. Interview with author. 12. The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche 1960, pp. 421-531. Dreams, p. 198. 13. Harold Rosenberg, New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1978, p. 21. .

, New York: , Princeton, NJ: A Dictionary of Dreams Cheiro’s Book of Numbers Number 22, Volume 6 (2), 1984. COM, Number 22, Volume Originally published in ART , New York: Philosophical Footnotes: of Paris,” 1. From “The Judgment The Carrier of Ladders Atheneum, 1970. 1983. 2. Interview with author, 3. Ibid. 4. C. G. Jung, Princeton University Press, 1974, pp. 199-200. 5. Cheiro, New York: Garden City Publishing, 1932, p. 56. 6. J. E. Cirlot, Library, 1962, pp. 131-2. Concomitantly, the performance seeks its essence in a constant act of re-creating. After act of re-creating. in a constant essence seeks its performance the Concomitantly, - the installa exit the performancists imagery, water meditative of anti-climactic a series overlayed Taurus sign of the flame and a neon emblem a trembling candle tion with only momentarily The audience is Station’s” continuance. to suggest the “Earth on a triangle dissipate and latent causal expectations After air. things still up in the anxious, with to the performance begins the wholeness of at the irresolution fades, frustration about. The the performance is quintessence of what performance is the emerge. The and realization. Sturgeon a sense of quantum expansiveness creates hall-of mirrors a brilliantly provoca- hour’s totality for each moment, pulling off Quinn have risked the tive present tense. Symbols - [10] Another way is Another way [9] The three video [11] The passage of time is the transition into the ever-present The passage of time is the transition into the ever-present [12] [13] to view the performance as a documentation of process, predicated on the belief that, as a documentation of process, predicated to view the performance as truth.” is just as important a condition to life’s progress as Jung put it, “Error C. G. Jung’s writing on alchemy and symbolism is obviously influential here, and C. G. Jung’s writing on alchemy and symbolism then, Jung’s postulation of “synchronicity” throughout the performance. Not surprisingly relativity of space and time presents as a means of dealing with the apparent psychic top selling aside (The Police’s cultural assimilation itself as an insightful subtext. Pop ideas from the concept offers a glimmer of album that borrows its title and some of its provides a parallel in psychology to the hope for neo-populists), this empirical concept the space, time and causality triad asunder. discoveries of modern physics which cast it: “Out of the Third As the ancient axiom of Maria the Jewess predicted/expressed on the transcendence of the Synchronicity speculates comes the One as the Fourth.” creation of a pattern that exists from causal order by “meaning” in “the continuous derivable from any known anteced- and is not repeats itself sporadically, all eternity, and never-to-be ever-hoped-for ents.” This effort to distill “the ‘quintessence’...the of alchemical quest, clearly relates discovered ‘One’” that underlies 1,500 years intuition and technology in an infinite to the performance’s “double stretch” joining improvisation of being. channels, and monitor and screen triads, are used throughout the performance to iso- and screen triads, are used throughout the channels, and monitor On the side monitors of the station keeper’s consciousnesses. late and remix aspects wandering in the desert or abstract medita- deep memory of there is peripheral imagery, the screens separate intra- and inter- while tive earthscapes that flow unobtrusively, most graphically in the fight sequence, personality projections of the station keepers, technology becomes the means for way, or mix them into other environments. In this healing the schizophrenia it has caused. The station keepers create a place/time of passage. The station, as passage, is an The station keepers create a place/time of alchemical conduit preserving human essence during the survival crisis shift in eras. The keepers, in a holding pattern, seek to retain what Barnett Newman called “the self, terrible and constant.” mancists’ use of video to achieve “purification by abstraction,” Quinn and Sturgeon’s to achieve “purification by abstraction,” mancists’ use of video separates and then relates to “the alchemical process which conception of how video together with a new awareness of being.” re-fuses the self back Video technology is integrated into that process in a way that makes No Earth/No into that process in a way that makes Video technology is integrated its It doesn’t reject technology despite Earth Station ultimately a positive statement. and strives for ancient the “Global Village” concept as a given consequences, it treats in the perfor technology’s ahistorical impact. This is evidenced perspective to balance The performancists’ coping responses thus become indistinguishable from the station indistinguishable from thus become coping responses The performancists’ joked, “the is that, as Sturgeon way of viewing this meaning. One activity’s figurative of punishment.” incredible amount the piece can take an structure of dialogue called “The Meeting,” the meeting becomes a colloquium on equipment equipment on a colloquium becomes the meeting “The Meeting,” called dialogue - by communica caused isolation with solipsistic concern the general extending failure, a we have “Could resonant irony, as Quinn asks with into the moment, tion technology if we had better equipment?” better meeting - tense of meaning that permeates the temporal illusion, connecting the self synchronisti cally to origin and destiny.

120 123 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - Music television may Music television [2] according to a network spokesperson. MTV’s according to a network [3] [4] concluding discussion by music television experts offers wise views from key players by music television experts offers wise views concluding discussion cable network, which initially projected 10 million subscribers by July 1985. (It no longer cable network, which initially projected 10 claiming growth capacity, argued that “the consumer response driving an explosion in claiming growth capacity, counterculture dominated late night weekend time slots. Other cable services offering counterculture dominated late night weekend economic structure can be endured, circumvented or changed. circumvented or can be endured, economic structure stands by that estimate following a recent subscriber over-count scandal.) Ted Turner Turner scandal.) Ted subscriber over-count stands by that estimate following a recent ers as of August 1984. during the subscribers to WTBS music video on Night Tracks cable get twelve hours of ner Amex, “MTV is now in the black,” ner Amex, “MTV is now to NBC’s nationally broadcast Friday Night Videos. FM-TV to offset any periodic reduction in helps increase MTV’s potential audience enough Broadcasting System initi- the Turner year, audience share. But, on October 26 of this the 24-hour Cable Music Channel, TBS’s fourth ated the first direct challenge to MTV, older and more affluent demographic, and affiliates, more diverse, aimed at a slightly and violence.” rise to profitability has been meteoric. It is the fastest-growing cable network in history, in history, cable network been meteoric. It is the fastest-growing rise to profitability has cable service. MTV’s audience share of any 24-hour basic and has earned the highest manifestations of the industry’s growth potential. TBS, though hardly disinterested in music video production is overwhelming... There’s no question that nationally the cable heavier dose of alternative programming on weekends with Night Flight. The 28 million heavier dose of alternative programming on launch VH1 (Video Hits 1), an “adult contemporary” format (Oh no! It’s Barry Manilow...) launch VH1 (Video Hits 1), an “adult contemporary” format (Oh no! It’s Barry Manilow...) less offensive, since they “reject about 10% of all music videos due to gratuitous sex less offensive, since they “reject about 10% body of dreams that is, to a large extent, the culture we live in.” extent, the culture we that is, to a large body of dreams offer one of the best chances artists have to set our culture’s agenda, if the industry’s agenda, if the have to set our culture’s the best chances artists offer one of the form. The the parameters of work that is defining television, and on of artists’ music of its sponsors’ products,” David Marc recently observed, “the medium leaves behind a leaves behind “the medium observed, recently David Marc products,” sponsors’ of its After three years of losing around $15 million per year from War After three years of losing Business is booming. Network’s 22 million subscribers can watch Radio 1990 on weeknights, and receive a Network’s 22 million subscribers can watch Even while MTV was losing millions, others were quick to follow its lead. USA Cable Even while MTV was losing millions, others In response, MTV Networks has announced that beginning January 1, 1985, it will three million subscribers. These new, more conservative networks may only be the first more conservative networks may only be three million subscribers. These new, the-air broadcasts range from locally originated programming to syndicated shows like the-air broadcasts range from locally originated remark about the “satanic” and threw down the gauntlet with some rather inflammatory their new network as more lucrative for teous indignation aside, his company is pushing 24-hour music channel aimed at the older audience Turner is courting, debuting with 24-hour music channel aimed at the older audience Turner feed, available in stereo, is carried by 2,700 affiliates, and reached 23.5 million subscrib- is carried by 2,700 affiliates, and reached feed, available in stereo, within the industry, featuring suggestions of strategies for independent artists. suggestions of strategies for independent featuring within the industry, varying amounts of music video include Black Entertainment Network, Country Music varying amounts of music video include Black The Music Television Marketplace The Music Television The following primer focuses on obstacles and opportunities that will dictate the future that will dictate obstacles and opportunities primer focuses on The following The broadened exposure these occasional competitors bring music television probably The broadened exposure these occasional Television, HBO, Nashville Network, Satellite Program Network and Showtime. Over- Nashville HBO, Television, “sleazy” nature of MTV, framing the conflict as a battle of “good vs. evil.” Turner’s righ- the conflict as a battle of “good vs. evil.” framing “sleazy” nature of MTV, “Even if the material in each TV show single-mindedly aims at increasing consumption consumption at increasing aims single-mindedly TV show in each if the material “Even - . always been waged by a nervy handful will continue on this front, and that always been waged by a nervy handful will continue artist. In ten years someone like John Sanborn may be as important as, say like John Sanborn may be as important as, say artist. In ten years someone nately, for a lot of people, it has become their avant-garde experience. for a lot of people, it has become their avant-garde nately, that are experimental are also being consumed by the system. In only two also being consumed by the system. In only two that are experimental are few hazy images, a fashion show, a synthesized beat.” a synthesized few hazy images, a fashion show, going to become more and more important, as important as a recording going to become more and years it’s as pat as the standard dramatic narrative structure. And unfortu- years it’s as pat as the standard MTV will be considered a challenge to be subverted if it is not to remain a MTV will be considered a challenge to be subverted We can only hope that the struggle against rock’s corruption that has We can only hope that the As experimental as people like to think music video is, the little parts of it As experimental as people Tangerine Dream Tangerine –Richard Gehr, “The MTV Aesthetic,” 1983 –Richard Gehr, –Interview with Bill Viola by Michael Nash, 1984 –Interview with Bill Viola by Michael –Interview with Fabrice Florin by Carl Loeffler, 1984 Florin by Carl Loeffler, –Interview with Fabrice “I think the music video industry is our biggest chance...The video artist is is our biggest chance...The video artist is “I think the music video industry To make a language clouded by its economic imperative speak a transcen- make a language clouded by its economic imperative speak To Music Television Music Michael Nash Michael An Artist’s Guide to Guide An Artist’s [1] companies provide free clips because of their sales promotion value), music television companies provide free clips because of their sales promotion value), music television edge of the art/commerce interface. Not only is it the largest growth area in the media edge of the art/commerce interface. Not only syntax.” sales propelled by wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am post-production pyrotechnics. post-production sales propelled by wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am merges the seemingly binary presentations of commercial television. It confronts art arts, it crystallizes the key dilemma faced by all artists working in television. arts, it crystallizes the key dilemma faced by avant-garde combined. Withavant-garde innovation, its appeal based a hot new hybrid demanding artists in music television. Warner Amex’s launch of MTV on August 1, 1981 did more Amex’s launch artists in music television. Warner rush of remarkably monotonous record ads. Rock establishment survivors, heavy metal rush of remarkably monotonous record ads. ists with the larger realization, elucidated by David Antin, that “there is no fundamental ists with the larger realization, elucidated by David Antin, that “there is no fundamental Introduction breakthrough, MTV and its competitor’s programming has largely been trivialized into a breakthrough, MTV and its competitor’s programming on employing the very latest visual ideas, television art’s fortunes seemed poised on on employing the very latest visual ideas, television distinction between commercial and program…Both…are assembled out of the same distinction between commercial and program…Both…are assembled out of the same dent aesthetic is the essential challenge of television art. Neanderthals and popped-out punk posers market themselves in slick adolescent sex Neanderthals and popped-out punk posers Between the promise and the practice falls the penumbra of marginal prospects for Between the promise and the practice falls television is both vanguard and paradigm for the future of television art: it is the cutting television is both vanguard and paradigm the threshold of a quantum leap. Then the empire struck back. Three years after the the threshold of a quantum leap. Then the to advance popular acceptance of short form “video” than all previous efforts by the to advance popular acceptance of short form As programming that is simultaneously its own advertisement underwriting (record The temptation is to write the whole genre off—that would be a huge mistake. Music The temptation is to write the whole genre

