Image Union, episode 0923

Compilation episode of Image Union featuring the work of more than ten video artists. The videos focus on political satire, experimentation, and critical documentary. The artists include Warren Leming, Nate Herman, Nick Despota, John Mabey, and Bob Synder, Steve Wolfson, Chip Lord, Paul Jessel, and Bill Langdon.

00:00Copy video clip URL Image Union opening.

01:04Copy video clip URL “Image Maker” by Chicago Committee for Labor Access. Color video. A one-sided look at a labor dispute between the Chicago Tribune newspaper and its employees.

05:28Copy video clip URL “Helen Lishman for Mayor” by Warren Leming. Spoof of political ads, shot during the Chicago Blizzard of 1979. “All we get from the city is a big snow job! City hall does not work. I work!” Tom Weinberg plays Lishman’s catatonic husband, Marvin.

06:25Copy video clip URL “TV Magic Ballots” by Nate Herman and Warren Leming. Political spoof of Chicago-style elections. All magic ballot votes will be counted as Democratic votes. “So simple even an alderman can use them.” All votes come out Democratic!

07:32Copy video clip URL “Chairs” by Nick Despota, John Mabey, and Bob Synder. Color video. Footage of the Chicago blizzard of 1979 set to music. We see piles of snow and the typical Chicago practice of chairs saving shoveled parking spaces.

09:11Copy video clip URL “Back to Normal” by Steve Wolfson. B & W film. An experimental expression of anxiety made by cutting together found footage from civil defense, safety, and industrial films from the 1950s.

12:51Copy video clip URL “Ronald Ray Gun” by Steve Wolfson. B & W film. B & W tinted film. An experimental film that cuts together images of suffering in war zones with smiling images of Ronald Reagan in order to point out the sinister actions of this president. Set to music by Memluks.

16:03Copy video clip URL “Get Ready to March” by Chip Lord. Color video. A short video critical of Ronald Reagan’s focus on military parades at the expense of the arts. A title onscreen informs us that: “D.C.: Apr., 1981: President Reagan’s office of budget management proposes cutting N.E.A. funds to 86 million dollars annually, while raising funding for military bands to 88 million dollars.”

17:25Copy video clip URL “Duck ‘n’ Cover.” A 1950s civil defense film cut with other political material.

19:20Copy video clip URL “Aircraft Seat.” Parody of an instructional film about ejecting aircraft seats.

23:56Copy video clip URL “Dog License” by Paul Jessel and Bill Langdon. Animated. One dog eats another dog. Another dog eats that one, etc.

25:02Copy video clip URL Image Union end credits.