Głośno!/Loud! — works by the most important representatives of video art
You are very welcome to come to the opening of the exhibition on the 23rd August at 6 pm.
Artists:
— Joseph Beyus
— John Cage
— Chris Cunningham
— Merce Cunningham
— Dan Graham
— Shigeko Kubota
— Alexander Kluge
— Katarzyna Kozyra
— Meredith Monk
— Bruce Nauman
— Nam June Paik
— Pipilotti Rist
— Ai Weiwei
— Artur Żmijewski
— The Beatles
— The Kitchen Archivens.
The Beatles' first performance of All You Need Is Love, which was broadcast live worldwide by satellite on the 27th June 1967, marked the moment when globalisation started — a process in which music and image have played a major part. The exhibition Głośno!/Loud! is a review of video art from the 1960s until today. All videos on display reveal their authors' musical and visual quests. Its timeframe begins at the end of the 1960s, when the onset of avant-garde music movements coincided with the rapid development in the technique of image recording and broadcasting. Visual artists immediately showed interest in the new opportunities offered by a video camera — not only because it makes image recording an easy task, but also because it is a tool that makes it possible to change images and link them closely to music.
The popularization of satellite broadcasting provided artists with yet more opportunities, as they could create shows that built a connection between different fields of art as well as continents. Finally, thanks to the internet revolution, video has become the most democratic and the easiest to disseminate means of expression. At each stage, video artists inquired into the phenomenon of music and sound, or they used music as an alternative means of expression. That being so, from the 23rd August onwards, the BWA Contemporary Art Gallery will be showing 21 videos in which music is a manifestation of rebellion, a means of global influence, a tool that serves to critically review the past or a space for artistic endeavours.
The exhibition showcases works by the most important representatives of video art — Nam June Paik, Bruce Nauman and Alexander Kluge, including a selection of Polish artists — Katarzyna Kozyra and Artur Żmijewski. There is also a place for artists whose interests go beyond the sphere of visual art, such as composers Laurie Anderson and John Cage. A key element of the exhibition is one of the last works by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei — Ai Weiwei does Gangnam Style, which is both an ironic reference to the internet pop culture and the statement on freedom of artistic expression made by the artist who has become an object of oppression by the Chinese authorities.
The exhibition has been realised by the Katowice City of Gardens Culture Institution and the BWA Contemporary Art Gallery in Katowice, with the support of Ars Cameralis Culture Institution.