122 125 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - [11] Radiovision, as such, imparts certain inherent character Radiovision, as such, imparts certain inherent [10] The clip was thus forced into being a pure rendering of the [12] Actually, it’s surprising that 4% come from other sources, which it’s surprising that Actually, [9] own images rich in personal meaning. Now, mass images are provided for us. And the own images rich in personal meaning. Now, primary criterion for choosing these images is not artistic validity or even what the song- primary criterion for choosing these images companies will provide free clips, most networks won’t pay. networks clips, most free will provide companies contributing editor, Steven Levy, overviewed all radiovision imaging: Steven Levy, contributing editor, sic business sell records.” status quo. Given the predominance of the back door structure then, it’s not surpris- predominance of the back door structure status quo. Given the sion’s marketplace of ideas, “hipness,” headshots, and “tits-and-ass” triumph. In the sion’s marketplace of ideas, “hipness,” headshots, here to underscore the radio-modeled, music-subservient and somewhat reductive radio-modeled, music-subservient and somewhat here to underscore the appearance. “I have no proof MTV had a racist policy,” he revealed, “but I didn’t want appearance. “I have no proof MTV had a racist policy,” are, for the most part, losing money in a labor of love. are, for the most part, about 35% of those labels’ videos for a limited period of time, allowing them to feature of time, allowing them for a limited period of those labels’ videos about 35% record companies. music, keying on the portrayal of band members as the video’s stars, recognizable music, keying on the portrayal of band members promotional nature of the genre’s commercial realization. promotional nature of the genre’s commercial ing that approximately 96% of all music videos currently programmed are provided by 96% of all music videos currently programmed ing that approximately istics to all work produced for that context: it is an illustrative, star-dominated, lifestyle- it is an illustrative, star-dominated, istics to all work produced for that context: lip-synching “Video Killed the Radio Star.” What actually transpired was much kinder, actually transpired was much kinder, What the Radio Star.” lip-synching “Video Killed In the pre-MTV world we used to construct our own fantasies to music, provide our In the pre-MTV world we used to construct writer had in mind, but what might sell the song. poking” the band’s “front” in the back? An interesting counterpoint is provided by Kevin interesting counterpoint is provided by Kevin poking” the band’s “front” in the back? An break dancing junk pile robots. It broke with the mainstream tendencies because there or any other program’s token fee won’t start a trend because, as long as most record as most record as long because, start a trend fee won’t token other program’s or any oriented presentational form. In his somewhat vitriolic anti-MTV polemic, Rolling Stone oriented presentational form. In his somewhat Commercial Programming Dorene Lauer emphasizes, “the whole point of the exposure on MTV is to help the mu- Dorene Lauer emphasizes, “the whole point Radiovision realities. MTV began its cablecast existence with a blithe clip of the Buggles MTV began its cablecast existence with a blithe Radiovision realities. MTV hasn’t taken Turner’s provocations lying down. They signed deals with Columbia, down. They signed deals provocations lying taken Turner’s MTV hasn’t use of in return for exclusive provide payment MCA and RCA which Elektra, Geffen, the sincerest form of flattery, imitation. Given the music television industry’s framework, imitation. Given the music television flattery, the sincerest form of the rock rebellion, attacks MTV for going it one better.) the rock rebellion, attacks MTV for going it to take any chances.” form, a fully realized work rather than a vehicle, with a smattering of hip-hop cool as its form, a fully realized work rather than a vehicle, with a smattering of hip-hop cool as its faces to be spotted later on album covers, triggering the purchase decision. In radiovi- faces to be spotted later on album covers, Godley and Lol Creme’s video to Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit,” a crafty live animation of Unless, of course, payment provides exclusive rights in order to lock out competitors. in order to lock out competitors. exclusive rights course, payment provides Unless, of were no lyrics to illustrate (it’s an instrumental) and Hancock didn’t want to make an J. Geils Band’s latest video “Concealed Weapons,” guess which “female glands keep “Concealed Weapons,” Geils Band’s latest video J. which did all it could to capitalize on the acculturation of (It’s ironic that Rolling Stone, which did all it could to capitalize on the acculturation The visuals in radiovision illustrate the songs’ lyrics with a marketable image of the The visuals in radiovision illustrate the songs’ “radiovision,” the obsolete term for TV, gains a born again propriety. Radiovision is used again propriety. gains a born term for TV, “radiovision,” the obsolete will be the song,” MTV spokesperson “The basis of music videos is, was, and always “Sneak Preview” video premieres. Upfront money of this type obviously reinforces the this type obviously reinforces Upfront money of video premieres. “Sneak Preview” And Friday Night Videos [8] which means that the major labels [7] (with a vested interest in the status interest in the status (with a vested [6] [5] clip) on a few acts. cause playing the music promotes sales. Generally, music television networks work the music television promotes sales. Generally, cause playing the music If you like vertically production thus comes through the back door. cords. The payoff for anyone else to produce clips. content because there is little incentive for believe that the market- most analysts is hardly surprising), quo, their pessimism same way, obtaining free clips because of their proven promotional value in selling re- clips because of their proven promotional obtaining free same way, independent producers of non-promotional work. In any case, $1,000 on the front end independent producers of non-promotional work. In any case, $1,000 on the front end is nothing compared to back door advertising benefits, so record companies continue maximize profits by spending a lot of money per video ($50,000 average per promo maximize profits by spending a lot of money nemesis known as network TV, strikes again, providing the programming acquisition strikes again, providing TV, nemesis known as network record companies be- Radio stations get free records from model for music television. offering $1,000 per airing for clips, is ics rule, or contribute to it. Friday Night Videos, a record in national release as a matter of formal policy. Since the profitability threshold policy. a record in national release as a matter of formal integrated monopolies, it’s a nifty set up: record companies control music television’s it’s a nifty set up: record companies control integrated monopolies, to familiarize consumers with purchase its own promotion; the work itself is broadcast not only the function, but also the form of an advertisement. industry can sustain at least six differentiated music video formats, even if the rate of if the rate formats, even video music six differentiated at least can sustain industry liferation of new music television formats, open the door for independent artists, even if television formats, open the door for independent liferation of new music place will ultimately parallel radio: competition within and between a wide range of and between a wide competition within parallel radio: place will ultimately large enough distribution to benefit. MTV, in fact, won’t use a clip unless it’s promoting large enough distribution to benefit. MTV, options. Although music television programming includes and is based on the music, options. Although music television programming gesture to keep things friendly with the record companies, not a first step to involve of a national push is quite high, big record companies don’t waste their time on albums of a national push is quite high, big record There are several programmers who pay upfront for videos, but There are several programmers who pay upfront door exceptions. Front Doesn’t this explosion of demand for music videos, and the pro- Doesn’t this explosion Backdoor economics. growth slows.” growth Radio, which earlier this century established the monopolistic structure of that artists’ century established the monopolistic structure Radio, which earlier this tinue to be the major suppliers under a pay arrangement.” to maintain vastly superior financing and their dominance. This is one big reason why to maintain vastly superior financing and their dominance. This is one big reason why the most prominent paying program. But their policy seems to have been a diplomatic the most prominent paying program. But their these are generally exceptions that don’t significantly challenge the back door econom- these are generally exceptions that don’t significantly to survive that are within the same format,” are within the same to survive that tralization. A handful of sources provide national exposure for major record labels with tralization. A handful of sources provide national the presentational medium is fundamentally different. Since the motivation behind the the presentational medium is fundamentally music television assumes marketability, transformation is largely to enhance the music’s that can’t sell at least 400,000 to 500,000 copies, formats. Vice-President of Video at Warner, Jo Bergman, believes “record companies will con- Jo Bergman, believes “record companies Vice-President of Video at Warner, There are however, two major differences in the structures of music television and radio. two major There are however, is that with radio, the music is The key one affecting the content of the programming Though MTV predicted that it’s not possible “for two 24-hour cable music services 24-hour cable music possible “for two predicted that it’s not Though MTV The big difference, with respect to the market’s structure, is in music television’s cen- The big difference, with respect to the market’s “art” is one of the eight words you can’t say on television? “art” is one of the eight

124 127 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - commercial venue of music television art requires. control over their videos and with a vision of the form that transcends mere illustration commercially viable. And given how unreceptive radiovision’s structure is to indepen- commercially viable. And given how unreceptive projects like King Crimson’s “Heartbeat” and conceptual work ranges from commercial casting the enigmatic visualization under the spell of remembrance. casting the enigmatic visualization under the exploit a variety of different creative opportunities, precisely what the interdisciplinary exploit a variety of different creative opportunities, sensibilities have infiltrated the mainstream despite countervailing currents within the sensibilities have infiltrated the mainstream admitting that he had no idea what it was about, that the band just moved around to the band just moved it was about, that he had no idea what admitting that milestones like “Big Electric Cat” and “Act III,” to performance works like “Ear to the milestones like “Big Electric Cat” and “Act more like being in Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate. more like being in Michael of image-processed resonant through a video mindscape renders it psychologically And to communicate the rawness of live performance. qualities of video highlight-smear been produced under the influence of recording artists with enough clout to get creative been produced under the influence of recording artists with enough clout to get creative imprisonments. U2’s concert tape “Sunday Bloody Sunday” exploits the edginess and concert tape “Sunday Bloody Sunday” exploits imprisonments. U2’s the transfer film’s flicker effect is exaggerated through in R.E.M.’s “Pretty Persuasion,” is that the technical achievement, fecundity of music television’s promise Part industry. prerequisite, and the large scale productions are so segmented and specialized that the and specialized productions are so segmented and the large scale prerequisite, completed. until the work is their videos are about don’t know what bands sometimes process to embody the incantatory repetitions and elusiveness of the song’s lyrics, process to embody the incantatory repetitions State of the Art preference for the film look, i.e. ad-slick verisimilitude. There are several striking excep- look, i.e. ad-slick verisimilitude. There are preference for the film of their songs. Given David Bowie’s influence in music and film and the fact that he was of their songs. Given David Bowie’s influence in music and film and the fact that he “Ashes one of the first rock stars to work with video, it’s not surprising that his tape for of the concept video is emerging as the dominant formula, the film look is virtually a the film look is as the dominant formula, video is emerging of the concept the segment Jackson led out of shootout costumes. VJ J.J. different sets in western of the likes of Brian de Palma (Bruce Springsteen’s flaccid “Dancing in the Dark”) and the Dark”) in flaccid “Dancing (Bruce Springsteen’s de Palma likes of Brian of the dent artistic expression, the emergence of so much television art within the genre, both dent artistic expression, the emergence of for the movement’s success. on TV and waiting in the wings, is an augury mentioned. John Sanborn has emerged as diversity resists codification needs to be of visual ideas and sheer exuberance of even mediocre clips, make them more enter of visual ideas and sheer exuberance of even Perhaps the most widely-seen music television art has the most widely-seen Commercial music visionaries. Perhaps Before discussing different aspects of music television activity, one sentinel artist whose television activity, Before discussing different aspects of music music computer animation avant-garde Moto Sano’s “Complication Breakdown,” to In a recent MTV “news” segment, a member of Ratt was asked in an on-location inter asked in an on-location a member of Ratt was MTV “news” segment, In a recent tion to get the best, albeit most expensive, of both worlds and satisfy the conventional most expensive, of both worlds and satisfy tion to get the best, albeit rather slight song and “Go Insane,” shot in video, takes a tions. Lindsay Buckingham’s taining and formally innovative than the vast majority of other television formats that are taining and formally innovative than the vast in the field. His virtuoso technical and the major model for independent artistic success Sam Peckinpah (two videos for Julian Lennon’s debut album). The mini-movie version version mini-movie album). The debut Julian Lennon’s videos for (two Sam Peckinpah Ground.” Sanborn blends artistic achievement and commercial savvy with an ability to Ground.” Sanborn blends artistic achievement with his usual understated wit: “Sounds like being in a Fellini movie.” Actually, it sounds Actually, movie.” wit: “Sounds like being in a Fellini with his usual understated As these challenges to the homogenous film-look mini-movie formula suggest, artistic As these challenges to the homogenous film-look - to tape for post-produc shot on 35mm film and transferred Almost all clips are currently view about the overall concept of the video they were making. He didn’t even flinch in making. He didn’t even the video they were the overall concept of view about

