SHANGHAIED TEXT (THE)

of KOBLAND Ken

UNITED STATES, 1996, 0::3::4

Production : BURBANK, CA, CICV PIERRE SCHAEFFER, FOUR MEDIA Cie, KOBLAND Ken
Genre : Video art
Keyword : Cinema, Collage, History, Landscape, Photographs, Politics

Summary :
A self-described "collage piece" of "stolen image", THE SHANGHAIED TEXT starts with quiet Montana landscapes, among which are views of a powerful dam. When the dam breaks, you find yourself "Shanghaied" to places unknown, where KOBLAND confronts you with a provocative mix of historical, lyrical, political and sexual references. Using quotes and pieces from movies by VERTOV, DOVJENKO, and BUNUEL, along with archival photography of social protests from the liberation of Paris, the piece builds to an operatic culmination with Turnadot's final choir. THE SHANGHAIED TEXT is a remarkably dense and gripping work which leaves the viewer pondering our political and cultural heritage as well as the role and place of technology in our future.

to print