This is a debate about the state of the moving image and the names we need to discuss them. It occurred in the context of Tasman Richardson’s show Necropolis presented in collaboration with the city of Ottawa at the Karsh-Masson Gallery. More about the exhibit and a critical reflection, The Now of Tasman Richardson, by Artengine’s Artistic Director. To listen to the debate click here
Against: Tasman Richardson and Marc Fursteneau
For: Ryan Stec and Christopher Payne
Hosted by Dr. Geoffrey Gurd
As the collection of technologies producing moving images multiplies at an incredible rate, Artengine wondered about the supposed ascent of video. Has one of the defining mediums of the twentieth century truly come to dominate the twenty-first or did something else happen? While the word video is unavoidable and ubiquitous has it also become hollow and meaningless? It is everywhere and so perhaps nowhere? Is it, at best, like a state of matter, a general category that barely defines its material existence, gas, solid or liquid? Beyond the most general quality of the moving image does it have definition, does it have connective tissue, does it have anything we can speak of in a meaningful way?
Of course, these assertions are counter intuitive and perhaps both ridiculous and preposterous, but if dialogue only organizes itself around what is reasonable and believable how will we arrive at anywhere new and interesting? And so we set ourselves an almost impossible task, to assert that despite what you think you see all around you, that despite this video is in fact dead. It has ceased to be and something else has replaced it. Something else we must find a name for.
This is not a fair and balanced introduction, but the ‘against’ side of this debate clearly has the advantage, and so we have taken some liberties. For our spirited discussion on the death of the medium, which we have recorded and edited to be presented below, we invited cinema scholar Marc Fursteneau to join artist Tasman Richardson in the defense of video, its multiplicity and its vitality. Asserting the preposterous is Artengine’s Artistic Director Ryan Stec and media artist Christopher Payne.
We hope you enjoy the conversation.
Presented in partnership with the City of Ottawa, Karsh-Mason Gallery and the show Necropolis by Tasman Richardson.