effect is central to [17] [14] [16] [13] [15] appropriation, images as they relate to fashion, and fashion as it relates to capitalist eco- as they relate to fashion, and fashion as it appropriation, images and end. What you have is a beginning and it just keeps going 24 hours a day. It’s not it just keeps going 24 hours a day. and end. What you have is a beginning and nomics... like a fashion designer from Parisnomics... like a fashion Central Africa, not caring about going into basic appeal of music in general. linear. It’s not based on plot and continuity, it’s based on mood and emotion which is the and continuity, It’s not based on plot linear. the culture or cosmology or the people, just looking at decoration on spears so they can the culture or cosmology or the people, just take them back and make a lot of money. than theirs. consumer, a relentless present tense available at the viewer’s convenience. This a relentless present consumer, casual intimacy which begs a daily visit. The “video microcosmos” casual intimacy which begs a daily visit. The expenditure per clip, adds another set of tendencies to these characteristics. The big expenditure per clip, adds another set of tendencies to these characteristics. The big alization techniques, and freely appropriates the historical legacy of the avant-garde. As legacy of the avant-garde. appropriates the historical and freely alization techniques, into a seamless continuum of consumer caress and enticement. into a seamless continuum of consumer caress budgets available for a relatively small number of videos encourage a feature film style budgets available for a relatively small number of videos encourage a feature film style only sales pitch. Consequently, this funk crossover tape cleaned up at the 1st Annual 1st Annual up at the tape cleaned crossover this funk Consequently, pitch. only sales of radiovision’s programming is to create a lifestyle-oriented emotional bond with the of radiovision’s programming is to create a of production. This is exemplified at its most overwrought by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” of production. This is exemplified at its most overwrought by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” Mini-movie production. The industry’s extreme centralization and concomitantly high Andalou or Blood of a PoetAndalou or Blood of a and Bruce Conner’s A ... Kenneth Anger’s Scorpio Rising David Ehrenstein summed it up: David Ehrenstein MTV Video Music Awards last September, garnering five awards including Best Concept Best including five awards garnering last September, Awards Music MTV Video far simpler as iceboxes raided at midnight by sensibilities Movie have likewise served Radiovision (particularly of the MTV variety), like radio, offers nonlinear, “tune in any like radio, offers nonlinear, Radiovision (particularly of the MTV variety), their artistic application within coherent statements. Bill Viola remarked: their artistic application time and use it as background or whatever” programming, complete with game show time and use it as background or whatever” to Levy. the industry’s ad-based structure. Radiovision is a zone where individual videos merge the industry’s ad-based structure. Radiovision fantasy link contests and “let’s spend four hours together” VJs who engage us with a fantasy link contests and “let’s spend four With what traditional television has in terms of a beginning, middle MTV you don’t have (directed by filmmaker John Landis), and at its most interesting by David Bowie’s Video and Most Experimental Video. Video and . Beyond the contents of individual clips, the overall effect The video musicosmos. Beyond the contents of individual clips, the The thing about the industry that I resent very much is they’re in the business of image that I resent very much is they’re in The thing about the industry There’s hardly a rock video made that doesn’t owe something to either Un Chien either Un Chien video made that doesn’t owe something to There’s hardly a rock This is not to imply that the imaging of the purchase industry mainstream is inferior. inferior. mainstream is of the purchase industry to imply that the imaging This is not of the art visu- on the pulse of state has its fingers homework. Radiovision They do their The same could be said of all television. However, explained MTV’s Lauer: The same could be said of all television. However, The problem is that radiovision isolates visual ideas and techniques out of the context of isolates visual ideas and techniques The problem is that radiovision “unreal environment get[s] people into what is called a ‘consumer mode,’” according “unreal environment get[s] people into what “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean” (directed by Julien Temple), and is indicated by the involvement and is indicated by for Blue Jean” (directed by Julien Temple), “Jazzin’

126 129 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology

It was abandoned for eight years and then revived [18] case in point. Spending $3,000 to $10,000 per clip, roughly 10% of the industry average, case in point. Spending $3,000 to $10,000 primarily with the Residents Working concise treatments of the music video to date. supermarket reality with musically arranged dance riffs that are perfectly matched to the supermarket reality with musically arranged to video’s dynamics than the miniaturized space of the TV screen, far more sensitive this work COM’s video library is a key resource to historicizing seen on television. ART animated by Annabel Jankel) to name a few, are among the commercial work which among the commercial are name a few, Annabel Jankel) to animated by television art. to the level of music has also risen among Foremost strong contributions to artists’ music television. arena and are making handedness of a mature artistic vision. In “Sharkey,” television’s two dimensionality and television’s two artistic vision. In “Sharkey,” handedness of a mature synthesized “nature” as materials in a magical synergy of high contrast are exploited animation (created with Dean shares the mediafied Winkler) that Terrific music and Tom His earlier, by MTV. based works to have ever been televised most esoteric performance (with John Sanborn and Kit Fitzgerald), more fully realized work, “Ear to the Ground” on the streets, garbage cans and phone a walkabout percussion performance literally are the dance performances of Toni more commercially successful a “live” context. Far independent artists have found ways to work cheaply or gain access to advanced pro- independent artists have found ways to work a personal scale. Graeme Whifler’s pioneering work for Ralph Records is an excellent a personal scale. Graeme Whifler’s pioneering some of the most arresting, lucid and he employed a home movie sensibility in creating Whifler’s flair and Tuxedomoon, Snake Finger, and the Loaf, Renaldo and with MX-80, perfectly with the music video format have crossed over into the commercial recording into the commercial have crossed over the music video format perfectly with in both “O Superman” and “Sharkey’s Day.” The former integrates her unique conjunc- The former integrates and “Sharkey’s Day.” in both “O Superman” his flair for combining sound and environment in demonstrates City, booths of New York for her cheerleader silliness in “Mickey.” performed that she can practically be forgiven his surreal visualizations from outré overkill. Since Whifler’s departure in 1983, Ralph movie project beginning in 1972. production guidance that have incorporated advanced production techniques. The our collective authority complex with the spontaneity of an improvisation and the sure- complex with the spontaneity of an improvisation our collective authority body of music video that is rarely if ever duction technology and are producing a strong Performance artists whose inter-media inclinations mesh whose inter-media artists crossovers. Performance Performance Clips for Chas Jankel (“Questionaire”), Haysi Fantayzee (“Shiny, Shiny” and “John and “John Shiny” (“Shiny, Haysi Fantayzee (“Questionaire”), for Chas Jankel Clips for “These Things Happen” is one of the ritualistic run/dance tape Tieghem’s David Van and Basil from her Word of Mouth album. “Shopping from A to Z” is so well conceived Bowie, leads the way in a romp through Basil, who has choreographed for Byrne and Financial limitations often become creative opportunities, particularly in necessitating Financial limitations often become creative Records has continued to produce some bizarre experimentation under Homer Flynn’s Records has continued to produce some bizarre experimentation under Homer Flynn’s Residents, who according to Flynn “foresaw the video revolution,” worked on a video them is Laurie Anderson. The totality of her interdisciplinary vision is precisely registered The totality of her interdisciplinary vision them is Laurie Anderson. tion of theater, dance and music into a minimal “real time” performance that articulates dance and music into a minimal “real tion of theater, television art’s legacy. that constitutes an important part of music fix of the song: “I’d rather see this on TV,” Anderson intones. Anderson see this on TV,” fix of the song: “I’d rather for psychologically potent dreamscapes is balanced by a minimalist streak that saves for psychologically potent dreamscapes is balanced by a minimalist streak that saves Alternative music video entrepreneurs. A number of small record companies and vaudeville aesthetic of Bob Giraldi/Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” vaudeville aesthetic of Bob Giraldi/Michael Wayne is Big Leggy”), Missing Persons (Peter Max’s “Surrender Your Heart”), Romeo Heart”), Romeo Your Max’s “Surrender (Peter Missing Persons Leggy”), is Big Wayne Void (“A Girl in Trouble”) and Tom Tom Club (“Genius of Love” and “Pleasure of Love,” of Love,” and “Pleasure of Love” (“Genius Club Tom Tom and in Trouble”) Girl (“A Void - - commitment that touts itself as a holy war. Though CMC’s John McGhan is no longer Though itself as a holy war. commitment that touts was going to press, the market place COM was going to press, the as this issue of ART changes.” Sure enough, with the abrupt folding of TBS’schanged dramatically bought out by music channel, costuming, gestural choreography and camera presence are Bowie at his best, and are Bowie at his and camera presence gestural choreography costuming, commercial recording artist. Color negative keying creates an otherworldly video-scape, video-scape, an otherworldly creates keying Color negative artist. recording commercial cross-cultural rhythmic roots to third world realities, and the song’s incantatory lyrics to cross-cultural rhythmic roots to third world express living out of time. These tapes are a powerful voyage into the future primitive. express living out of time. These tapes are narrative and concert approaches), his influence is a major force for the uniting of im- narrative and concert approaches), his influence age and song that the music video term suggests. key problems of the form: neglect of the recording artist’s sensibility. Though none of artist’s sensibility. key problems of the form: neglect of the recording move was presaged by a subscriber over-count scandal a few weeks earlier. Perhaps Perhaps earlier. scandal a few weeks a subscriber over-count move was presaged by on experience as artists’ work, his comments based in a position to use independent any confusion about his input vis-à-vis co-director David Mallet’s are resolved by look Mallet’s are resolved co-director David about his input vis-à-vis any confusion rites of passage, psychic alienation, mystical isolation, and solipsistic exile. The and solipsistic exile. mystical isolation, psychic alienation, rites of passage, illuminated by dark light, wherein a series of identity transpositions suggest enigmatic suggest a series of identity transpositions by dark light, wherein illuminated include David Byrne of the Talking Heads and Peter Gabriel. Byrne’s brilliant dance Heads and Peter include David Byrne of the Talking in “Once in a Lifetime” relates rock’s interpretation of evangelical speaking in tongues ing at Mallet’s work with the likes of Joan Jett (the heavy-handed “Crimson and Clover”). “Crimson of Joan Jett (the heavy-handed work with the likes ing at Mallet’s mentary in a series of tapes including “Whip It,” “Through Being Cool,” “Beautiful World” mentary in a series of tapes including “Whip It,” “Through Being Cool,” “Beautiful World” and “That’s Good.” After seeing how these clips communicate DEVO’s pointed satire outrageous at it’s hard to imagine getting the picture without the and perverse humor, lation of mediums. In Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey” and “I Don’t Remember” (directed lation of mediums. In Gabriel’s “Shock the but “auteured” by Gabriel), modern man’s respectively, by Brian Grant and Eric Fellner, a series of schizophrenic persona projections. loss of instinct and anima is seen through overextension (CMC was his fourth cable network), and questions the sincerity of a his fourth cable network), and questions overextension (CMC was Bowie’s work since “Ashes…” approaches its power, reach or formal precision (all the approaches its power, Bowie’s work since “Ashes…” MTV for a mere $1,000,000 on November 28, 1984, after only a month of operation. The on November 28, 1984, after only a MTV for a mere $1,000,000 uniting its performance orientation, slight gag visual sensibility and ironic social com- Other musical artists producing confluent works that fully realize the form’s potential Other musical artists producing confluent Media replaces memory, and cyclical repetitions of musical patterns, lyrics and images and cyclical repetitions Media replaces memory, On the lighter side, DEVO (working with Chuck Statler) has found a perfect form for On the lighter side, DEVO (working with Chuck the pat ending of the movie within the music mini-movie “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean,” and mini-movie “Jazzin’ the pat ending of the movie within the music his videos while commenting on one of the this sums up Bowie’s total involvement with this indicts the market’s growth potential, but more likely it indicates Turner’s current Turner’s growth potential, but more likely it indicates this indicts the market’s the future because as soon as you think you have an understanding…the marketplace soon as you think you have an understanding…the the future because as to Ashes” (1981) is one of the first truly great and fully realized artistic experiments by a experiments artistic fully realized great and the first truly is one of (1981) to Ashes” tribal spiritualism in a way that resists paraphrase, a tribute to the tape’s organic interre- tribal spiritualism in a way that resists paraphrase, tire, placid expressions and image counterpoints. offer some promising strategies. offer some promising former producer of Friday Night Videos, warns in the concluding forum discussion. “People don’t make projections too far in don’t make projections forum discussion. “People warns in the concluding As Jo Bergman, Vice President/Video of Warner Brothers and leading expert in the field, Brothers and leading President/Video of Warner As Jo Bergman, Vice videos from the disco-fied “Let’s Dance” were shot in film and have more conventional videos from the disco-fied “Let’s Dance” The divorce of action and dream becomes a nightmare of ritualistic self-confrontations. a nightmare of ritualistic self-confrontations. The divorce of action and dream becomes “My song, my concept, my neck,” says David Bowie’s character about his objection to “My song, my concept, my neck,” says David

