The Art of Pop Video is an exhibit in Liverpool that tells the story of music videos by showcasing over 100 of them from the past 80 years. The exhibit is currently running at FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) through May 26th. Like Spectacle: The Music Video, the exhibit currently running in New York, The Art of Pop Video proves that music videos have had a significant cultural impact, an impact that continues to grow and find new ways to be appreciated. We wanted to lean more about the exhibit, so we talked to Lesley Taker, Curatorial Assistant at FACT, to do just that.
Doug: What was the original inspiration for this exhibition?
Lesley: We have known and respected Soundtrack, the experimental festival on film and music that co-curator Michael Aust runs in Cologne, for a long time. When he approached us with the idea for The Art of Pop Video we were instantly attracted to it, because he has a very open understanding of the medium while maintaining a strong curatorial focus. We didnt want the exhibition to feel entirely like a navigation of the YouTube platform, but for it to posit questions about what legitimises an art form, and about what defines our contemporary times - past the age of television, into the age of accessible digital tools, the Internet and social networks.
Doug: What was the selection process behind the videos in the exhibition?
Lesley: It was a point of contention, and obvious Michael and Daniel, the curators of The Art of Pop Video, had their own ideas and agenda, but we fought pretty hard to include videos which they had overlooked, and in some cases, to think of alternate choices to ones they had made. Basically, we all wanted to draw together a selection of videos which not only told a story about the history of the music clip, but also showed its development and thought about the possibilities for the future of such a changeable, socially and self-reflexive media. Most importantly we wanted a mix of nostalgia and discovery to take over the gallery. For people to remember how they felt when they first watched some of these videos, and allow that nostalgia to lead into surprise and excitement when such familiar content is placed alongside brand new, or unknown material.
Doug: In an interview, Michael Aust said that he hopes the exhibit can encourage people to talk more about videos on another level. What are some of the ways the exhibit does that?
Lesley: The exhibition is an exploration of a medium highly influenced by advancing technology, cultural shifts and trends and as such is perfectly suited to a cultural centre which focuses on Creative Technology with a strong association to film.
The videos contained within the show map the history of the music video and think about the ways the medium has adapted over the years: from Hollywood-inspired mini-blockbusters to the new breed of online, networked, interactive music videos created for the likes of Arcade Fire and Robyn. The Art of Pop Video contains many of the artistic concepts which FACT is focused upon, such as a dedication to pushing a medium forward, beyond its predetermined boundaries, and maintaining its relevancy to an ever-changing audience with constantly evolving expectations. These are the ways in which the exhibit lies within what Michael is talking about. It illustrates the finesse, progression and cultural significance of an art form we are so familiar with but which is unparalleled in its immediacy and effectiveness.
Doug: In addition to watching music videos, are there any other displays or features in conjunction with the exhibit?
Lesley: We are constantly thinking of different ways to engage with new audiences through our programmes, and music videos seemed like the perfect way to explore and experiment with a medium that is very present in our collective imaginary. We wanted the public to participate and connect, to stop seeing exhibitions as over-intellectualised content that they were too intimidated to engage with. In this sense, music videos are the epitome of popular culture, and the reaction from the public has already been very different to the usual one. Everyone has an opinion and nobody is afraid to express it, but at the same time the show offers a clear experts' insight into the medium, articulated through nine chapters which tackle it from multiple angles.
An exhibition about music videos has enabled us to develop a whole array of integrated programmes, from a side show around popular cultural conceived and developed entirely by our Young Peoples programme, to a crowdsourced online alternative selection of videos, to a DIY printing workshop focusing on musical imagery, to critical discussions, and screening events. We also launched a competition to find a filmmaker to make a video for the incredible new talent, Outfit and found our winner in the form of Manchester-based Isaac Eastgate.
Doug: The oldest video in the exhibit is Man Rays 1926 film Emak Bakia, what was behind the decision to start there?
Lesley: As suggested before, this is in part an homage to an exceptional, unexpected, art form and also a sort of history of the progression of the music video. Man Rays film is a perfect example of how music videos transcend being merely clips which accompany music. It allowed a somewhat experimental filmmaker to access a more mainstream audience and draw in viewers through the cultural reference point of the music. It allowed previously disregarded styles and techniques to be widely accepted. The music video is always where things get tried out before gradually saturating widestream media and culture. There are many more controversial and cutting-edge videos that everyone is aware of, can use an a point of reference, and more importantly; have actually seen than there are mainstream features which can say the same.
Doug: Youre at about the halfway point of the exhibits run, what has been the response thus far?
Lesley: The response has been incredible. We always knew it would be a popular show due to the exciting content, the programming, and the sheer debate which exists around the topic, but it has been exceptional. Not only have
people wanted to come see the show and take part ion the activities, they have actively generated debate and content (in the form of a crowd-sourced exhibition). It is a subject people arent afraid to have a very open opinion about and I think that is a really important relationship to set up in the art gallery context. We are very interested in opinion, debate, and conversations with our visitors and the biggest success for me in this exhibition is providing a space which allow those conversations to begin, and hopefully continue throughout the following exhibitions.
