Blast from the past! The Educational Video Center in NYC

Last week I had a fine old time with some old friends and I am finally getting around to talking about it here. 


When I was 17 I joined the Educational Video Center and spent half my day working and learning away from my tiny and confining high school in the Bronx. 
I earned high school credits for doing what I do best- arguing with people, writing and asking annoying questions (a process documentary professionals call an "interview").
And it's all captured on tape for future humiliation, I mean, enjoyment.

I helped make three videos but only one was being shown at Lincoln Center last week.
This one. Made in 1993 while a member of YO-TV (Youth Organized Television) the graduate division of EVC and a great platform for a college freshman looking for a meaningful job.

Lower left- That was me back when I was cool.

I remember our group's teacher, David Murdock, walking up to us as we sat around a table trying to figure out the topic we would cover and saying "HEY we have a grant to work for the Whitney Museum. We're gonna shoot the Biennial!!!"

Our collective reaction was: HUH? Whitney Museum??? Biennial?

My specific addition was:
What the heck is a Biennial? Art? I hate art! 
It's SOOO pretentious!

I was 18 and a complete dumb ass.

No, a BIGGER one than now.

Sorry for the AWFUL photo- the lighting was lowered
and I'm using my crappy low rez  iTouch lens.

So last week I got to share that moment with a large group of high school age documentarians from all over the city and it was WONDERFUL.
I wasn't prepared to stand up in front of a filled auditorium but I surprised myself with how much I remembered about the process.
I really missed talking to young people. 
I can't believe I'm using that expression! 
But let's be real- it's been 20 YEARS. 
I ain't no spring chicken.

Some of our team: wish I had brought a tripod- this photo stinks!

Anyway here's a link to the video- warning- art form the 1990's- may not be "work" safe! 
Ah go ahead- it's totally PG!

Educational Video Center- That's What They Call Art!

I remember that one of my biggest arguments centered on the exclamation point on the title. 

I wanted it to end with a question mark. 

It would have read like this:

THAT'S what they call ART?

With all the sarcasm and distaste an 18 year old kid can muster.

Because that's what I thought about 95% of what was hanging in the museum at the time. 

Public speaking-
some people are more eloquent than others

I helped research, interview and edit the actual video (we were a collective of 7 producers with equal decision making powers and work loads). 
I saw 9 artists explain and go through their individual creative processes.
It slowly dawned on me how important their work was (and still is). 
How important it is to paint a stick and hang it on a wall.
Or chew a giant cube of chocolate and make small candy hearts with the "bites".
Or shoot pictures and pin them to a blank wall- unframed, edges curling.


Art is about creating a market place of ideas and challenging the norm.
It doesn't have to be figurative, beautiful or "important".
It isn't inherently bad or pretentious.
It just has to have meaning.
As a creator or a viewer- YOU have equal say in what that meaning is.
I think that's pretty awesome.
That was my primary lesson from my years at EVC and one I and apply to everything I do to this day.
So yes, it was a very well spent night.


If you know of a high school age kid looking for a great internship/educational experience in the NYC area- have them look into EVC- it's a great way to make connections with other thoughtful kids, round out a college application and learn marketable skills. 

TOTALLY UNRELATED PROJECT!

This is a series I'm working on just for FUN. I'm having the BEST freaking time!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!

Michelle