128 131 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - [20] Number 25, Volume 7 (1), 1984. COM, Number 25, Volume Originally published in ART around. ment, and there’s at least one syndicated show that is paying for tapes. The number of ment, and there’s at least one syndicated show same time as it’s promotional. music video is becoming programming at the outlets and the kinds of outlets available are changing all the time. The tendency is that outlets and the kinds of outlets available are Think about it as a radio station, and if don’t have records that are distributed nationally. records. I don’t see a point where we’ll be putting a lot of tapes in regular rotation that records. I don’t see a point where we’ll be hole, but we have made an agreement that when we start making money we’ll spread it hole, but we have made an agreement that when we start making money we’ll spread clip’s contents. Given music video’s tendency towards high IPMs (ideas per minute) high IPMs (ideas per tendency towards Given music video’s clip’s contents. separate viewings. While music television art can profit from these aspects of the radio- from these aspects television art can profit While music separate viewings. and who better to answer them than principal decision makers within the industry? and who better to answer them than principal Structure of the Industry? How Entrenched is the ‘Backdoor’ Economic ment? Can the record companies’ production apparatus be infiltrated? What changes companies’ production apparatus be infiltrated? ment? Can the record assuming the form of an ad and thereby losing artistic meaning, is the dilemma at the an ad and thereby losing artistic meaning, assuming the form of television. heart of artists’ music Forum in Music Television on Artists’ Prospects whatever, but the whole point of the exposure on MTV is to help the music business sell but the whole point whatever, better idea of what the model of MTV is. you think of that model, that will give you a label’s video projects; Dorene Lauer, designated spokesperson for Warner Amex’s designated spokesperson for Warner label’s video projects; Dorene Lauer, and narrative compaction, a clip may not only sustain, but actually require a number of but actually require may not only sustain, compaction, a clip and narrative in that its repetition encourages multiple viewings and a progressive digestion of a a progressive digestion multiple viewings and encourages in that its repetition into an integrated and conceptually coherent work that subsumes, rather than serves, conceptually coherent work that subsumes, into an integrated and the function of advertising Assuming standing out as a discrete entity. its musician-star, to television, without company financing and therefore access in order to get record watched it seventy percent more intently. MTV turned out to be even more hypnotic. be even more out to MTV turned more intently. percent it seventy watched We can get clips from an artist or manager or a record company or Dorene Lauer: We can get clips from an artist or manager At the present time we don’t pay for any tapes because we’re millions of dollars in the At the present time we don’t pay for any tapes because we’re millions of dollars in the Participants in the forum discussion include: Jo Bergman, Vice President/Video of in the forum discussion Participants and producing manager of the Homer Flynn, co-owner of Ralph Records Festivals; and John McGhan, Vice President of MTV Networks as Manager of Press Relations; Music Channel and formerly Broadcasting System’s Cable Programming at Turner Producer of NBC’s Friday Night Videos. How do independents get televised? Is there any hope eventually receiving direct pay get televised? Is there any hope eventually How do independents

will the market undergo? These are questions music television artists are faced with, These are questions music television artists will the market undergo? We thought MTV would be secondary to television but our research showed that people that showed but our research to television secondary would be MTV We thought And music television presentation by its nature may be superior to an art gallery context, superior to an art gallery by its nature may be television presentation And music John McGhan: If we don’t make it, nobody gets an outlet. There will only be MTV left. MTV is in the middle of negotiating a contract that would provide for pay Jo Bergman: MTV is in the middle of negotiating a contract vision context, it struggles against absorption by that context, synthesizing the music against absorption by that context, synthesizing vision context, it struggles Warner Brothers Records and video music program curator at past AFI National Video Brothers Records and video music program Warner - - [19] concert video, takes a monstrous plunge into the subterranean underworld beneath underworld plunge into the subterranean takes a monstrous concert video, ready and waiting for the music videocassette market to boom, a development that the music videocassette market to boom, ready and waiting for inevitable. most analysts see as masks, with an operatic-scale production. And their clip for the James Brown’s “It’s for the James Brown’s And their clip an operatic-scale production. masks, with of life support systems, into the unreality an odyssey Man’s World,” a Man’s, Man’s, on leading to cablecasts Warner Brothers, from and distribution received financing say that this is one can’t be undertaken here, suffice it to and pitfalls of this venue mutant soap opera. The Residents’ “Mole Show,” a computer graphic-enhanced live live graphic-enhanced computer a Show,” “Mole The Residents’ soap opera. mutant intrinsically more concise and intense, music videos apparently have a stronger hold on intrinsically more concise and intense, music videos apparently have a stronger hold argument for artists’ music video making an all out assault on radiovision? argument for artists’ music video making an arts video to television art suggests that the form is wide open to diverse artistic inter arts video to television art suggests that the Go ForBottom), Jill Kroesen (Secretary Blues), Michael Smith ( It Mike), Branda Miller artists include Max Almy (Perfect), Cecelia Condit (Possibly Leader in Michigan), Dara aren’t connected to the record company support structure. They have limited prospects aren’t connected to the record company support mainlining hypodermic needle. He constructs a cartoon reality of paper bag masks, mainlining hypodermic needle. He constructs that indicates a real flair for exploiting TV’s animated pills and eerie color intensifications artificiality. ing this work via the home videocassette market. While discussing all the possibilities videocassette market. While discussing ing this work via the home Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats, to Vileness Happened into Whatever by Flynn muted of control out an insistently pretation. or turn it into filler for football game timeouts. However, possibly because the form is possibly because or turn it into filler for football game timeouts. However, development. option for independents looking for ways around music television’s back door lookout. looking for ways around music television’s option for independents on commercial television, but are contributing to the artistic development of form. These on commercial television, but are contributing Bob Pittman: Ralph Records does a respectable, although certainly not lucrative, business distribut respectable, although certainly not lucrative, Ralph Records does a Pilot Video’s California Images and and compendiums like Knotts’ Go Big Capitalism MTV earlier this year. The commercial crossover of this cutting-edge work is a hopeful work is a hopeful crossover of this cutting-edge The commercial this year. MTV earlier Freeze Frame), Julia Heyward (Draggin’ the ), Susan Britton ( Birnbaum (Kojak, Wang their viewers’ attention than standard television shows. According to Warner Amex VP their viewers’ attention than standard television shows. According to Warner the video musicosmos mill, with viewers free to go get a beer, treat it as video wallpaper, video wallpaper, treat it as the video musicosmos mill, with viewers free to go get a beer, time he got donated) he more than makes up for in imagination, cramming the tape time he got donated) he more than makes full of original and compelling images like an Empire State Building model used as a full of original and compelling images like was done on virtually a zero budget if you don’t count the 20 hours of one-inch editing was done on virtually a zero budget if you “Blue” Gene including Monty Cantsin’s Castastronics, A diverse array of collections Artists may have understandable reservations about letting their work became grist for Artists may have understandable reservations A number of other artists have created works based in the music video format that A number of other artists have created works Another example of turning limitations into aesthetic premises is provided by Richard Another example of turning limitations into featuring Mikki. What Weiss lacks in budget (the tape lacks in budget (the “Chemical Syndrome,” featuring Mikki. What Weiss Weiss’ ). The fact that these artists run the gamut from fine (La Nickel), and Bill Viola (Anthem). The fact that these artists run the gamut which are heavy on fine arts visual music influence, are which are heavy on fine Video Band’s California Zones But does music television permit artistic expression? Is there an aesthetic TV or not TV? But does music television permit artistic expression? South of La Honda Copacetic (origin still unknown), Dutch Beckman’s South of La Honda Copacetic and Kenn Tyranny

130 133 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - Issues that they wanted to investigate [1] [4] Council for the Arts. Boston Review funded by the Massachusetts [2] He developed the series with Coordinating Editor Linda Podheiser, Editor Linda Podheiser, He developed the series with Coordinating [3] and that contamination of art with television is necessary for participa- and that contamination of art with television [6] Participating in an Electronic Electronic in an Participating Public: Culture Art Affects TV Anna Couey Anna [5] knowledge intensi- it. As electronic transfer of experience and ing and thinking about the TV industry to are more and more interested in approaching fies perception, artists supported This development is shaking the institutional gain access to the airwaves. and its relationship to a re-evaluation of the function of art art arena, as it necessitates audience. 9, No. 3 and 4) on “new (Vol. ran a series of four articles In this spirit, the Boston Review topics about video,” confirms the traditional antagonism between In spite of its postmodern intent, the series art will not be accessible to a mass the industry and video art, and fears that television approach, but do not quite realize that “art audience. The views expressed in the series is attitudinal,” culture has blurred, think the distinction between mass and high There are people who have to consider it. to the point where artists writ art in the 80s, and everyone is seemingly is a buzzword for experimental Television tion in creating a public interactive culture. For Art Presentation TV as a Venue Martin Esslin: ...many writers start with short radio plays, progress to longer and more complex radio work, and gradually enter television; when they have established themselves there, they step to the live theatre and the cinema becomes much easier. est in video art.” editor Nick Bromell conceived of the series after noticing “the nation’s increasing inter editor Nick Bromell conceived of the series included distinctions between mass and high culture, formal possibilities of television, included distinctions between mass and high the parameters of art. The series consisted audience, and how television might change Sturken; “Ilene Segalove: ‘Girl’ Video of “Video Art and the TV Revolution,” by Marita by William Rothman; and “The The End of the Affair,” “TV: Artist,” by Linda Podheiser; by Martin Esslin. What emerged from the articles, apart from Drama,” Art of Television writers were attracted by financial prospects factual information, was ambivalence. The their enthusiasm public culture. However, and the possibility of artists participating in to affect art. Discussions of commercial- was countered by fears of how TV was going of the industry indicate a state of transi- ism, inhuman technology and the inflexibility series expresses attitudes representative tion with regards to art and television. The “pure” art to a non-institutional, non-gallery of artists who are not yet willing to subject to guard some sense of autonomy. says, “want marketplace; who, as Linda Podheiser somehow entirely different than what’s on There’s a purist attitude that what they do is TV now.” “to talk about what artists saw in television.”

, - - Film

, op. Rolling Rolling , October 25, Rolling Stone The Atlantic Monthly op. cit. p. 34. , August 1983, p. 42. Rolling Stone 20. Bob Pittman quoted by Steven Levy, Michael Nash, 1984. Michael Nash, 1984. MTV Sells Out Rock & Roll,” MTV Sells Nash, 1984. Comment Rolling Stone Dance But Sound System Is a Break Sound System Is a Dance But er’s Dream,” by David Frick, by David Frick, er’s Dream,” cit., p. 33. August 1984, p. 36. a “sitcosmos.” settes: the next big thing-or are see Michael Shore, “Rock videocas , October 25, 1984. Stone, October , December 8, 1983, p. 78. Stone, December Bill Viola, interview with Michael 14. Bill Viola, interview 15. Steven Levy, David Ehrenstein, “Pre-MTV,” 13. David Ehrenstein, 17. Based on David Marc’s concept of Dorene Lauer, interview with 16. Dorene Lauer, interview 18. Homer Flynn, interview with 19. For a discussion of the prospects Herbie Hancock, in “Herbie Can’t in “Herbie 12. Herbie Hancock, Steven Levy, “Ad Nauseum: How “Ad Nauseum: Levy, 11. Steven they?” 1984, p. 68. - -

, August y, New York: y, New York: Rolling Stone The Atlantic Monthly Cable Music Channel Information 5. Cable Music Channel 9. Jo Bergman’s “guesstimate,” 8. Jo Bergman, Vice President of 6. Dorene Lauer, interview with David Marc, “Understanding Televi “Understanding 2. David Marc, Footnotes: Dorene Lauer, Manager of Press 3. Dorene Lauer, Manager Michael Nash, 1984. Michael Nash, 1984. MTV,” interview in Nash, 1984. Nash, 1984. October 25, 1984, p. 46. October 25, 1984, p. Records, interview with Michael Nash, Records, interview with Michael Nash, Relations-MTV, interview with Michael Relations-MTV, interview Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1976, Jovanovich, 1976, Harcourt Brace p. 180. 7. Homer Flynn, co-owner of Ralph Ted Turner, “Ted Turner Takes on 4. Ted Turner, “Ted Turner Video, Warner, interview with Michael Video, Warner, interview with Michael Video Art: An Antholog Video Art: Packet, October 26, 1984. Packet, October 26, sion,” 10. Dorene Lauer, interview with David Antin, “Video: The Distinc “Video: The Antin, 1. David tive Features of the Medium,” in of the Medium,” tive Features 1984. 1984, p. 34. Ira Schneider and Beryl Karat (eds.), and Beryl Karat Ira Schneider interview with Michael Nash, 1984.

