Series: Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund
Program: Time Code
Date: 1987-01-01
Subject: Compilations; Video art
Copyright Holder: Channel Four Television; INA; ZDF; Agent Orange; Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund, The, and WGBH; TVE/CNE

Clip Description
"Time Code" is a compilation of works by international video artists. It includes:"Luck Smith" by Gustav Hamos (4:55): A man walks through different digitally enhanced environments, including some sort of steel mill."Maison" by Bernar Herbert (11:00): In this sad piece two women live together in a house by the ocean. With no spoken text, small details show the growing depression of one of the women, who eventually drowns herself."Heartbeat" by Mary St. James and Anne Wilson (7:10): In this dizzying montage of images, royalty and regency make fleeting appearances. A narrative is woven through the appearance of doorways, a couple in eighteenth century costumes, boxers, ballroom dancers, Queen Elizabeth, and endless streets."Montenvers et Mer de Glace" by Robert Cahien and Stephanie Huter (8:13): This piece follows the course of a train that goes to the Alpine resort named in the title. Tourists and hikers travel together to witness this natural beauty."Sterd (Am Am)" by Jaap Drupsteen (7:57): In this gridlike work, special effects provide "windows" into scenes of public life."Time Squared" by Branda Miller (6:33): This work, which was commissioned for The Contemporary Art (CAT) Fund, is cataloged separately."Whiplash" by Xavier F. Villaverde (6:37): This piece combines footage of Spanish carnivals and rituals with staged interactions between circus figures and costume-party goers.

This was a joint production effort to showcase the work of video artists on an international front.

The Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund was a joint venture between Boston's Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) and WGBH's New Television Workshop. Funding came from the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities' New Works program in 1983. Co-directors were WGBH's Susan Dowling (New Television Workshop Director, 1982-1993), and David Ross (ICA Director). Kathy Rae Huffman served as curator and producer. The Fund's primary objective was to award money to video artists for new works. The goals were to foster excellence in the exploration of television as a creative medium, broaden video arts international audience through broadcast and gallery exhibition, and increase revenues for artists from the distribution of their works in all markets. Many of the works were broadcast as part of "New Television," and appeared in festivals worldwide. The Fund was also used to sponsor international symposia among curators, distributors, and producers to help promote the growth of video art. In 1990, the ICA assumed full sponsorship of the Fund, where it continued for another year.

Program Description
"Time Code" is a compilation of works by international video artists. It includes:"Luck Smith" by Gustav Hamos (4:55): A man walks through different digitally enhanced environments, including some sort of steel mill."Maison" by Bernar Herbert (11:00): In this sad piece two women live together in a house by the ocean. With no spoken text, small details show the growing depression of one of the women, who eventually drowns herself."Heartbeat" by Mary St. James and Anne Wilson (7:10): In this dizzying montage of images, royalty and regency make fleeting appearances. A narrative is woven through the appearance of doorways, a couple in eighteenth century costumes, boxers, ballroom dancers, Queen Elizabeth, and endless streets."Montenvers et Mer de Glace" by Robert Cahien and Stephanie Huter (8:13): This piece follows the course of a train that goes to the Alpine resort named in the title. Tourists and hikers travel together to witness this natural beauty."Sterd (Am Am)" by Jaap Drupsteen (7:57): In this gridlike work, special effects provide "windows" into scenes of public life."Time Squared" by Branda Miller (6:33): This work, which was commissioned for The Contemporary Art (CAT) Fund, is cataloged separately."Whiplash" by Xavier F. Villaverde (6:37): This piece combines footage of Spanish carnivals and rituals with staged interactions between circus figures and costume-party goers.

This was a joint production effort to showcase the work of video artists on an international front.

The Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund was a joint venture between Boston's Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) and WGBH's New Television Workshop. Funding came from the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities' New Works program in 1983. Co-directors were WGBH's Susan Dowling (New Television Workshop Director, 1982-1993), and David Ross (ICA Director). Kathy Rae Huffman served as curator and producer. The Fund's primary objective was to award money to video artists for new works. The goals were to foster excellence in the exploration of television as a creative medium, broaden video arts international audience through broadcast and gallery exhibition, and increase revenues for artists from the distribution of their works in all markets. Many of the works were broadcast as part of "New Television," and appeared in festivals worldwide. The Fund was also used to sponsor international symposia among curators, distributors, and producers to help promote the growth of video art. In 1990, the ICA assumed full sponsorship of the Fund, where it continued for another year.

Series Description
The New Television Workshop originated at WGBH, a public broadcasting station in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1974 to support the creation and development of experimental video art. This experimental programming included dance, drama, music, performance and visual arts on video and film. As early as 1968, WGBH was committed to the development of video art through residency programs, with artists such as Nam June Paik, and the "Rockefeller Artists-in-Television" project. Many of these early works (pre-1974) were broadcast both locally and nationally.

As an umbrella for arts related programming, the Workshop included "Artist's Showcase, " "Frames of Reference, " "Dance for Camera, " "Poetry Breaks," and "New Television," as well as acquired arts programming. Individual works were created for "Visions," a series produced by WNET (New York), and "Alive From Off Center," a series produced by KTCA (St. Paul - Minneapolis). The Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund was co-founded by the Workshop and Boston's Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) in the 1980's, to commission works by video artists. In 1993 the Workshop ceased production at WGBH.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/NTW/FA/TITLES/Time146.HTML