War and Puberty

Video mashup test with Patrick

Puberty and War - Mashup from Patrick Boehner on Vimeo.

Richard Serra

I wanted to research Richard Serra's work in video. Before this class I had been familiar with his sculpture, but not his video work. I enjoyed the experimental nature of "Boomerang" and his exploration of this relatively new medium. It is such a far different medium than steel, that I find his success in it really fantastic. With his various pieces critiquing television, he uses an entertaining game show format paired with entertaining contemporaries: Spaulding Gray, Leo Castelli, and others.

I'm drawn to this idea because I too find popular culture and media one of the entities most in need of artistic and cultural critique. I found the time period interesting as news and television were becoming a more ubiquitous part of American culture.
"It's all a lot of shit. Listen, I know television consciousness was developed in the 60s. And yet, in 1974, people still accept what they see on their TV sets as valid information."
Unfortunately this has become more and more true. On the other-hand, Serra's generation also spawned this cynical distrust of media, authority, etc. while media and television continues to propel into a larger, more aggressive foe and promoter of the mainstream. From it, a subversive culture has been born to counteract mainstream's influence. Serra was one of the pioneers of this and today we continue the tradition of using television's own medium against it. I hope to do some of that in this class and know this would be a good forum for it.

About the video medium

"The work ends whenever its intention is accomplished. The time is inherent time, the time required for the task at hand. The work is "boring," as Les Levine remarked...whether they are interesting or not is largely a matter of judging the value of the task at hand."
Videotapes are boring if you demand that they be something else. But they're not judged boring by comparison with paintings or sculpture, they're judged boring in comparison with television, which for the last twenty years has set the standard of video time."

I found this concept really interesting. I can say, I too have labeled a video installation or two as boring. And really it is due to, as Antin points out, TV. We are used to being sold when watching video - whether products or entertainment. On TV something is always happening. And the purpose is clear. And in the end there will be a conclusion - even if its spoon-fed and predictable.

Video is about time - and sometimes I go to the museum without enough of it. So then it brings about this urgency, as the viewer, for a payoff for time invested - I suppose with a painting I can sit and look at it for however long let the impression take and move on whenever I feel it has. Still (non-moving) art is timeless in this way, it doesn't change. Which I guess could be labeled more boring then say an ice cube melting as in Terry Fox's Children's Tapes. With a painting, however, one can choose to glance then keep walking. Still having had the chance to see the whole thing, though maybe not to intellectualize it. When I watch the ice cube melting, I basically know what is going to happen, but the curiosity gets me and I must stay because I believe that if someone made this with intent and purpose, then there must be value in seeing it through.

This is actually really what I've found so fantastic about working in video - even when it's boring, it's still kind of interesting ..because something is happening. Because for the audience, that expectation demands attention. And a small effect can have a large impact.

Self-Portrait & Story Boarding

For the Self Portrait assignment I tried to remember to "keep it simple" - something I always have trouble doing. I thought that something clear and minimal would be the most effective for this. Shot of me in the bathroom , shot of me exiting stall, walk to mirror, look at self, self critical, sigh of defeat, exit. I felt a simple intimate portrait would be clear and telling. I was a little intimidated when I saw the complexity of some of the other student's work, but really happy when someone pointed mine out first and described the intent that I was going for - even through my rushed, overly self-conscious performance.

It was a good exercise in planning and camera work.

What I really enjoyed was storyboarding! I am now considering that for a career path. I'm going to research it more and see if there are any classes available in the film dept.