Beamed directly into living rooms across the globe, television has had an undeniable impact on contemporary culture. Transmission: Legacies of the Television Age explores artistic comments on the medium and tracks the evolution of screen culture from the late 1950s, when television was becoming a mass medium, to the internet age.
Transmission presents more than thirty works, including prints, photographs, fashion garments, sculpture and collage, to explore Australian and international artists’ responses to, and engagement with, television sets and screens, visual broadcasting and the transmission of information. The exhibition also draws heavily on the National Gallery of Victoria’s strong holdings of video art, of which the institution was an early collector.
Several external loans have been generously provided for Transmission, and I acknowledge the support of the following lenders: the Michael and Janet Buxton Collection; Mark Leckey and Gavin Brown Enterprises, New York; the Len Lye Foundation and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, from material preserved and made available by the New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Whitiāhua Me Ngā Taonga Kōrero; Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne; Adelle Mills; Anne Roberts and Tim Cooper; John Buckley; Patrick Pound and Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington, and Stills Gallery, Sydney; Elvis Richardson and Galerie PomPom, Sydney, and Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide; Robert Rooney and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, and Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; Darren Sylvester and Neon Parc, Melbourne, and Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney.
Transmission: Legacies of the Television Age reflects on the significance of television for art and contemporary culture at a time when broadcasting in Australia and the world is undergoing significant change.
Tony Ellwood
Director, National Gallery of Victoria
ANT FARM, San Francisco
American 1968–78
Media burn (1975)
colour video transferred to DVD, sound, 25 min
Purchased, 1976 (EA3-1976)
“Off-air” Australia (1976)
black and white video transferred to DVD, sound, 20 min 59 sec
Courtesy of the artists and Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
Dara BIRNBAUM
American 1946–
Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman 1978
colour video transferred to DVD, sound, 5 min 50 sec
Courtesy of the artist and Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
Kiss the girls: Make them cry 1979
colour video transferred to DVD, sound, 6 min 50 sec
Courtesy of the artist and Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
MTV: Artbreak 1987
colour video transferred to DVD, sound, 30 sec
Courtesy of the artist and Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
Simon DENNY
New Zealander 1982–
New display (Samsung) 2013
aluminium, paint, inkjet print on transparent synthetic polymer resin, 3D smart TV, remote control
95.0 x 170.0 x 10.0 cm
The Michael and Janet Buxton Collection
Susan FEREDAY
Australian 1959–
Untitled (1989)
from the Value series 1989–90
type C photographs
(a-b) 199.0 x 253.0 cm (overall)
Margaret Stewart Endowment, 1989 (DC30.a-b-1989)
Richard HAMILTON
English 1922–2011
Kent state (1970)
colour photo-screenprint, ed. 2960/5000
67.2 x 87.1 cm (image), 73.2 x 102.3 cm (sheet)
Gift of Dr Douglas Kagi through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2013 (2013.441)
John IMMIG
Dutch/Australian 1940–
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH4-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH5-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH6-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH7-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.1 x 25.2 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH8-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH9-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH10-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH11-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH12-1977)
No title (T.V. images) (1975–76)
from the Vietnam series 1975–76
gelatin silver photograph
20.2 x 25.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1977 (PH13-1977)
Joan JONAS
American 1936–
Left side right side (1972)
black and white video transferred to DVD, sound, 7 min
Purchased, 1975 (EA12-1975)
Vertical roll (1972)
black and white video transferred to DVD, sound, 20 min
Purchased, 1975 (EA8-1975)
Miranda JULY
American 1974–
The Amateurist 1998
colour video transferred to DVD, sound, 14 min
Courtesy of the artist and Video Data Bank, Chicago
Anish KAPOOR
Indian/English 1954–
Wounds and absent objects 1998
colour pigment-transfer prints on polyester, ed. 4/12
(1-9) 44.7 x 53.5 cm (image) (each), 47.9 x 55.9 cm (sheet) (each)
Purchased with funds donated by the National Gallery Women’s Association, 2005 (2005.21.1-9)
Mark LECKEY
English 1964–
Fiorucci made me hardcore 1999
colour video transferred to digital video file, sound, 14 min 44 sec
Courtesy of the artist and Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York
Kalup LINZY
American 1977–
Conversations wit de Churen II: All My Churen 2003
colour video transferred to DVD, sound, 29 min 14 sec
Courtesy of the artist and Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
Len LYE
New Zealander 1901–80
Rhythm 1957
black and white 16mm film transferred to DVD, sound, 1 min
Collection of Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne.
Courtesy of the Len Lye Foundation and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, from material preserved and made available by The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Whitiāhua Me Ngā Taonga Kōrero.
