Video 84

As part of the Rencontres vidéo internationales de Montréal, the Galerie de l’UQAM presents, from October 3 to 28, 1984, the exhibition VIDÉO 84. Three European artists, Ingo Gunther, Gérald Minkoff and Servaas, invite us to share the experience of their video installations.

Ingo Gunther, from the Federal Republic of Germany presents DÉJÀ VU. Twenty televisions simultaneously broadcast flashes of light. These unidentifiable “visions” resemble the flash images of memory: elusive, fleeting, instantaneous “déja-vus”. Gunther has created many installations in Germany and some of his videos have been seen in New York and at the Venice Biennale.

Gérald Minkoff is a Swiss artist. His installation is called VIDÉO? L’ARME ABSOLUE – LARMES ABSOLUES. Three elements create an interactive relationship: a “méduse” emitter, a “medium” interferent and a “mirage” receiver which respond to each other in a mirror or echo effect. The visitor intervenes, his mere presence momentarily interrupting the light beam. The system turns on or off at will. Mr. Minkoff has produced since 1965 several installations and videos which have been shown all over Europe, but also in the United States and South America.

Servaas, from the Netherlands presents ATTACK which includes two “video-pneumatic” installations. First, ARE YOU… AFRAID OF VIDEO? where plastic whips “threaten” the viewer watching newsreels – when the news hits… The second installation, titled PFTT, is a pictorial reflection on – alienating? – relationships between man and technology. Since 1980, Servaas’s works were featured in several European video festivals as well as in Japan in 1981 and in the United States in 1983.