132 135 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - Even now, the prospect of television art is an ambiva- the Even now, [7] active technology allows for response on the part of a previously passive audience. The active technology allows for response on the information exchange overcomes the potential for two-way participation in electronic and pervasive agent of culture, where real threat that TV becomes a more monolithic off. your choice is only between switching on and Audience William to the world…that we Rothman: ...television reassures us that we are connected we are plugged in. are in contact with other human beings, that Martin Esslin: ...the most effective scenes in television drama involve only two or three people, whose emotions and reactions will register in the minutest detail in their features, no further away from the viewer than those of people with whom he interacts in real life. on the other hand, is usually sitting in his own home, Martin Esslin: The television viewer, of his set. If he is in control with the lights on, alone, or with very few people. Moreover, he is bored, he can switch it off or go to another channel. lent option. For all its potential in cable, television is a powerful and unwieldy industry, industry, in cable, television is a powerful and unwieldy all its potential lent option. For experimentation. not overwhelmingly receptive to artists and as an aesthetic development. The chal- On the other hand, “guerilla television” is dated diversity offered by cable, combined lenge of subverting TV has changed. The potential an art medium (by both institutions and the with the increasing acceptance of video as attitudes among artists have altered general public), and the development of populist creating work new challenge is to work with the industry, The artists’ relationship to TV. reaching mass audiences. This is trans- but video as TV, which is no longer video-on-TV, formation from within. increasing dependency on electronically But with our Granted, it’s not going to be easy. important for artists to have access to the communicated information and ideas, it is Inter transmits culture. Television itself is not a threat to humanity. airwaves. Technology ting such a thrill. It was tangible. I used to run behind the set to see if there were people tangible. I used to run behind the set to see ting such a thrill. It was in it. Sturken writes, “Some culture can be somewhat disheartening. The reality of affecting change and as a the medium principally as a tool for social early video artists… saw weapon for ‘guerilla television.’” Network television as we have known it is slowly becoming obsolete. becoming it is slowly known as we have television Network Sturken: Marita - ‘90s, gradu 1980s and of the is the dinosaur it inflexible, centralized, expensive, Vast, channels, that includes multiple industry to an electronic entertainment ally giving way new for viewers, a radically home recorders, and, via satellite, increased distribution choice. element of William to meet now call for human beings of transactions that …all manner Rothman: will be effected electronically. and converse William threatens—to banish humanity Rothman: The new technology promises—or from reality. get I interacted with television, and I remember Ilene Segalove: That was the first time - Television has become, and will increasingly become, a huge industry has become, and will increasingly become, a huge industry Martin Esslin: Television relying, for the enormous demand of hundreds of new channels, on more and more industrialized methods of mass production. However to these writers, it can also imply sellout, consumption of art by the media. However to these writers, it can also imply context seems to defeat the image of an or succeeding in a commercial Making money, of the status quo: postmodernism at its artist who questions culture, suggesting support of the artistic process or appropriation They fear that a transformation most reactionary. commercial television bases aesthetic of TV formats will infringe upon content, since also concerned about the presentation of a decisions on marketing strategies. They are taken seriously by the viewer who is look completed work. Sturken writes that TV is not Developments Technological One positive aspect of putting art on TV is financial. As with music video, mass distribu- putting art on TV is financial. As with music One positive aspect of the possibilities of television as a Esslin describes tion of artists’ video offers publicity. which then facilitates “pure” art pursuit means of developing one’s career commercially, support. In addition, as Sturken notes, televi- in more traditional venues with institutional The industry’s big bucks are earns money. sion art as standard television programming medium, especially with decreasing very appealing to artists producing in an expensive industry provides a means of artistic survival. governmental support. Crossover into the for becoming an art medium, Sturken and While excited by television and its potential on art; television offers a contamination Esslin are ambivalent about the effect of TV human via television provides another of art with life. Segalove’s desire to make art construct that becomes by an avant-garde perspective. Art does not have to be defined is no longer afraid of it. Once art participates effective when the culture that produced it - contemporaneously with culture, its function changes. Rather than making its own his art on television has the potential to affect a culture. tory, At that point, I knew it wasn’t that I didn’t want to make art, but that I wasn’t that I didn’t want to make art, but that Ilene Segalove: At that point, I knew it just seemed human. It wanted to make TV. still unable to properly present video, ing to be entertained, and that museums, though culture in a museum video art enjoys offer the best alternative. Isolated from popular its source. neutral surroundings, with content free from As problematic as museum exhibition can be, it does represent an exhibition can be, it does represent Marita Sturken: As problematic as museum this of television?...But art is seriously evaluated. Can we ever say atmosphere in which seductive opportunities ultimate electronic showcase and offers television is after all, the always been underexposed and underfinanced. to an art form that has (Video) artists share television’s materials but question its purposes materials but question share television’s (Video) artists Linda Podheiser: time, the At the same pursuit of personal expression. its formats in their and dismantle medium, of TV as a mass and imaginative heritage art explores the aesthetic best video TV has already alchemist, clarifying the revolutionary changes acting as analyst and brought to us. Art, almost by definition, questions conventions and invents new, more new, and invents conventions questions by definition, Art, almost Sturken: Marita of the creator, the primacy espouses art forms, art, like other Video languages. difficult writer but to not to the director and editorial control television gives whereas commercial television executives...

134 137 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology as indicating a [9] Number 25, Volume 7 (1), 1984. COM, Number 25, Volume Originally published in ART change in the industry and that now, artists can possibly gain access. To do so, and to artists can possibly gain access. To change in the industry and that now, many are beginning to utilize the familiar make their work accessible to an audience, language of television. Esslin recognizes the powerful all his negative attitudes about mass audiences, For that TV can be different and be successful. impact of TV drama on English culture, and television cannot be art, and that an attempt Each writer is still ambivalent, worried that of content. Desiring the potential of at blending the two could result in a compromise for artists on the edge of postmodern television art, they describe a point of transition contextualized breakthroughs. Cultural PotentialCultural William media of journalism—newspapers, is central among the ...television Rothman: that we belong—that to foster our sense publicity, radio that serve to create magazines, together to us, because we attend television reminds public. We are a public, we are—a events. a first time art will have optimistic that for the many are cautiously Now, Marita Sturken: in public life. place on television—and perhaps, therefore, respected and valuable cable which they hope to show on public and Marita Sturken: They are producing works more diverse kind of they hope will serve as prototypes for a new, television, and which television. because Nam June Paik Groove was a prescient work Marita Sturken: Global co-opted of commercial television. the rapid captivating style barri- stories have already crossed a number of Ilene Segalove’s video Linda Podheiser: wisdom. a “girl”—a surprisingly mature and tolerant ers with humor and—for vulnerable. Ilene Segalove: I set myself up in front of the set and I was television has an important Martin Esslin: The sheer quantity of serious drama on British impact on the cultural life of the nation. or whether TV will TV, Marita Sturken: Whether they will take this chance to change change them, may not matter in the long run. television will profoundly alter Marita Sturken: …the changes artists make in the nature of the way we perceive and lead our lives. public. It’s also, for artists, a medium In an information age, television is our electronic technical revolution is communication. Each for visual presentation. But the byword for “variety and choice” of the writers sees the development towards

[8] Both writers ignore a crucial fact: television makes itself accessible to its audience. Attraction lies in communication. By taking the audience into consideration, television has developed tremendous power as a cultural force. Rothman takes this attitude one step further. Based on the assumption that an audience Rothman takes this attitude one step further. audience’s increasing choice ending its wants only to be entertained, he sees that will not mean participating in culture, need for a public, and that interactive technology creates his or her self-contained but a withdrawal from it, where each individual framework. In contrast, the avant-garde tradition of art has maintained distance between artists and tradition of art has maintained In contrast, the avant-garde the artwork, has utilized unfamiliar language The medium of communication, viewer. Esslin says that serious drama will not to bring the viewer to the artists’ vision. When such drama does not make a real attract a large mass audience, it is in part because criticizes the industry for assuming the mind- effort to attract that audience. While Esslin attitude. lessness of its viewers, he shares the same On the “human” side of the screen is the audience, which feels connected to the world On the “human” side of the screen is the audience, in the home, electronic presentation of the TV set, according to Rothman. Close up, to human nature and events (though information and entertainment is more revealing with other people. It fulfills our need often fabricated) than our daily physical interaction public who, in turn, make television.” for a public. “In short, television makes the I’m dealing with universal issues, with love, with being a girl and growing Ilene Segalove: I’m dealing with universal issues, with love, but I’m hoping that there are enough people up. Maybe the way I tell them is peculiar, who can deal with them the way I do. William in computer programs, we relate not to real Rothman: When we play our role to an like ourselves but separate from ourselves—but “others,”—to human beings no real human beings. agency that represents talk to you, Burns) would look at the audience and Segalove: I loved the way he (George refer to the TV set and the audience back and then fall back into the scene, and then home… …the television industry is convinced that American audiences, used as is convinced that American audiences, Martin Esslin: …the television industry are not capable of are offered by the commercial networks, they are to the fare they work on the television screen. watching any serious - the most popular of entertain is not among undoubtedly, Serious drama, Martin Esslin: It can be harrow- and will thus never get the highest ratings. ments for a mass audience ing and intellectually demanding. While television can present work of artistic merit, as for example in the of artistic merit, as for can present work While television Marita Sturken: medium, present “difficult” as a mass PBS, programming of more innovative it can never, work. William HBO to Why subscribe Rothman: or illegally—to has access—legally if one to see? one wants programs and special of the movies tapes

136 139 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology and es ag T COM es: ag Im AR La Mamelle he P he t From of ,

, June Boston Review The Second Link: The Second 1984, p. 8. “Toward a Televi 8. Carl Loeffler, p. 16. cit., p. 7. 9. Marita Sturken, op Marita Sturken, “Video Art and the Art and the “Video Sturken, 7. Marita TV Revolution,” in Video as Popular Art sion Art: the Eighties,” on Video in the Eighties Viewpoints Gallery, Banff Banff: Walter Phillips Arts, 1983, Centre School of Fine - Boston

Boston , (June and August 1984), and August 1984), and , (June and Couey, , interview with Anna Footnotes: Co-ordinating Podheiser, 1. Linda video series in the Editor for Review Anna Couey, 1984. view with with interview 2. Linda Podheiser, 1984. Anna Couey, 3. Nick Bromell, Editor, Professor at Emerson College, inter at Emerson College, Professor 1984. with 4. Linda Podheiser, interview Anna Couey, 1984. with 5. Linda Podheiser, interview Anna Couey, 1984. with Anna 6. Nick Bramell, interview Couey, 1984. Review