Adelle MILLS
Australian 1987–
Acting, doing 2013
two channel colour high definition video, silent, 29 min 28 sec
Courtesy of the artist
Tracey MOFFATT
Australian 1960–
Gary HILLBERG (editor)
Australian 1982–
Artist 2000
colour DVD, sound, 10 min (looped)
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2012 (2012.314)
Eamon O’TOOLE
Australian 1957–
Wide World of Sports TV 1988
plastic, wood, steel, enamel, paint, colour fibre-tipped pens, aluminium leaf, electric light components
75.0 x 50.0 x 35.0 cm
Private collection, Melbourne
Tony OURSLER
American 1957–
De-doublement 1996
dolls, painted wood, colour DVD projection, sound, 2 min 30 sec
28.0 x 33.0 x 18.0 cm
Private collection, Melbourne
Nam June PAIK
Korean 1932–2006, emigrated to Japan 1950, worked in Germany 1958–2006, United States 1964–2006
Global groove (1973)
colour video transferred to digital betacam, sound, 30 min
Purchased, 1976 (EA7-1976)
Patrick POUND
New Zealander 1962–, worked in Australia 1989–
Remote abstraction (Belgium) 2008
collage of remote control, cut book binding, adhesive, pen and brown ink on lined paper
39.3 x 33.2 x 6.2 cm (framed)
Courtesy of the artist and Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington and Stills Gallery, Sydney
Remote abstraction (Chile) 2008
collage of remote control, cut book binding, adhesive, pen and brown ink on lined paper
39.3 x 33.2 x 6.2 cm (framed)
Courtesy of the artist and Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington and Stills Gallery, Sydney
Remote abstraction (France) 2008
collage of remote control, cut book binding, adhesive and pencil on lined paper
39.3 x 33.2 x 6.2 cm (framed)
Courtesy of the artist and Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington and Stills Gallery, Sydney
Screen capture 2015–
collage of photographs on graph paper
51.0 x 76.0 cm (sheet) (each)
Courtesy of the artist and Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington and Stills Gallery, Sydney
Steven RENDALL
English 1969–, worked in Australia 2000–
Flatscreens 2010
oil on canvas
213.0 x 355.0 cm
Private collection, Melbourne
Elvis RICHARDSON
Australian 1965–
Now 7 years later 2008
colour high definition video, silent, 15 min
Courtesy of the artist and Galerie PomPom, Sydney and Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
Televisuals: Salute Elvis 2008
colour video, sound, 6 min 16 sec
Courtesy of the artist and Galerie PomPom, Sydney and Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide
Pipilotti RIST
Swiss 1962–
You called me Jacky 1990
colour video transferred to DVD, sound, 4 min 6 sec
Courtesy of the artist and Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
Robert ROONEY
Australian 1937–
Repeat performance 1982
colour super 8 film transferred to DVD, silent, 3 min
Courtesy of the artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne and Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney
Borna SAMMAK
American 1986–
Splash into me yeah (2014)
colour high definition video, silent, 15 sec (looped), high definition television, electrical cord, metal, artist’s proof
240.7 x 164.0 x 44.0 cm (variable)
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2015
Richard SERRA
American 1939–
Anxious automation (1971)
black and white video transferred to DVD, silent, 4 min 30 sec
Purchased, 1975 (EA10-1975)
Keith SONNIER
American 1941–
TV in and TV out (1972)
colour video transferred to digital video file, sound, 10 min
Purchased, 1974 (EA4-1974)
Darren SYLVESTER
Australian 1974–
You should let go of a dying relationship 2006
two channel colour video transferred to DVD, silent, 3 min 45 sec
Courtesy of the artist and Neon Parc, Melbourne and Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney
Polixeni PAPAPETROU
Australian 1960–
Arthur Hibbert, sculptor and painter with television people (1986), printed 1987
gelatin silver photograph
38.3 x 38.0 cm (image)
Purchased with funds donated by Hallmark Cards Australia, Pty Ltd, 1988 (PH58-1988)
W & L.T. , Antwerp (fashion house)
est. 1994
Walter VAN BEIRENDONCK (designer)
Belgium 1957–
Jacket, jumper, overall, t-shirt, bag 1995
polyamide nylon, polyvinyl chloride plastic, cotton, wool, acrylic
(a) 79.0 cm (centre back), 47.0 cm (sleeve length) (jacket)
(b) 70.0 cm (centre back), 55.0 cm (sleeve length) (jumper)
(c) 167.5 cm (front length), 55.0 cm (waist, flat) (overalls)
(d) 64.0 cm (centre back) 65.0 cm (sleeve length) (t-shirt)
(e) 73.0 x 49.5 x 10.0 cm (bag)
Purchased, 1996 (1996.201.a-e)
Andy WARHOL
American 1928–87
Jacqueline Kennedy III (Jackie III) 1965
from the 11 Pop artists III portfolio 1965
colour photo-screenprint, artist’s proof 37/50, edition of 200
101.6 x 76.2 cm (image and sheet)
Gift of Dr David Rosenthal, 1991 (P153-1991)
Tom WESSELMAN
American 1931–
TV still life 1965
from the 11 Pop artists III portfolio 1965
colour screenprint and photo-screenprint, ed. 63/200
73.5 x 96.3 cm (image and sheet)
Purchased, 1969 (P58-1969)
First published in 2015 by
the Council of Trustees of
the National Gallery of Victoria
180 St Kilda Road
Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
www.ngv.vic.gov.au
This publication is copyright and all rights are reserved. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced or communicated to the public by any process without prior written permission. Enquiries should be directed to the publisher.
© National Gallery of Victoria 2015
Published for the exhibition Transmission: Legacies of the Television Age, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 15 May−13 September 2015.
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
- Creator:
- Finch, Maggie, author.
- Title:
- Transmission : legacies of the television age / Maggie Finch.
- ISBN:
- 9780724104086 (ebook)
- Subjects:
- National Gallery of Victoria–Exhibitions
Art, Modern–21st century–Exhibitions.
Television in art.
Communication in art.
Technology in art. - Other Creators/Contributors:
- National Gallery of Victoria.
- Dewey Number:
- 709.051
- Publications Manager:
- Jasmin Chua
- Designer:
- Rowan McNaught
- Text editor:
- Mark Gomes
- Senior Publications Coordinator:
- Jennie Moloney
The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NGV or the publisher.
All reasonable efforts have been made to obtain permission to use copyright material reproduced in this publication. In cases where this has not been possible, owners are invited to notify the Publications Department at the National Gallery of Victoria.