The workshop delivered by John Wyver – writer, producer and founder of the British independent production company Illuminations – sought to tap into the potential and the problems entailed by the reciprocation between video art and television.
The workshop was illustrated with examples from the Channel 4 series Ghosts in the Machine, and from American and European television shows about video art. Some of the Brazilian videos made at the time were also discussed.
Statement John Wyver
Until recently, television had ignored the experimental work of video artists. Conversely, most video artists were hostile to the conservative thinking that prevailed in the former medium. However, artists today are recognizing the possibilities of working with audiences, including the forms, language, budgets and even the oft-elaborate TV technology. And TV channels are also slowly recognizing that the video art tradition is breeding several exciting ideas that can be put to use in pop advertisements, TV ads and graphic sequences. In Europe and North America, TV channels are buying and showing video art and, in some cases, even commissioning new artworks. This give-and-take between these two fields is breeding some of the most surprising, captivating and challenging images in the world today. This two-part workshop will explore the potential and the issues involved in this interchange between video art and television. The workshop will be illustrated by examples taken from Channel 4’s 'Ghosts in the Machine' series and from American and European TV shows that focus on this type of video art. The third part of the workshop will discuss recent Brazilian video tapes.