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CURATORS' STATEMENTS
THE VIDEO STATE OF THE GLOBAL UNION This group of short-form video presents 60-second snapshots of who we are as global citizens in 2008: gorgeous, ecstatic, grotesque, scared, hopeful, confused, and desperately concerned about the state of things. We see this compilation of various states of being in direct opposition to George Bush's most recent State of the Union Address from January 28, 2008—an overtly optimistic and simplistic overview of the here and now. To compare the two, text from Bush's address has been used as a jumping off point for organizing the videos and providing an alternate platform for open and realistic dialogue, an alternative to the "official party line." A general uneasiness and anxiety seems to reside in many of the pieces in each grouping; often a direct contradiction to the sunny optimism of political speeches. Some of the work is blatantly political, some is patently absurd, but both art-making strategies speak to the discontent many feel with the current political situation in the US and abroad. Economics, education, diplomacy, and globalism are all part of this discussion. Let it be known that the aforementioned uneasiness and anxiety are not the only things that define us. There are pieces that explore more formal concerns about art making and cinematography: space, light, and movement. Some are expanded versions of portraits, others are eloquent works that map space and document real or imagined borders and boundaries. These works also speak to who we are, where we are, and what we are capable of achieving. We believe all of the work included in the exhibition demonstrates the amazing ability of video to translate a concept, a vision, or a message, no matter the time frame. As we enter into another major election in the US, it seems particularly timely to pay tribute to such a tool, and the citizens of our global state who choose to employ these tactics to communicate, protest, establish multiple perspectives, and inspire. Curatorial Essay by Norene Leddy and Liz Slagus © 2008. Norene Leddy is an award winning, internationally exhibited new media artist, and a lecturer at Parsons, The New School for Design and Kean University. Liz Slagus is Director of Education and Public Programs at Eyebeam, the New York City-based non-profit center for art and technology, and has lectured at University of Connecticut and the University of Rochester. |