Critical Writing Index

TV - The Next Medium

by John S. Margolies

Art in America, Sept. 1969, v. 57, no. 5, pp. 48-55

A positive article relating the evolution of television perception with the evolution of the artist's role. Author John S. Margolies posits that "the generation which has grown up with television and other sophisticated media has evolved a new perception in processing information" (50). He refers to this insight as process-level perception. "Process-level affirms direct, sensory perception, with content determined by individual reference, rather than by formalized, intellectual considerations" (50). The television viewer can switch channels, adjust the image and volume, sit in any position they'd like.

The artist's role in process-level analysis is one of communication. "At the process level, a person who is an artist is one who can experience directly through his senses. His effectiveness as an artist can be judged by how well he communicates his perception. Art, therefore, becomes a two-step process- formulation of an idea and communication of this idea- and the two steps are inextricably related" (50).

In this way Margolies posits TV as an exciting milieu for artists, not as subject matter, but as communicative medium.

ITEM 1969.004 – available for viewing in the Research Centre

Videos, Artworks and Artists Cited

The Underground SundaeAndy Warhol

Contact: A Cybernetic SculptureLes Levine

Tango ElectroniqueNam June Paik

Participation TVNam June Paik

Simultaneity in SimultaneityMarta Minujin

HELLOAllan Kaprow

ArchetronThomas Tadlock

CapriccioJames Seawright

Electronic Light BalletOtto Piene

BlackAldo Tambellini

PsychedtelevisionEric Siegel