14 March–26 May 2013
FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology)
88 Wood Street
Liverpool L1 4DQ
UK
www.fact.co.uk/theartofpopvideo
Some of the most memorable moments in modern music will be on show as part of FACT’s next exhibition.
Opening on March 14, The Art of Pop Video will take in nearly 80 years of film clips created to promote classic and cutting-edge pop songs.
From Fred Astaire’s timeless choreography in the film Top Hat to the energetic and innovative viral short films of OK Go, a selection of more than 100 music videos will be on display in FACT’s galleries.
Providing an insight into experimental approaches to pop video while also reclaiming it as an artistic medium, the exhibition will look at the evolution of the media over the decades—featuring everything from big-budget promos by Hollywood directors to examples of crowd-sourced, ‘DIY’ videos.
The Art of Pop Video will include classic promos from the heyday of MTV, such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, but will explore the genre in more conceptual way—mapping the history of music videos and looking at the future for the format in an age which is digital, online, immediate and accessible.
To highlight the shift towards more lo-fi methods of filmmaking, The Art of Pop Video will also include a clip made especially for the exhibition—a new video from acclaimed Liverpool band Outfit, which will be made by the winner of an open call competition from FACT and Liverpool Sound City. Outfit will also be performing at the exhibition launch on March 14.
- The History of Pop Video will hark back to the origins of the medium and will be explored through classics including Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and avant-garde artistic works such as the oldest piece in the exhibition, Man Ray’s 1926 film Emak Bakia.
- Abstractions takes a look at experimental works like Radiohead’s House of Cards and Sign o’ the Times by Prince.
- The Conquest of Film will include pop videos made by established film directors, such as Madonna’s Bad Girl, directed by David Fincher, and U2′s Stay (Faraway So Close), from Wim Wenders.
- The Conquest of the Arts looks at videos made by bands with visual arts backgrounds, and will include New Order’s Blue Monday and Do You Want To by Franz Ferdinand.
- The Dancing of Politics features clips from Pink Floyd, Arcade Fire and Pussy Riot among others, examining the pop video as political statement.
- Amateurwill look at lo-fi hit videos, such as Fatboy Slim’s Praise You, which made stars of its fictitious community dance group, and Weezer’s Pork and Beans, that featured ordinary people who had become internet sensations.
- Dance will show how dancing has been portrayed in pop video, and feature some irresistible tracks including Robbie Williams’s Rock DJ and Grace Jones’s Slave to the Rhythm.
- The Wilderness Downtown investigates the theme of life in megacities and suburbs, through videos like DJ Shadow’s Six Days and Amy Winehouse’s Tears Dry on their Own.
- Music Video in the Arts turns to pop videos made by established visual artists, and will include The Cars’ Hello Again, directed by Andy Warhol and Don Munroe, and Pipilotti Rist’s self-directed song and video, I’m a Victim Of This Song.
Pop videos from ‘local heroes’ from the Liverpool region will feature in the exhibition, including The Beatles, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, OMD, Ladytron and more.
An exciting public programme of film screenings, in collaboration with Tate Liverpool’s Glam! The Performance of Style exhibition, will include a double bill of John Waters’s controversial Pink Flamingos and James Bidgood’s Pink Narcissus; and the Beastie Boys concert Awesome; I… Shot That!, which was filmed on camcorder by fans in the crowd.
From March 14 to May 5, the members of FACT’s young people’s programme Freehand will work with local artists to curate a pop themed show for the FACT Connects space.
FACT director Mike Stubbs said: “The Art of Pop Video is an exhibition that really will have something for everyone to enjoy. As well as plenty of classic videos we know and love, visitors are bound to discover some long-lost gems and be able to explore how this fascinating art form has evolved, from the 1920s to the present day.”