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186 189 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology SFAI started their video program in started their video SFAI Of all the alternative spaces that existed It was an acknowledgment, on their part, It was an acknowledgment, The Museum of Conceptual Art was Howard Fried. I wrote my thesis on the radio on the radio my thesis I wrote Fried. Howard saw Produced just as we space, as a public as public 1978) (La Mamelle, for Television had been transformative. space. La Mamelle MF: the year after the exhibition 1979/1980, SFMOMA, opened at Space/Time/Sound spaces, including La surveying alternative by then starting Mamelle. Museums were kinds of practice La to pay attention to the How did you see Mamelle had pioneered. this as it was happening? NF: a tool for artists, like that video had become it was a my perspective, From Howard Fried. traditional media. If continuation from more then video was the painting was about light those days it was all ultimate paintbrush. In low-light cameras, of course, so you needed a lot of light to actually get an impression on the tape. Many video artists were painting with light, and video could also be seen as an extension of sculpture. MF: South of Market, such as 80 Langton, SF Cameraworks, and Site, The Museum of Conceptual Art (MOCA) seems the closest in practice to La Mamelle, especially in its emphasis on performance. NF: Marioni, there before La Mamelle, and Tom - the artist who ran it, was very much an inspi ration to Carl. But MOCA was quite private. Marioni would do random performances that and you really had to be were very low key, in the underground to know about it. There was very little documentation, one photo maybe. The documentation was mostly physical residue, in the walls and floor of the might see something cut You space itself. into the wall, and that would be the only sign that a performance had taken place. And was this La Mamelle’s approach too MF: in the 1970s? - - So SFAI had not incorporated any of had not incorporated So SFAI So La Mamelle was an education out What did you study for your No. At the time it was very “fine arts,” to get my later I went back It was. Years Video and performance art. I went How did you become did you become How Fiedler: Michele Mamelle? with La involved and I was a It was 1976, Nancy Frank: Art Institute the San Francisco student at had heard about I a painting major. (SFAI), of Market this art space south La Mamelle, I wandered decided to go see it. Street, and and came to this up three flights of stairs space with skylights beautiful, open, white was completely empty and beam ceilings. It We had a wonderful except for Carl Loeffler. the space was empty, conversation. Seeing you gonna show paintings I asked him “Are so I asked him “Why in here?” He said no, that this was an alter not?” And he explained native art space, an alternative to museums. native art space, an alternative the conceptual and It was going to show performance. I was the non-material, and person and I had fascinated. I was an object never heard of conceptual art. The more I the more my mind was came to the gallery, blown. MF: these ephemeral and conceptual practices into their curriculum at that time? NF: very romantic, all about painting in your studio. At that time they did not encourage students to show their work either—it was about producing a body of work, making art and not showing it. MF: side of school? NF: Master’s degree. But by then I had already seen, produced and been involved in so much more than what was available at school. MF: Master’s degree? NF: back to the Art Institute because they had developed the first video program there with Nancy Frank to the Airwaves: An Interview with An Interview with From the White Space the White From

188 191 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - Some of La Mamelle’s programs were were programs of La Mamelle’s Some Ant Farm were making fun of them- were making fun Ant Farm MF: of TV the language borrowing of TV, parodies you see this as an incorporation for art. Do I’m media or vice-versa? of art into popular per and their 1975 Ant Farm thinking about It was a performance formance Media Burn. covered stunt, which was but also a media news. by broadcast NF: They were saying selves, and of the media. worth watching on that there was nothing weren’t making fun We TV—so burn your TV. it as a were incorporating of the media. We of communication. language, as a new form nothing to watch be- At that time there was operas. There was yond the news and soap if you were interested very little entertainment there’s a channel that in the art world. Now hours a day to art. We devotes twenty-four never imagined that that would happen. - television, fashion, music video, and pop and pop music video, fashion, television, later issues. in the featured more music our timing, our internal MTV changed NF: As op- got sped up. rhythm—everything art, real-time of performance posed to the editing. No love with MTV’s quick we were in were that before. And there one had seen that we heard on the popular songs, music with populism, radio. Carl was fascinated we could see visuals and it was the first time that we knew that went along with sounds our culture. Artists’ were a central part of too: every time you videos started to change, image. This was blinked you’d see another a new computer the result of CMX editing, which artists could ized editing technology, Coalition at a use at the Bay Area Video to manipulate reduced cost. Being able look at it in a whole TV ourselves made us Of course, MTV was about selling new way. records. Our use of television wasn’t about - using it as a tool to sell, but as a new frame work to expand our audiences. contrib- How did Produced for Television MF: ute to this new ambition to popularize your practice? What was tending to happen in video NF: - art at the time was that artists were produc ing big installations with video monitors in a darkened room. By contrast we used the television station as a studio—we bought the time, for a hundred dollars a minute. It was very unusual at the time to pay for television time for an artist’s investigation. It was shot in real time, as a performance, but because Labat or of the expense, artists like Tony Chris Burden would come in with a script, knowing what they wanted to do. Produced was unusual in that it gave us for Television something that we could tour around. Carl showing would lecture all over the country, It was also aired on Produced for Television. Broadcast television didn’t want cable TV. it. It wasn’t entertaining, it didn’t move fast enough. MTV started in 1981. How did it influ- We’d come to feel that this real-time come to feel that this We’d advance. We had a big soundboard and soundboard had a big We advance. In the 1970s the audio. working someone weren’t space, and artists it was all raw went But as time technology. invested in elabo- became more on the performances had no though these artists rate, and even training, dramatic or technical professional more It became like theater. it became more Artists were not using collaborative as well. tool for performance. themselves as the sole to work with other It became commonplace The romanticism of artists and share an idea. starting to unravel. We the lonely genius was wanted to be entertaining. brought a shift, The 1980s seem to have MF: at La Mamelle, but not only in your activities for this kind of art. generally in San Francisco NF: performance activity was old-fashioned. There wasn’t a big audience; people thought would it was boring and, I mean, it was. You watch someone crawl across the floor in had developed a language real time. We the out of sculpture, of the artist-as-material, But by 1979, the truly visceral, artist-as-body. ritualistic type of performance had already peaked. An audience had appeared, but this kind of work was difficult for them to watch, because the artist wasn’t doing it for an audience. By comparison we were interested saw a real difference in the audience. We : between performance art, and performing art performance art was visual artists using their we body and their self as a material, while, as thought about it, performing arts was more - narrative, theatrical, and fun. Artists had be come interested in sound and music, lights, props, costumes, and production. In the 1970s, La Mamelle was a beautiful, empty, white-walled gallery that showed conceptual art, photographs, and language. Around 1980 we decided to turn it into a cabaret. We painted the walls black and built a stage. MF: COM? A later issue offered ence ART and Artist’s Guide to Music Television,” “An - - - - Com was not just a Art This influence traveled both ways, La Mamelle was also interested in artists La Mamelle was also Right. For example for our series Per Right. For We were redefining how to use public We Yes, each month there was a major was a major there each month Yes, forming Performance, artists would rehearse; we would go through the lighting cues in NF: MF: though. Where performance art had previ- now it ously distinguished itself from theater, - had an audience not unlike a theatrical audi ence. And the TV shows had a beginning, middle and end, as well as a script. ting an artist in a different environment and ting an artist in a different environment and allowing for a new way of thinking about their art. Before then it was all real-time—there was no beginning and middle and end. We’d spent five years making the Performance and what it documented was Anthology, the 1970s. By the time it came out in 1979, art everything had changed. Performance was more accepted, there were many new channels for it, and some forms of theater, like the Magic Theatre or Project Artaud, had begun mimicking performance. activity that happened in the gallery. But But gallery. in the that happened activity to see. It done there was nothing once it was come and event that you would was just an our Per In 1979 we completed experience. NF: was a good space. Produced for Television example of that: buying time on TV was put NF: MF: and forms of public- using new technologies ness: satellite transmission, television, video art, music, and performance. source book, with the source book, formance Anthology get press if performance didn’t premise that wasn’t a exist. And there it didn’t otherwise had started in lot of press around. Artforum but they had long since gone San Francisco, So it was crucial to document to New York. to document the what was going on here, in. I should make artists we were interested that though, clear, we were getting perfor regional publication; the world. Our network mances from all over was national and global.

190 193 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - - intentions. I went through every article and article through every I went intentions. - produc the video and journal, brochure the things that we wrote and tions, the things an about us, to produce that were written by Nancy, of what we did. historical record more a total artist—she gives contrast, is of that era. feel and excitement sense of the the begin- involved almost from And she was until two years later, ning, while I didn’t join largely stopped pro- in 1977. By 1977 they’d shown Xeroxes ducing exhibitions—they’d before then. Af and conceptual photography non-object. Ironically, ter that we went totally residue from perfor we kept every piece of So when we closed mances staged there. material to Stanford the space and gave that became objects the performances University, archive as such. again, preserved in the interested in pro- La Mamelle was also CP: ducing new media works. Right. A lot of people at the time were DT: using video just to document a perfor did that as well, but also we were mance. We interested in producing video as a form in for La produced Chip Lord of Ant Farm itself. Film (1978–81), Mamelle Chevrolet Training for example. John Cage gave his very first COM as we were computer project to ART launching the ART COM Electronic Network in 1986. When opportunities arose, we would use them to produce something. La Mamelle was one of the organizations featured in SFMOMA’s exhibition Space/Time/Sound, had We 1979. in Foley Suzanne by organized and it Building, one room in the Veteran’s was used more like a venue than a docu- created mentation of activities elsewhere. We an issue of the magazine, a list of everything that we had produced, and it was given out for free. And then there was A Literal Exchange (1978), an exchange of artists from Toronto, who published a magazine called Only Paper we with artists from San Francisco— Today, - How did you get involved? How did La Mamelle did La Mamelle How Practice: Curatorial start? Trudi with Carl Loeffler Darlene Tong: she was La Mamelle when Richards founded to become The original idea was at Stanford. space. But not to run an artists’ publishers, that in as they realized that soon followed, and support for the order to get information space for artists to magazine, they needed And so they rented be able to do their thing. a Royal Street with $150 and 70 Twelfth It was from the start a non-mate- typewriter. space, in rialistic, non-commodity-oriented institutions and reaction to the established market—SFMOMA, commercial galleries— paintings on the and to the idea of putting of that was Part wall, and selling them. there was government because in the 1970s Endowment for support from both National the Arts and the California Arts Council. - Later everything shifted. The granting agen and cies became more community-based multicultural, and they couldn’t deal with our contemporary interests. So we took up Andy concept of being entrepreneurial Warhol’s was also very inter Carl and self-sufficient. ested in new media, which at the time meant ested in new media, which at the time meant video. La Mamelle had a program on a local Viacom channel, for example, where they would broadcast artists’ videos. And after started the she got involved, Nancy Frank or artists’ video archive, which included first- second-generation video art by people like Fox. Marioni, and Terry Linda Montano, Tom After La Mamelle ended, those eight hundred Film Archive. tapes went to the Pacific CP: in the boardroom I met Carl, ironically, DT: of SFMOMA. and archivist, I’m a librarian and he was invited by the art librarians clicked to talk about artists’ periodicals. We personally and he said, “Come over to my space to see my artists’ books.” And that’s how it started. Through La Mamelle I saw the opportunity to document the era and our Memory: Memory: Darlene Tong Organizational Organizational An Interview with An Interview with

192 195 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Whole Earth ‘Lectronic Link. By then Nancy By then Link. Earth ‘Lectronic Whole wasn’t stuff Internet believe—the I exited, had based in an artist Truck, Fred for her—and systems Iowa, became our Des Moines, be who would later Couey, person. Anna Wired,involved with person who was a staff The web associate director. became the was impos- exist at that time—it didn’t really saw the way But Carl sibly rudimentary. one of the first were things were shifting. We an e-journal—most art magazines to become to ride that fence. publications are still trying - - - Beyond publishing and staging events, and staging Beyond publishing sity, and the art schools. At the time, as well, and the art schools. sity, video. An SFMOMA SFMOMA didn’t collect who was inter curator like Beau Takahara, performed in the garage elevator shaft, an shaft, garage elevator in the performed it Acoustically piece. percussion incredible to imag- though it’s hard was very exciting, say We’d quite a performer. ine. He was very differ cabaret performances, these were earlier 1970s activities. ent from those CP: an archive. La Mamelle was also always We It was open by appointment. DT: educational billed ourselves as a non-profit, would organization. So classes artist-run State Univer Francisco come there from San would have to ested in video and technology, come to ART COM. She’d spend hours here. Earlier you mentioned donating the CP: La Mamelle archives to Stanford. Can you expand on this process? What we gave to Stanford was in archival DT: boxes that measured the length of a football it field. They brought this big truck and took away: all the performance documents, all the correspondence, and all the artists’ organizational papers. This was another aspect of Carl’s foresight: he was very interested in archiving whatever came in through the of interns who so he had a whole cadre door, would set up files for artists, artists’ magazines, posters, ephemera, postcards, rubber stamps, little pins—anything. And every time La Mamelle would do a book, a show or a project, they would just pull that stuff out and re-sort it and work with it, and then just shove a complete It wasn’t it back in a drawer. mess, but it took some effort for Nancy Frank and me to organize it. stopped the print publication in You CP: 1984. What precipitated that decision? It was getting too expensive and it wasn’t DT: inaugurated the the way to go anymore. We 1986, on the electronic format in February - When was that? Why was the gallery painted black? CP: we painted the In 1980, around when DT: Performance produced gallery black. We’d for a Decade of Anthology: A Source Book California Performance Art (1979), which was like Terry Works trying to capture that activity. Levitation Piece (1970), or Howard Fox’s (1971), where Synchromatic Baseball Fried’s they played baseball with rotten tomatoes on the roof of his studio—these were private performances. They didn’t care if anyone was there. It was a concept, the artist as sculpture, and the individual performances lasted a long time. And artists documented performances by writing about them, by still by video. some of them, photographs, or, But by 1980 the attitude towards perfor It was about moving on from the white DT: cube, and focusing on a different kind of had these really late performance. We nights: Z’EV night performances on Friday It was expensive to produce. After that, it It was expensive to produce. there wasn’t as much didn’t go downhill, but There was a energy put into the magazine. it up again with glossy hiatus and we started format. We covers, and a more conventional got into populism. CP: occupied their apartments and they came and they came their apartments occupied And this resulted our apartments. and used where issue of Art Contemporary, in a special we printed artists’ books, and they produced that if the format, so them in a broadsheet reader up and refolded, the issue was cut of it. an artists’ book out could make mance had definitively shifted. Everything can see became more like a cabaret. You it in 1978, with the dance party they staged adoption of a Tonight and in the in Toronto, People’s Show-influenced talk show format. attention spans were shortening. So La Mamelle wanted to do performances that were audience-oriented, shorter pieces that had entertainment value.

