Presentation of videotapes from the London Video Arts-collection

In the context of an exchange of videotapes between De Appel and the collection of London Video Arts, a second series of videotapes from this London video centre will be shown on 9 April. Stuart Marshall (one of the active members of LVA) has selected the following tapes: Lisa Steele, Compilation, 40 minutes. This composite tape contains: The Damages, Makin’ Strange and Tunnel of love ‘In her earlier work, Lisa Steele faced the camera and told long personal stories. In her more recent video work she uses a more conventional way of 'storytelling'. She parodies American television 'soap operas' (popular dramatic TV entertainment). The narrative content is extremely political, and an intense and ironic tension arises resulting from the radical feminist content and the reactionary form of TV making.’ Claudio Ambrosini, Compilation, 36 minutes. This composite tape contains: Zoom, De photographia, Light solfeggio, Hair-cut, Audio-identikit, Kissing (From Tape recorder Suite), Tocco no. 3 (For Paper) and Video music. ‘Claudio Ambrosini ’s composite videotape is a good example of a composer who is occupied with video. Many composers use audiotapes in their composing work and have discovered that a visual medium can serve as a logical development of their musical ideas. Ambrosini’s videotapes are video performances that refer quite directly to the avant-garde sound performance, and in his tapes the sound is given a great deal of attention. Nevertheless, these videotapes are more than mere documentations of musical activity; they have a very specific video orientation.’ Mick Hartney, Orange free state, 24 minutes. ‘The 'subject' of this tape consists of a number of meditations on the phenomenon of 'oppression': individuals or groups are oppressed by others through the exclusive ownership of resources (money) and facilities. The visual content, a still life taken from Cézanne, shows the image of a girl talking amidst various objects and people inside a TV studio. The sound consists of a mixture of music, text and dialogue. All this is conveyed in a great variety of ways by means of very different compositional and editing techniques.’ Chris Rushton, Compilation, 15 minutes. This composite tape contains: Altitude 3000ft, Sketch for a run at the camera, Top to front, Running Path and Suspense. ‘Rushton’s composite tape shows how the registration of a performance/activity can be a video work in its own right - a performance in front of the camera. Most of the works are related to the act of pulling or cutting out, and the frame and style of editing attempt to indicate the relationship of 'in screen/off screen' (the visible and the invisible).’ (Stuart Marshall, invitation De Appel, April 1980.)