Closed Circuit Video Installations
Dr Slavo Kacunko
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
To: ture_sjolander
Sent: Monday, November 04, 2002 3:49 AM
Subject: TURE SJOLANDER - A BOOK PROJECT / INQUIRY


Dr. Slavko Kacunko
Hammerstrasse 6
40219 Düsseldorf
Germany
Tel. 0049 - (0)211 - 30 21 675
E-mail:
kacunko@ish.de

Dear Mr. Sjolander,

I am art historian and media theorist, working on a book about the
international history and theory of Closed-Circuit-Videoinstallations - those
installations, that are using live camera(s).
My research is supported through Thyssen Foundation, Cologne, and has to be
finished until the end of 2002. This research-project is understood as a
contribution to the international history and theory of Video- and Media art,
as well as to the development of the interactive art practices.

I am aware of your early pieces TIME and MONUMENT, and I will mention them im
my book, even if there were not installation pieces: TIME seems to me very
interested because of the real-time manipulation provided by the available and
self-developed technology, which is the inherent property of the medium video,
as often illustrated through the Closed Circuit Videoinstallations.
I would like to ask you for a more precise information about the process of
production of TIME, and would be also grateful, if you could provide me one or
few images, not only the screen shots, but also of the machine - ad hoc-video
synthesizer, as far as I was able to understand from your web site.
 
In the history and theory of Closed Circuit Videoinstallations I am working
on, I will try to describe, to show the accessible image- and written
documentation, and to reflect these works according to the different
individual artistic approaches, even if the first "criterion" for the History
of the CC-Installations is the technical one: This decision is made because I
try avoid as many "pre-existed axioms" (like the definition
of "interaction", "video", etc.) as possible.
If You need any additional information about the concept, context, approach
and realisation, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.


I would appreciate, if You could reply on my inquiry as soon as possible,
since my deadline for the manuscript is December 2002.

Sincerely Yours,

Slavko Kacunko



Dear Slavo,

Thanks for your inquiry. I think I have can help you to find a historically sensational material about the topic you are working on but the time-limit you have may make it impossible for you.

Early 1966 the artist Bror Wikstrom, Stockholm made an installation at gallery MAXIM  Stockholm, and the documentation of the exhibition is now hidden on an attic in a house of his son Gustav Wikstrom at Riddargatan 6, Stockholm, Sweden.

I have try to convince the son to release the material few years ago but it seems like he do not understand the importance of his fathers work or he have no interest of art and history, at all.

Myself and Bror Wikstrom planned to make an installation/exhibition together at that point in time but it ended up in a dispute and competion rather. Bror made arrangements without me letting know his own planes and in the last minute I created desperate counter exhibition at gallery Karlsson, Jan. 1966.

Bror's installation fall in darkness and has been forgotten. I have to tell you that our common concept for that installation, he finally did was, in my opinion, was the greatest Closed-Circuit-Videoinstallation of all kind and extremely pioneering from an international point of view.

Shortly after our exhibitions Jan. 1966, Bror and myself come together again and created TIME. Our 'friendship' was always wobbling through this years as we were very aware about our time and the discovery we were doing.

I can tell you we were very exited!!!

Its a shame that his documentation of this pioneering event shall be hidden and I suggest you to try to make an approach with Bror Wikstroms son. This material has to be saved for the future.

Unfortunately I don't have his phone number but the address should be of help to you.

Please trust me when I say, that the material would completely change the whole international history writings, about this Topics you are interested of !!

I will try to call you a BA phonecall today if you accept to pay for the call.

Cheers

Ture