Series: New Television
Program: New Television
Episode: 511
Date: 1989-01-01
Subject: Interpersonal relations
Copyright Holder: WGBH Educational Foundation; Juan Downey

Clip Description
This episode of "New Television" features Juan Downey's "Return of the Motherland."

Return of the Motherland "Return of the Motherland" focuses on the story of Harry, John, Mona, and Lisa, narrated by Harry in short, nonlinear snippets. Harry tells of his relationship with Mona, a woman who (if we are to believe him) carried on simultaneous affairs with Harry and John, ending up with John. Harry spends time with a woman named Lisa, who eventually leaves him in response to his obsession with Mona and John. Harry's anger and hostility towards Mona is undisguised. At times, computer text of his story appears in the background when he is speaking, reminding us that he is an actor, playing a part. The performers who portray Harry, Mona, John, and Lisa weave in and out of abstract physical interactions, performing movements reminiscent of interpretive dance. In a smoke-and-statue filled storefront, various couplings are depicted among the group.

This somewhat sordid tale is set against the backdrop of political unrest in modern day Chile. Scenes from the streets of Santiago and from Chilean television are interspersed, featuring images of police brutality, then-President General Augusto Pinochet, and the visiting Pope John Paul II. Dramatized scenes starring an iconographic "Prophet" and a devotional "Motherland" serve to further illustrate themes depicted in both the documentary footage and the fictional love triangle. Produced and directed by Juan Downey, the work is approximately 27 minutes in length.

Program Description
This episode of "New Television" features Juan Downey's "Return of the Motherland."

Return of the Motherland "Return of the Motherland" focuses on the story of Harry, John, Mona, and Lisa, narrated by Harry in short, nonlinear snippets. Harry tells of his relationship with Mona, a woman who (if we are to believe him) carried on simultaneous affairs with Harry and John, ending up with John. Harry spends time with a woman named Lisa, who eventually leaves him in response to his obsession with Mona and John. Harry's anger and hostility towards Mona is undisguised. At times, computer text of his story appears in the background when he is speaking, reminding us that he is an actor, playing a part. The performers who portray Harry, Mona, John, and Lisa weave in and out of abstract physical interactions, performing movements reminiscent of interpretive dance. In a smoke-and-statue filled storefront, various couplings are depicted among the group.

This somewhat sordid tale is set against the backdrop of political unrest in modern day Chile. Scenes from the streets of Santiago and from Chilean television are interspersed, featuring images of police brutality, then-President General Augusto Pinochet, and the visiting Pope John Paul II. Dramatized scenes starring an iconographic "Prophet" and a devotional "Motherland" serve to further illustrate themes depicted in both the documentary footage and the fictional love triangle. Produced and directed by Juan Downey, the work is approximately 27 minutes in length.

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/New264.HTML