194 197 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology - - - - mance art at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. Darryl Sapien studied Sculpture Art Institute, at the San Francisco and has worked in a variety of from media during his career, performance art in the 1970s, to his explorations of painting and found materials. He continues to deals with durational living art per durational deals with her “Seven including formances, the Art” pieces, of Living Years spanned from 1984 first of which and her one-year through 1991, Hsieh. with Tehching collaboration used the interest Michael Nash in emerging that he developed culture while work forms of digital critic, ing as an art curator and digital and became a pioneer of world. innovations in the business Vice He is currently the Executive and President of Digital Strategy the Business Development at he Music Group, where Warner first move to be the led Warner’s music stream and sell to company over cell phone networks. Clive Robertson is a Canadian artist focused on performance him- and video. He also describes publisher, writer, activist, an as self and teacher, musician, producer, he has Most recently, collaborator. taught cultural theory and perfor live and work in San Francisco. live and work in San Francisco. Mary Stofflet was one of the editors of Correspondence Art: Source Book for the Network of International Postal Art Activity put out by La Mamelle/ART COM in 1984. A curator as well as an Stofflet served as the author, Curator of Modern Art at the San Diego Museum of Art, publishing Seuss catalogues including Dr. A Catalogue from THEN to NOW: of the Retrospective Exhibition (1986), Latin American Drawing (1991), and Deborah But Today terfield: San Diego Museum of Art (1997). - a Carnegie fellow at Carnegie fellow at a Carnegie the 1990s, In University. Mellon and Francisco left San Loeffler Project Director of became the and Virtual Telecommunications Mellon’s Stu- Reality at Carnegie He died Inquiry. dio for Creative in 2001. founded the Marioni Tom Museum of Conceptual Art in 1970. (MOCA) in San Francisco of the MOCA was one of the first - Bay Area’s alternative organiza tions that formed in the 1970s, and Marioni helped to shape an era as both a curator and an artist (using the pseudonym Alan Fish as his artist persona has during MOCA’s time). Marioni and has exhibited internationally, after released a memoir named Beer, his most well-known work, of Art and Philosophy: The Act Drinking Beer with Friends Is the Highest Form of Art (2004). was an intern Gregory McKenna at La Mamelle/ART COM while he was a student at San Francisco A graduate of State University. Carnegie Mellon and the Sor studied McKenna bonne in Paris, literature, writing, and the French language. He currently works publishing, in internet-based heading up the online newsletter valleylist, which brings technology and politics to 5 million readers weekly. Anne Milne taught photography and video classes in California before enrolling in a Masters program in Film Directing at the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland in 2009. Her documen- (2009) won tary film Maria’s Way New Talent Scotland the BAFTA and has been shown at Award, She film festivals internationally. is currently working on another A Sense of Reality. documentary, Linda Montano is a well-known feminist performance artist from to San who moved New York in 1970. Her work often Francisco was an artist, Irwin was an Richard within San critic known poet, and punk underground Francisco’s performances. A for his extreme Art San Francisco graduate of the began using the Institute, Irwin in the late 1970s, name Irwin-Irwin at venues such as and performed Club, Intersec- the Deaf Jet Wave, and the Lab. Irwin tion for the Arts in 1988. died in San Francisco David Levi-Strauss is a writer texts, who has published many including Between Dog and Wolf: Essays on Art & Politics, and the From Head to Hand: Art and Manual. He is a contributing editor of Aperture magazine, Brooklyn of Rail, and is the founding editor ACTS: A Journal of New Writing. - He has taught writing at universi including ties around the country, the Bard College, Yale, NYU, School of Visual Arts in New York, and Naropa University’s Jack Disembodied School of Kerouac Poetics. Mark Levy is an art historian who College, has taught at Kenyon Institute, the Art San Francisco University of Nevada, Reno, and He is an author of CSU East Bay. several texts, including his first of Ecstasy: book Technicians Shamanism and the Modern Artist (2005). in Art (1993) and The Void Carl Loeffler founded La Mamelle/ART COM as a publication in 1975. He guided the space and the publications of the organization for over two decades, building through La Mamelle/ART COM an international network of performance, video, and media- based artists and writers. When the publication came to an end in 1984, Loeffler collaborated with others on the Art Com Electronic Network on the Whole Earth ‘Lectronic Link. In addition to the art that he created, facilitated, and reported on through the vector of La Mamelle/ART COM, Loeffler was also an artist trustee of the Art Institute, and San Francisco is a writer and cura- is a writer and Frank Peter currently serves as the and tor, the Adjunct Senior Curator at in Riv- Riverside Museum of Art erside, CA. his career He began as a writer for The in New York and SoHo Weekly Village Voice News and moved to Los Angeles orga- in the late 1980s. He has the U.S. nized exhibitions both in of and abroad, and is the author - several texts including Some thing Else Press: An Annotated Used & Bibliography (1983), New, Improved (1987), and Robert De (2004). Niro, Sr. Hershman is an artist who Lynn has worked in photography, video, film, installation, interactive arts, and web-based technol- Her work is shown widely ogy. throughout the world, and is the subject of the text The Art and Secret Hershman: Films of Lynn Agent, Private I (2005). She has screened two feature-length films, including Conceiving Ada (1998) (2002), at film and Teknolust festivals across the globe. She is Chair of the Film Department Art Institute, at San Francisco Professor Emeritus at UC Davis, at Cornell and professor-at-large University. David Highsmith is a San poet, and the Francisco-based owner of Books and Bookshelves, a furniture and book store at 14th and Sanchez streets. Highsmith also runs a series of author readings and events at Books and Bookshelves. He is the author of several volumes of poetry, including his most recent Your Wilderness & Mine (2009). - acted as the acted as the Anna Couey of La Mamelle/ Assistant Director 1980s, ART COM during the late working to build the Art Com with Electronic Network (ACEN) Truck. She Fred Loeffler and artist who continues to work as an artist incorporates art and technology, justice in and is focused on social serves her practice. She currently as the Director of Development for the San Francisco-based advocacy group Legal Services for Prisoners with Children. Douglas Davis is an artist and critic who pioneered works begin- with art and technology, ning with his early telecast for Documenta VI in 1977, and later with The World’s First Collab- orative Sentence using the World to in 1977. In addition Wide Web teaching media courses at colleges and universities, he is also the author of several texts includ- (1973), ing Art and the Future ArtCulture: Essays on the Post- Modern (1977), and The Five Why the Myths of TV Power (or, Medium is Not the Message) (1993). graduated from the Nancy Frank Institute with a Art San Francisco and Printmaking, in Painting BFA - in Video, Communica and MFA Art. Frank tions and Performance served as the vice president of La Mamelle/ART COM, and the director for the organization’s international video archive. Since that time, she has been involved in marketing research, publicity campaigns, planning and promot ing events. She now serves as Relations, based director of Frank and Atlanta, a in San Francisco public relations company that provides promotion and consulting for international art projects. - - Contributor Biographies Contributor performance, video ist working in have and installation. Her works cata- been the subject of several logues and exhibitions, including Angeles a retrospective at the Los 1999, County Museum of Art in and Eleanor Antin: Historical Takes of Art in at the San Diego Museum 2008. Antin is professor emeritus San at the University of California, Diego, and continues to exhibit in Fine Arts with Ronald Feldman City. New York Michael Auping was the first curator of the Berkeley Art program Museum’s MATRIX from 1978–1980, and is currently the curator of the Modern Art in Texas. Worth Museum of Forth A specialist on Abstract Expres- sionism, Auping has organized numerous exhibitions including Abstract Expressionism: The Critical Developments in 1987, and Declaring Space: Lucio Fontana, Yves Klein, Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko in 2007. Interviews His book, 30 Years: and Outtakes featuring selected interviews with over 30 artists, Agnes including Jenny Holzer, Martin, and Bill Viola, was published in 2007. Ian Burn was an Australian conceptual artist who moved to Lon- don in 1964, and then New York in 1967. Often associated with the Art & Language group, Burn is perhaps best known for his Book (1968), a conceptual Xerox artist book made by photocopy Burn ing sheets of blank paper. returned to Australia in the late 1970s to continue his practice, and to teach at Sydney University. Burn died in 1993. is an influential art is an influential Eleanor Antin

196 199 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology Art Contemporary, Art Contemporary, from 153. Page 3 (1), 1977 Number 9, Volume (Dirk [featuring Reindeer Werk Puckey) at Larsen and Tom Documenta 6, photo by Claire Gravelle]. from Art Contemporary, 154. Page 3 (1), 1977 Number 9, Volume (Dirk [featuring Reindeer Werk Puckey) at Larsen and Tom Documenta 6, photo by Claire Gravelle]. from Art Contemporary, 155. Page 3 (1), Number 9, Volume 1977 [featuring Herve Fischer, Installation of art signs in Paris, 1974]. France, from Art Contemporary, 156. Page 3 (1), 1977 Number 9, Volume [featuring Joseph Beuys at Documenta 6, photo by Nancy 1977]. Gray, and Marion Frank from Art Contemporary, 157. Page 3 (1), 1977 Number 9, Volume [featuring Joseph Beuys and Douglas Davis at Documenta 6, and Marion photo by Nancy Frank 1977]. Gray, from Art Contemporary, 158. Page 3 (1), 1977 Number 9, Volume [featuring Douglas Davis, Nam and Charlotte Moorman June Paik at Documenta 6, photo by Marion 1977]. Gray, from Art Contemporary, 159. Page 3 (2), Number 10, Volume 1978 [featuring “(H)ERRATA: Conversation about (H)ERRATA Jo Hanson, Hershman, with Lynn and Moira Roth, San Francisco, 1977]. from Art 160-1. Pages Number 10, Contemporary, 3 (2), 1978 [featuring Volume Lew Thomas and Sam Samore, Bibliography 6]. Page from La Mamelle from 147. Page Contemporary, Magazine: Art 2, Number 4, 1977 Volume [featuring images of The Futurist Synthetic Theater at La Mamelle photo by William Art Center, Arkenberg, 1976]. from La Mamelle 148. Page Magazine: Art Contemporary, 2, Number 4, 1977 Volume Uthco, [featuring images of T.R. 32 Feet Per Second Per Second, Art performed at La Mamelle photo by Diane Hall, Center, 1976]. from La Mamelle 149. Page Magazine: Art Contemporary, 4, 1977 2, Number Volume [featuring instructions for Willoughby Sharp, Vicarious Encounters, performed at La 1976]. Mamelle Art Center, from La Mamelle 150. Page Magazine: Art Contemporary, 4, 1977 2, Number Volume Wiehl, Pulling[featuring Peter Strings, performed at La Mamelle photo by Carl Loeffler, Art Center, 1976]. from La Mamelle 151. Page Magazine: Art Contemporary, 4, 1977 2, Number Volume [featuring Linda Montano with Oliveros, Three Day Pauline Blindfold, performed at Women Space, photo by Lynette Lehmann, 1975]. from La Mamelle 152. Page Magazine: Art Contemporary, 4, 1977 2, Number Volume One [featuring David Watanabe, at La Hundred & One Toasters photo by Mamelle Art Center, 1976]. David Watanabe, Index of Images Index Images on the front and back Images on the book are the covers pages of this and of all 24 issues of La Mamelle COM magazines, published ART between in San Francisco on 1975 and 1984. The images pages 140-185 are selections COM from La Mamelle and ART magazines. , from La Mamelle 140. Page 2, Number 1, 1976 Volume Don [featuring a video still from Button’s Local Motion]. from La Mamelle, 141. Page 1, 1976 2, Number Volume [featuring an announcement for Alan Scarritt at Site: A Non- Profit Space for Artists in San Francisco]. from La Mamelle, 142. Page 1, 1976 2, Number Volume [featuring Steven Laub, In My Crib in 1946; Dog; Posing with Mom and Dad, 1951; Bodies of Water, Lake Erie, 1970-3]. from La Mamelle, 143. Page 1, 1976 2, Number Volume Hershman, [featuring Lynn Constructing Roberta Breitmore, 1975]. from La Mamelle, 144. Page 1, 1976 2, Number Volume & Ant Farm, Uthco [featuring T.R. The Eternal Frame, 1975]. from La Mamelle, 145. Page 1, 1976 2, Number Volume [featuring an advertisement for the 3rd Floor Bookstore]. from La Mamelle 146. Page Magazine: Art Contemporary, 2, Number 4, 1977 Volume [featuring Mike Mandel & Larry Sultan, Evidence, 1977]. - lives in Brooklyn, lives in Taylor Lynette works as an where she NY, Sign of American interpreter in inter Language, specializing performances preting theatrical She teaches at The for the deaf. yearly intensive Juilliard School’s and for the Theater,” “Interpreting work as an artist. continues to is an art librarian Darlene Tong with whose talents fit naturally La Mamelle/ART COM’s desire to archive an era of art. Working Tong alongside Carl Loeffler, La helped to build and sustain was the Mamelle/ART COM. She co-editor of Performance Anthol- of ogy: Source Book for a Decade California Performance Art, and, after the organization closed, she worked with Nancy Frank to develop the La Mamelle/ART COM archive that was donated to the Special Collections at is also Tong Stanford University. an instructor and librarian at San and State University, Francisco has written extensively about strategies for developing archives of art organizations.

