The Arts for Television an EXHIBITION ORGANIZED by the MUSEUM of CONTEMPORARY ART, LOS ANGELES, and the STEDELIJK MUSEUM, AMSTERDAM

The Arts for Television AN EXHIBITION ORGANIZED BY THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, LOS ANGELES, AND THE STEDELIJK MUSEUM, AMSTERDAM

Rene and Georgete Magritte with Their Dog, 1984 (4 min.) Joan Logue/Paul Simon

THE ARTS FOR TELEVISION is the first major museum exhibition to examine television as a form forcontem- porary art: television as a gallery or theater or alter- native space, even television as art. An interna- tional selection of artworks made for broadcast, the exhibition documents the crossovers and collabora- tions thattake place on this new television, between and among dancers, musi- cians, playwrights, actors, authors, poets, and visual and video artists. And it investigates the artists' own investigation of one medium-be it dance or music or literature-through another. It examines the transfor- THE ARTS FOR TELEVISION mations video makes and the possibilities it allows . These provocative uses of television time is partially supported by grants from and technology are organized in THE ARTS FOR TELEVISION according to the medium trans- the Polaroid Corporation, the Prins formed by the electronic image; the six categories are Dance for Television, Music Bernhard Fonds, and the Ministry for for Television, Theatre for Television, Literature for Television, The Video Image (works that address video as a visual art, that make reference to the traditional visual arts and Cultural Affairs of the Netherlands. The to seeing itself), and Not NecessarilyTelevision (worksthat address the usual content ofTV, exhibition is curated by Dorine Mignot of and transform it). " THE ARTS FOR TELEVISION also presents another level of collab- the Stedelijk Museum and Kathy Rae oration in artists' television . It documents the involvement of television stations in Europe Huffman of the Contemporary .Artists and America with art and artists' video. It recognizes theircommitment and acknowledges Television Fund, Boston, and is orga- the risks they take in allowing artists the opportunity to realize works of art. The intention of THE ARTS FOR TELEVISION is to examine this two-decade-old phenomenon, to exchange in- nized by Julie Lazar for The Museum formation about it, and to stimulate still more new artists' productions for television . of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

