translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
220310: Changing Channels – Art and Television 1963 – 1987
MUMOK Museum moderner Kunst
Changing Channels – Art and Television 1963 – 1987
05.03.10 – 06.06.10
Conquest of the third dimension
The extensive MUMOK exhibition “Changing Channels” presents 120 audiovisual works dealing with art and television. Not the history of the mass medium, but an artistic debate concerning television between 1963 and 1987 is the main focus of the exhibition.
The “Video-Synthesizer”, a sculpture made of television sets by Nam June Paik and Shuya Abe, (which at that time was considered to be high-tech), was capable of changing any TV signal into an abstract painting - whereby the mass medium was transformed into an artistic element and used the screen as a canvas. This work, which was originally created in 1969 is an early example of the confrontation of the Fluxus Movement with TV-pictures.
These products, which aimed at influencing television with interventions and happenings, could easily fill the entire exhibit. From the 60’s to the mid 70’s these on-site-interventions played an important role. Ant Farm’s video “Media Burn” was made in 1975 and deals with an Independence Day performance. It shows a wall made of TV sets, and two “racing drivers” dashing into the wall with a Cadillac transformed into a racing car; ultimately the wall catches fire. In an introductory statement, Ant explains that this was meant to “cure his TV-addiction”. Numerous local TV-stations covered the story - thereby enabling Ant to achieve the desired transformation process of the mass medium, as well as attaining media attention.
Specific formats, which aimed at introducing new art movements to the audience, such as Land Art, are presented on level 7. Gerry Schum’s “TV Gallery” gave Richard Long, Robert Smithson, Jan Dibbets, and Walter de Maria the opportunity to contribute short features under the title “Land Art”. Shortly before broadcasting the series “Identifications”, the Süd West Funk channel requested Schum to prepare an accompanying commentary. Schum refused and argued that after all, “paintings would also not be used to make arbitrary statements at an art exhibition.” He savvied his contributions as gallery performances.
Andy Warhol’s entire “TV Work” is presented in the MUMOK Factory - including the 30-minute series “Fashion”, in which he let the protagonists of fashion (models, designers, photographers) have their say. “Fashion” was broadcast in 1979 and 1980. And he created “Fifteen Minutes!” which was presented on MTV in the years 1985 to 1987. They were based on his famous quote that “everyone can be famous for 15 minutes”.
Austrian positions include works by Richard Kriesche, Valie Export and Peter Weibel. All in all, the Hercules-like achievement to deal with the classic medium television on such a broad scale, especially during a time in which new digital worlds emerge each day and TV-consumption is undergoing a huge change, is absolutely worthwhile. The tickets are valid for two visits to the exhibition: to allow everyone to “watch TV in peace”.
By Susanne Rohringer
MUMOK Museum moderner Kunst
1070 Vienna, Museumsquartier
Tel: +43 1 52 50 0
http://www.mumok.at
Opening hours: Tue – Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Thu 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
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220310
mumok - Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien
1070 Wien, Museumsquartier, Museumsplatz 1
Tel: +43 1 52 500, Fax: +43 1 52 500 13 00
Email: info@mumok.at
http://www.mumok.at
Öffnungszeiten: Täglich: 10.00–18.00 Uhr, Do: 10.00–21.00 Uhr
mumok - Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien
1070 Wien, Museumsquartier, Museumsplatz 1
Tel: +43 1 52 500, Fax: +43 1 52 500 13 00
Email: info@mumok.at
http://www.mumok.at
Öffnungszeiten: Täglich: 10.00–18.00 Uhr, Do: 10.00–21.00 Uhr