Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Explaining pictures to dead air
General material designation
- Moving images
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Clive Robertson
Title notes
Level of description
Item
Repository
Reference code
MS-3-46, 1975-001
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
1 videocassette (22 min., 8 sec.) : ferric oxide, sub-master, col., U-matic, NTSC, sd., mono, 2 tracks ; 3/4 in.
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
(1946-)
Biographical history
Clive Robertson is an artist, curator, critic and art historian. Robertson received his MFA in Performance Art studies from the University of Reading in 1971 and PhD in Communication Studies from Concordia in 2006. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Art History and Art Conservation department at Queen’s University. Clive has exhibited performance and video works nationally and internationally. Robertson advocated for the artist-run centre movement by directing production and physical spaces for artworks in the 1970s and 1980s.
Custodial history
Videocassette was donated to the Dalhousie University Archives in 2013 by the Centre for Art Tapes.
Scope and content
Item is a video recording of the tele-performance Explaining Pictures to Dead Air by Clive Robertson. The performance was a live cablecast specifically created for the Fifth Network/Cinquiéme Réseau conference held in Toronto, Ontario from September 7-10, 1978. The title is a reference to a performance piece How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare presented by the German artist Joseph Beuys on November 26, 1965 at the Galerie Schmela in Düsseldorf. Robertson's performance was written specifically for the Fifth Network conference and asked the question: Would network news be any different if it was read by Joseph Beuys? The performance ends with a pre-recorded conversation between Robertson and Beuys on the topic of artists using television.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Location of originals
Videocassette is likely a sub-master. Location of master video is unknown.
Availability of other formats
Videocassette is available as an uncompressed 10-bit digital master video file (MOV format) and 8-bit access digital video file (MPEG-4 format).
Restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Digital copies can be viewed at the Dalhousie University Archives. Advance notice is required.
Finding aids
Associated materials
Accruals
Rights
Copyright is held by Clive Robertson.