.DANCE...... FOR...... T E . .L... .E. .. .V. .. ..I.. .S. . . ..I.. .O. .. ..N...... MUSIC...... FOR...... TELEVIS1164...... hr..50 min . .3Ihr-.. .30.min.. Merce by Merce by Paik Visual Shuffle O Superman Soul Soldier Charles Atlas/Merce Cunningham, John Sanborn/Mary Perillo Laurie Anderson Charles Jevremovic/Lisa Montrose Nam June Paik/Shigeko Kubota 1986 (6 :48 min.) 1981 (8:24 min .) 1987 (9 min.) 1975 (30 min.) Advanced technical special effects are This is theclassic video of Anderson's hit Celebrating life, the youthful New Eng- A trail-blazing experiment in choreog- used with virtuosity to transform per- song from "United States I-IV;" released land groupThe Throwing Musesgoes on raphyforthe camera, with excerpts from former Charles Moulton into the great by Warner Brothers Records on the a videojourney across the United States . performances and interviews. dancers of stage and film . album ''Big Science'' in 1982 . The Commission Dancing on the Edge Lament Ear to the Ground Woody Vasulka Trisha Brown James Byrne/Eiko & Koma John Sanborn/Kit Fitzgerald 1983 (45 min.) 1980-81 (28:49 min.) 1985 (9 min.) 1982 (4 :30 min.) , Revolving around an incident between This program captures essential aspects The classic quality of black-and-white David Van Tieghem is featured in a 19th-century virtuoso violinist Paganini of Brown's choreography, offering a nude photography seen in this piece musical percussion tour of New York and composer Berlioz, this romantic glimpse at her methods of making dance. challenges the guidelines of broadcast City in which he "plays'' the city as myth of genius employs specialized digital television . an Portrait instrument . techniques with multiple representation and aural mutation . Hans Van Manen If I Could Fly, l Would Fly Rene and Georgette 1983 (10 min.) Mary Lucien Magritte With Their Dog MusicWord Fire and I Would In this ballet, performed by Pauline 1987 (25.'11 min.) After the War Do It Again (The Lessons) Daniels, the dance movements by chor- Close-up fragments of gesture and Joan Logue Robert Ashley eographer van Manen become poses isolated movement combined with ex- 1984 (3 :50 min.) 1981 (30 min.) that are framed as a picture would be . terior "location" footage reveal uncom- With a sensitivityunusual in today's music This is an excerptfrom composer Robert mon views of the videos, Repetitions gymnastic technique of this award-winning video sets Ashley's six-part opera, "Perfect Lives dancer/choreographer lyrics Marie Andre Elizabeth Strebb. by singer/songwriter Paul Simon to (Private Parts) ;" with video direction by Magritte-like 1984 (45 min.) Waterproof images produced with John Sanborn. advanced digital techniques . This ''observational documentary was Jean-Louis Le Tacon The Kiss (An Operatic Duet) recorded during rehearsals of a new 1986 (22 min.) To Sorrow Paul Richards/Michael Nyman ballet, "Elena's Aria,'' by Belgian This work was created from the un- Kit Fitzgerald 1984 (9 min.) choreographer Anne Teresa de Keers- derwater spectacle originally performed 1984 (5 :25 min.) This love song, excerpted from a full maeker and her company, Rosas. by the Compagnie Astrakan at the This tone poem combines sound and opera, uses paint boxtechniques spon- Ex-Romance Centre National de Danse Contem- image to reflect Fitzgerald's inspiration taneously to emphasize the lovers' emo- poraine dAngers. from the Thomas Hardy Charles Atlas novel, "The tional exchange . Return of the Native." 1984/87 (49:27 min.) As If Memories Could In this romantic story in scrapbook form, Bizarre Love Triangle Deceive Me an ex-dancerand a TV talkshow host pre- Robert Longo Marcel Odenbach sent episodes from a dance performed 1987 (4:10 min.) 1986 (17:35 min.) three years earlier, and recount the This fast-paced video set in New York This personal reflection on history, romances that might have been . City features New Orderin adizzying in- memory and national identity combines terpretation that suggests a "new order" the symphonic music of Robert Schu- for the music/image industry. mann and the absolute music of F. Marschall/U. Tillerman with propaganda Repetitions, 1984 (45 min.) Marie Andre/Teresa de Keersemaeker You Ain't Fresh films and original Julia Heyward footage of the New England Conservatory Orchestra. 1986 (4 :20 min.) Heyward composes the comic antics of The Flood eographer van Manen become poses isolated ' movement combined with ex- 1984 (3 :50 min.) 1981 (30 min .) that are framed as a picture would be. terior "location'' footage reveal uncom- With asensitivity unusual in today'smusic This is an excerptfrom composer Robert mon views of the gymnastictechniqueof videos, this award-winning video sets Ashley's six-part opera, ''Perfect Lives Repetitions dancer/choreographer Elizabeth Strebb. lyrics by singer/songwriterPaul Simon to (Private Parts) ;' with video direction by Marie Andre Magritte-like images produced with John Sanborn. 1984 (45 min.) Waterproof advanced digital techniques . This "observational documentary'' was Jean-Louis Le Tacon The Kiss (An Operatic Duet) recorded during rehearsals of a new 1986 (22 min.) To Sorrow Paul Richards/Michael Nyman ballet, ''Elena's Aria,' by Belgian This work was created from the un- Kit Fitzgerald 1984 (9 min.) choreographer Anne Teresa de Keers- derwater spectacle originally performed 1984 (5 :25 min.) This love song, excerpted from a full maeker and her company, Rosas. by the Compagnie Astrakan at the This tone poem combines sound and opera, uses paint box techniques spon- Centre National de Danse Contem- image to reflect Fitzgerald's inspiration taneously to emphasize the lovers' emo- Ex-Romance poraine d'Angers. from the Thomas Hardy novel, "The tional exchange. Charles Atlas Return of the Native :" 1984/87 (49:27 min.) As If Memories Could In this romantic story in scrapbookform, Bizarre Love Triangle Deceive Me an ex-dancerand aTV talkshow host pre- Robert Longo Marcel Odenbach sent episodes from a dance performed 1987 (4 :10 min.) 1986 (17:35 min.) three years earlier, and recount the This fast-paced video set in New York This personal reflection on history, romances that might have been . City features New Order in a dizzying in- memory and national identity combines terpretation that suggests a "new order" the symphonic music of Robert Schu- for the music/image industry. mann and the absolute music of F. Marschall/U. Tillerman with propaganda Repetitions, 1984 (45 min.) Marie Andre/Teresa de Keersemaeker You Ain't Fresh films and original footage of the New Julia Heyward England Conservatory Orchestra. 1986 (4 :20 min.) Heyward composes the comic antics of The Flood the Boogie Boys in a rap music clip. Jaap Drupsteen 1985 (25:25 min.) 1 Want Some Insecticide A contemporary visualization of the Old Branda Miller Testament story is set to music by 1986 (3 :53 min.) Stravinsky for this piece. Setto the music of LosAngeles musician Fredrik Nilsen, Miller presents a surreal Walzer view of power relations, focusing on the Gabor Body absurdity of scientific developments 1985 (3 min.) which endanger the planet . A fleeting glimpse at the experience of love and death, Body interprets Imagine Novalis's poem "Walzer" with the music Zbigniew Rybczynski of Mozart. 1987 (3 :15 min.)