Contexts

Abstract: Donald Burgy's 'Contexts' is a commentary on communications. 'All communications are transformed by the contexts through which they pass,' a man tells us at the onset of the work. As this man continues to deliver observations, the camera pulls back repeatedly to reveal that he is speaking from a television screen. This effect creates a seemingly infinite loop of video within video. No credit information is included, although the work is included on a tape with Burgy's 'One Many' and may have been created at the same time with the same personnel. This piece is under three minutes in length. "Artist's Showcase' was a series designed to showcase video art and experimental work from WGBH. The program ran on Sunday evenings at 11 P.M., from the fall of 1976 through 1982. In the early 1970's, 'Artist's Showcase' was the only consistent broadcast outlet for many of the Workshop productions. Most materials of broadcast quality created at WGBH in the mid-1970's were shown as part of this series. Additionally, earlier video art experiments and segments of related shows, such as 'Mixed Bag' or 'What's Happening Mr. Silver' were broadcast under these auspices. This series was also a broadcast outlet for a handful of works by video artists that were not created at WGBH but only acquired for this purpose. Some compilation reels showing highlights of Workshop activity were also broadcast.

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