RM Vaughan wrote:
>Hey Tims
>I'm going to write about your cable project for my first May column - here's
>some questions.
>
>
>What's it all about?
Originally it came from seeing too many bad videos being applauded by my fellow artists - it made me think that all these so called media professionals were really media illiterates, and out of that cynical appraisal came the idea that someone should give cable TV to media artists so that they'd be more aware of what's happening out there in terms of video. Some of the best video art I've seen are actually commercials since they show more creativity and imagination than most things I've seen in galleries. But, I didn't want the project to turn into a back-handed compliment, so I focused on the fact that most artists simply can't afford a cable TV subscription, and it became an experiment with one person socialism: to provide the funds for this in a way that tries to ask, if I can do this, why can't the government? I also wanted to challenge the 'I'm too good for TV snobbery' by making an offer they couldn't refuse - I'll pay for it, and there's no strings attached.
From the original cynicism it grew into a feeling that we're entitled to as much media/information as possible, since as citizens in a democracy we're supposed to be running the show. Media artists are especially entitled to this .... and the line I've taken over the past 6 months is to describe cable TV as a sort of library or gallery that media artists, due to their relative poverty, don't have access to. Painters and sculptors can go to the AGO free on Wednesdays, and the ROM offers free admin on Friday nights, but is there free access to music videos and commercials, and the intro graphics to news programs? All are worth knowing about if your medium is video. Of course, a lot of the best stuff gets posted on the internet nowadays, so in a way, cable TV is becoming an unnecessary luxury.
In the end, the project has given me a nice frame to think about this stuff in, and another angle from which to approach what's on TV, as I've become conscious of the quality of my 'gift'.
>How many artists, Who are they?
There were 8 artists. They were Benny Nemerofsky Ramsay, Dave Dyment, Heather Keung, Jeremy Bailey, Keith Cole, Kotama Bouabane, Lex Vaughn, and Zoe Stonyk. I had an ad-hoc committee (consisting of Cecilia Berkovic, Sarah Hollenberg, Day Milman, Amish Morrell, and Fedora Romita) help decide who I should give the subscriptions to, since on my own I didn't feel that I'd be that broad or fair. The committee and I tried to give it to people whose work it might compliment. I was happy with the final selection, and interestingly, none of the artists I had in mind when I thought it up ended up getting it.
>What are the artists expected to do with their new information? If anything?
Learn I guess. Again, for me it came down to making something available and accessible. We don't ask that question regarding libraries, we just want them there for people to be able to do basic research on whatever interests them. I know that a couple of the artists had projects in mind, but for me it was more about just making this resource available. I sort of figure that the experience has had an affect via osmosis on the lives of the artists involved. There's been some good historic TV over the past six months - the re-election of the States' President, the death of the Pope, the trial of Michael Jackson (that remake show is amazing) - at least they've been able to check this out, and they'll have those memories. By altering the stream of their lives in this tiny way, I can't help but feel that the experience will inform their work in some way which may not be obvious, but since art and ideas seem to come from the well of the unconscious mind, I figure I've given them new perspectives to think about and to approach things.
Long term goals for the project?
None really .... besides what I've already mentioned regarding the education angle. We don't usually ask what the long term goals of going to school are. But I remember Jordan Sonneberg's profile on Zed, where he talked about using rumour as a medium - I imagine this project working in that way, as a legend "did you hear about that project which consisted of nothing but cable TV subscriptions?" Because of the nature of it all, I'm keen to have it documented in any way possible, including interviews.
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Richard - as you know, the Ontario Arts Council wants credit in all media related stuff, so somewhere, please work in that I got the grant from them to fund this project.
In addition, I had the idea that after it comes out, I'll give a copy of it to the poor souls at Rogers down the street who've had to deal with the weirdo who paid three cable bills at a time all winter long; it'll be my way of letting them know they were involved. Also Rogers gave me a deal when it got set up, so if you wanted to name drop them as well, I'd appreciate it. My whole experience of the project consisted in those banal details - of paying the bills - which are fun to pay late and past due when you actually have the money to pay them - and of dealing with the overly-friendly automated voice when you call Rogers. Otherwise, Rogers were pretty easy to deal with.