198 201 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology and all of the Stanford Special Collections Stanford Special Collections and all of the assistance. Reading Room staff for their Department the staff of the Film and would also like to thank We Art Museum and Video Collection at the Berkeley particularly Mona Nagai, Jon Film Archive, Pacific Shibata, and Steve Seid. the artists, galleries, are very grateful to all of We us access to the works and estates who allowed Thanks to Ed Gilbert at included in the exhibition. Loosen- Marita Francisco; San Anglim Gallery, Paule estate; José Monclova and Fox of the Terry Fox Monclova, Mexico City; Marie Lizarraga of Proyectos Metro Pictures York; Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York; Electronic Arts Intermix, New New York; Gallery, Ghebaly and François Regen Projects, Los Angeles; Los Angeles. Gallery, are very grateful to the many people at CCA We who have given of their time and advice during the thanks go development of this exhibition. Particular for her director of communications, to Brenda Tucker, assistance in promoting the exhibition, and Lindsey for her editorial skills managing editor, Westbrook, and guidance. Mark Magers of Divine Thanks to Sean McFarland, Bakery for Chocolate, Bi-Rite Market, and Tartine their in-kind support. Generous support for this exhibition has been and Roger & provided by the Live Oak Foundation Victoria Sant. Institute for support for CCA Wattis Founding Contemporary Arts programs has been provided by General and Judy and Bill Timken. Phyllis C. Wattis Institute provided by the support for the Wattis Grants for the Arts / Foundation, Phyllis C. Wattis Ann Hatch and Paul Fund, Tax Hotel San Francisco Discoe, and the CCA Curator’s Forum.

Give During the development of this publication, of this publication, During the development that it com- and the exhibition Them the Picture, Audience Is: plements, God Only Knows Who the the Through Performance, Video, and Television COM, we have had the Lens of La Mamelle/ART a variety of individuals and pleasure of working with thank Julieta Gonzalez would like to institutions. We and sounding board mediator, for being our advisor, the exhibition. during the process of developing who constantly Special thanks to Julian Myers, to shape both the challenged us and helped also grateful to are We exhibition and the publication. of the Graduate Program all of the faculty members College of the in Curatorial Practice at California who and Steven Leiber, Arts, including Renny Pritikin historical art Francisco’s offered us insight into San past. Special thanks to Leigh Markopoulos, program former program manager; chair; Allison Terbush, for and Sue Ellen Stone, current program manager, all of their guidance and support over the past two years. are grateful to the staff of the CCA Wattis We Institute for providing us with a context in which to work, and for their substantial support during this process: Jens Hoffmann, director; Micki Meng, programs coordinator; and Justin Limoges, chief are particularly appreciative of We preparator. who served Claire Fitzsimmons, deputy director, as an invaluable advisor for the exhibition and this all publication. Thanks to Jon Sueda of Stripe SF for of his time and his excellent designs. and Darlene are deeply indebted to Nancy Frank We contributed time, memories, who generously Tong, and objects from their personal archives, and who shaped La Mamelle/ART COM and its archive. Without would not exist. We their work, this project would also like to honor the memory of Carl Loeffler, the founder of La Mamelle/ART COM, who built the organization and laid the groundwork for this exhibition. Our exhibition would not have been possible without the help and support of Stanford University’s Department of Special Collections and Conservation, which houses the La Mamelle /ART COM archive. Maria extend our thanks to Roberto Trujillo, We Carolee Gilligan Wheeler, Grandinette, Deborah Fox, Armstrong, Whidden, Polly Peter Mattie Taormina, Acknowledgments ART COM, ART from 178. Page 1982 5 (1), 17, Volume Number for an announcement [featuring of Andy COM with an image ART Warhol]. COM, ART from 179. Page 5 (1), 1982 Volume Number 17, Hsieh, [featuring Tehching of Living Outside documentation 1981]. for a Year, COM, from ART 180-1. Pages 5 (3), 1982 Number 19, Volume [featuring Carolee Schneemann, documentation of Burnout, New performed at The Storefront, 1982]. York, COM, from ART 182. Page 5 (3), 1982 Number 19, Volume Flynn, [featuring image of Homer photo by Cryptic Corporation]. COM, from ART 183. Page 6 (1), 1983. Number 21, Volume COM, from ART 184. Page 6 (1), 1983 Number 21, Volume [featuring an announcement Gregory McGregor’s Home Blasting Kit, performed at B.C., Laguna Beach, CA, 1982]. COM, from ART 185. Page 7 (1), 1984 Number 25, Volume [featuring an advertisement for including Carla COM TV, ART Melissa Baird, Susan Sacher, photo by Jo Whaley]. Panages, La Mamelle La Mamelle from 169. Page : Art Contemporary Magazine: Issue, Retrospective Special 4 (1), 1979 Volume Number 13, announcement [featuring an Press’s for Art Contemporary Imagezine, 1979]. La Mamelle from 170. Page Contemporary : Magazine: Art Special Retrospective Issue, 4 (1), 1979 Number 13, Volume Marioni, Piss [featuring Tom Hershman, Piece, 1970; Lynn from Roberta Breitmore, 1971-8; Skratz]. and Carl Loeffler and G.P. from La Mamelle 171. Page : Magazine: Art Contemporary Special Retrospective Issue, 4 (1), 1979 Number 13, Volume [featuring artwork by Linda Montano; Chris Burden, Trans/ Fixed, 1974]. COM, from ART 172. Page 4 (2), Number 14, Volume 1981 [featuring Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975]. COM, from ART 173. Page 4 (4), 1982 Number 16, Volume [featuring Chris Burden Sculpture in Three Parts, performed at San Gallery, Hansen Fuller 1974]. Francisco, COM, from ART 174. Page 5 (1), 1982. Number 17, Volume COM, from ART 175. Page 5 (1), Number 17, Volume 1982 [featuring Monty Cantsin, PUBLICWORKS, The Great Airport Robbery Act performed at YYZ Canada, photo Toronto, Gallery, by Nathalie Monreau, 1981]. COM, from ART 176. Page 5 (1), 1982 Number 17, Volume [featuring a video still from Nam in collaboration with June Paik Global Groove, John Godfrey, 1973]. COM, from ART 177. Page 5 (1), 1982 Number 17, Volume [featuring Willoughby Sharp at La Mamelle, Inc., photo by Nancy 1982]. Frank, Art Contemporary, from 162. Page 1978 3 (2), 10, Volume Number of the Bay members [featuring Mary Ann Wells, Area Dadaists: Rick Soloway, Cheryl Soloway, Charles Cicatelli, Bill Gaglione, Monte Cazazza Mancusi, Tim by Ron Illardo, and others, photo Mary Loeffler, 1977; and Carl Gaglione, and Dawn Stofflet, Bill by photo Gaglione at The Farm, 1977]. Nancy Frank, from Art Contemporary, 163. Page 3 (2), 1978 Number 10, Volume by [featuring images and layout Amerigo Marras]. from Art Contemporary, 164. Page 3 (2), 1978 Number 10, Volume [featuring Joyce Cutler Shaw, The Lady and The Bird: Mass Pigeon Release, photo by Nancy Seven 1977; Judith Barry, Frank, Sundays After the Fall, 1977]. from Art Contemporary, 165. Page 3 (2), 1978 Number 10, Volume Really, Uthco, [featuring T.R. I’ve never done anything like this before, photo by Kit Siebert, 1977]. from Art Contemporary, 166. Page 3 (2), 1978 Number 10, Volume [featuring an announcement for La Mamelle’s Send/Receive Coast Satellite Network: West Programming, 1977]. from Art Contemporary, 167. Page 3 (2), 1978 Number 10, Volume [featuring video still from Paul Class Fool, 1976; T.R. McCarthy, I’ve never done Uthco, Really, anything like this before, photo by Diane Hall, 1977]. from La Mamelle 168. Page Magazine: Art Contemporary: Special Retrospective Issue, 4 (1), 1979 Number 13, Volume [featuring Chris Burden, The Big Wrench, 1979; Barbara Smith, Just Passing, 1979].

200 203 Give Them the Picture: An Anthology

Graduate Program in Curatorial Practice in Curatorial Program Graduate 1111 Eighth Street 94107 CA San Francisco www.cca.edu/curatorialpractice CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts Institute CCA Wattis Director: Jens Hoffmann Deputy Director: Claire Fitzsimmons Programs Coordinator: Micki Meng Chief Preparator: Justin Limoges Practice Graduate Program in Curatorial Chair: Leigh Markopoulos Program Manager: Sue Ellen Stone of the Arts, © 2011 by California College CA 94107-2247. 1111 Eighth Street, San Francisco of this publication may All rights reserved. No part without permission. be reproduced in any manner La Mamelle, Inc. / All articles and images © ART COM All other texts © the authors 978-0-9802055-7-2 ISBN:

- CCA Wattis Institute for for Institute Wattis CCA Contemporary Arts Galleries Vicki Logan and Kent 1111 Eighth Street 94107 CA San Francisco www.wattis.org 415.551.9210 / This publication is an addendum to the exhibition exhibition the to addendum an is publication This Performance, Who the Audience Is: God Only Knows Video, and Television Through the Lens of La Mamelle/ La of Lens the Through Television and Video, for Contempo- Institute COM at the CCA Wattis ART 21 through July 2, 2011, rary Arts, on view from April campus the San Francisco in the Logan Galleries on Arts. of California College of the of the Graduate This book is a copublication at CCA and the CCA Program in Curatorial Practice Arts. Institute for Contemporary Wattis Audience Is has been or God Only Knows Who the students of the Graduate ganized by the graduating Michele Antille, Benoît Practice: Curatorial in Program Liz Glass, Amanda Hunt, David Erin Fletcher, Fiedler, Kasprzak, Susannah Magers, and Charles Moffett. Editors: Liz Glass, Susannah Magers, and Julian Myers Coordinating editors: Claire Fitzsimmons and Leigh Markopoulos Authors: Douglas Davis, Michael Auping, Anna Couey, Hershman, David Highsmith, Lynn Frank, Peter Richard Irwin, David Levi-Strauss, Mary Levy, Milne, Linda Anne Gregory McKenna, Carl Loeffler, Montano, Michael Nash, Clive Robertson, Darryl Taylor Lynette Sapien, Mary Stofflet, and Design: Jon Sueda / Stripe SF Printer: The Prolific Group, Winnipeg Printed in Canada Colophon

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