GBH Openvault
Artist's Showcase; Modern Times
Part of New Television Workshop.
Approximate date: 1979
License Clip
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- Series
- Artist's Showcase
- Program
- Modern Times
- Series Description
Anthology series of experimental, avant garde video productions. Program titles: "DANCE FOR CAMERA - SHOW I: DISTRICT I and PALE COOL, PALE WARM;" "DANCE FOR CAMERA - SHOW II: TZADDICK;" "DANCE FOR CAMERA - SHOW III: GEORGE'S HOUSE;" "SELECTED WORKS - 1974 - 1975;" "THE GIRL WITH THE FLAXEN HAIR;" "SET OF COINCIDENCE;" "ALL ACROSS BOSTON;" " UNTITLED PERFORMANCE BY ROBERT GOLDMAN;" "QUIDDATAS;" "TELEPORTRAITS;" "FOUR SIDED TAPES;" "AMY LOWELL;" "PRIMORDIAL SOUP;" "HOWARD;" "THIRD TAPE;" "PAST FANTASIES;" "SEMI BUFFET;" "EAST ENDED TAPE;" "A COLOR PIECE FOR TV;" "CONTEXTS AND ONE AND MANY;" "THREE TRANSITIONS;" "CITY SCAPE;" "OUT OF TIME;" "NO TITLE." Series release date: 1975
- Program Description
In the first section of this work, domestic objects are seen, which a woman's voice describes as "nice." "Nice house," "nice woman," "nice living room," "nice table"; she reels off in an endless litany. In the second section, a man leans back against the blue ocean while the same woman describes his qualities. "He's perfect absolutely perfect," she says at first and begins listing his admirable attributes. Gradually, more unpleasant qualities emerge and by the end she is telling us that he is selfish and boring. In the next section, a woman's voice recounts details of a suspected affair. A seemingly one-sided conversation occurs between a troubled woman and her friend. In another section, a woman's voice describes what she is attracted to sexually while a woman's body is viewed on screen. In the final shot we see that this body belongs to the speaker. Against a backdrop of still images of a woman's face, the speaker questions the relationship between actions and results. Lips on four different monitors recite words of love, detailing getting together, breakup, reconciliation, and further breakup. These vignettes serve as a commentary on consumption and contemporary relationships.
- Asset Type
Broadcast program
- Media Type
Video
- Subjects
- Consumption
- Interpersonal relations
- Topics
- Film and Television
- Creators
- Almy, Max, 1948- ()
- Contributors
- Barnes, James ()
- Wims, Claudine ()
- Minor, Jeanne ()
- Collins, Tim ()
- Citation
- Chicago: “Artist's Showcase; Modern Times,” GBH Archives, accessed April 19, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_8FBD34E082C642149F1F77EECC680527.
- MLA: “Artist's Showcase; Modern Times.” GBH Archives. Web. April 19, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_8FBD34E082C642149F1F77EECC680527>.
- APA: Artist's Showcase; Modern Times. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_8FBD34E082C642149F1F77EECC680527