Collaboration transforms TV into an experimental venue for art

If you've never thought of your TV as a gallery space for artwork, be prepared to change your mind. Michigan Public Media and artists at the School of Art & Design (SOAD) are working together to transform television into a site for exhibition of videos, performance art and experimental shorts by faculty and students at the School.

The project, called PLAY, is being aired on Michigan Television (PBS, WFUM) and the Michigan Channel (Ann Arbor Comcast 22). The works range from one to three minutes, and run between regular programs.

"The surprise element is a part of the project's intent," says Katherine Weider, Creative Arts Producer jointly appointed by SOAD and Michigan Public Media and director of PLAY.

"To see a PLAY short following, say, 'Charlie Rose,' is completely unexpected and takes one outside of the anticipated viewing experience," she says.

"This project explores the use of broadcast media for distributing independently-produced, contemporary creative work," says Bryan Rogers, dean of SOAD. "It seeks to reach a broad public audience beyond the gallery and museum. The partnership of a school of art and design with a public broadcast media organization is unprecedented."

Michigan Public Media Station Manager Jennifer White says PLAY falls in the tradition of PBS programs that make you think. "It's a natural progression for us to examine how we can use our television airwaves to showcase the arts in new and innovative ways," she says.

Some of the videos are narratives, some are more abstract, others appear as animated paintings and meditations and still others showcase creative acts. "The shorts are being aired without the usual expert who explains what they mean," Weider says. "This allows people watching to ask their own questions and ponder the meaning of the work without interference."

If a viewer wants more explanation, PLAY's Web site is the perfect place to find it. Playgallery.org, which links to a channel on YouTube, features the videos that air on TV, plus notes from the artists themselves about their work. A viewer can find out more about how a film was made, read comments left by other viewers and/or leave their own remarks.

Artists, on the other hand, can use the Web site to be in direct contact with viewers. They can see how many people viewed their videos, respond to comments and direct the viewer to more of their works. Much like a blog, the site also connects artists with the larger YouTube viewing community.

The short videos in PLAY range in subject matter and style, and likely will provoke viewers to wonder, what makes a work of art? That question is, for many people, the first step toward entering the world of contemporary art, with all its excitement, uncertainties, challenges and rewards.

For instance, in between "Frontline" and "NewsHour," viewers might see a man creating sculptural forms using only his body and a folding chair; a woman using a chainsaw to cut pieces from a refrigerator; a slow-motion scene where a woman is playing fetch with her dog; or a comical playlet about a female singer and her two backup singers, the Oscillettes—rotating fans on stands.

For a preview of PLAY, visit the Web site www.playgallery.org.

"This project reflects the artistic synergies that arise when you combine digital Web technology, the broad reach of the television airwaves and the creative energy of the School of Art & Design," Weider says. "For public television, it's pretty cutting-edge and unlike anything else you'll see on TV. For the artists in the school, it's a great way to get their work to a new audience. It's a terrific collaboration and we're just getting started."

In February, Weider's "PLAY Profiles" will air. This series of half-hour programs examines the creative process and the role of artists in contemporary culture. Artists, including several from SOAD, will be featured.

Check michigantelevision.org for local listings.

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