Il televisore che piange
The Crying Television

Description

"Another event that could be termed as a genuine 'intervention' into broadcast television was Faubio Mauri's Il televisore che piange [The Crying Television] (1972), broadcast by RAI. This work was in the form of an event or happening, and part of television programme entitled Happening curated by Paquito del Bosco and Enrico Rossetti following an historical survey of the art phenomenon of the time. Mauri's sequence is introduced bu the artist himself, who facing the camera, gives an explanation of Happenings. After Mauri's explanation the screen become a blank white picture, and then a voice-over of a crying sound breaks the silence. On the screen appears the title of the 'intervention'. Then the camera frames the inscription 'The End' from one of Mauri's paintings. Mauri's strategy is intriguing, as he employs one of the most frequent devices that the broadcaster uses - that is, an explanation through a-piece-to-camera which he uses to book-end the short 30 second section of crying and white screen, and in the process introduces and concludes his own work, thus preempting and defeating any effort by the broadcaster to mediate the work itself." (Source: Stephen Partridge, "Introduction" in Rewind Italia: Early Video Art in Italy, John Libbey, New Barnet, 2016, p. 13-14).

Additional Informations

Three photographic reproductions in Silvia Bordini, "Memoria del video: Italia anni Settanta", Rewind Italia: Early Video Art in Italy, John Libbey, New Barnet, 2016, p. 51.

List of video presentation locations (Source, artist's website).

View the work on the artist's website

Publications and Periodicals which reference the work

- Laura Leuzzi & Stephen Partridge (eds.), Rewind Italia: Early Video Art in Italy, John Libbey, New Barnet, 2016.

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