Opera for Television: Selected Videos by John Sanborn

With performances, choreography, compositions, and other contributions by Robert Ashley, Sarah Cahill, Luciano Chessa, Robert Dekkers, Phillip Glass, Bill T. Jones, Charlotte Mundy, Negativland, Paul Pinto, Terry Riley, David Van Tieghem, (Blue) Gene Tyranny, Dorian Wallace, Theresa Wong, and Pamela Z           

Over the course of his long career, John Sanborn has consistently worked with music, theatrical texts, choreography and dance, to produce a paradoxical, Wagnerian “total art” for the post-modern world: opera for Television. His videos are diverse, variously featuring video synthesis, experimental narrative, personal-poetic meditations, melodrama, and music.  But the result is nevertheless cohesive, revealing an artist who draws deeply upon video’s intrinsically interdisciplinary nature, to fully engage the senses, while wrestling with life’s great difficulties in a spirit of humor, joy, and irreverence.

Spray-On Video | 00:34 | 1977

A Dadaist commercial for instant applications of video art. 

Ear to the Ground | 4:27 | 1982

With David Van Tieghem, who plays the streets of New York City with reckless abandon. The sound you hear is just as it happened. 

A Tribute to Nam June Paik (excerpts) | 5:49 | 1982

With irreverent good humor, this affectionate homage to artist Nam June Paik uses Paik's own rapid-fire editing and dizzying collage techniques to evoke his wide-ranging influence in video and contemporary art.

Quirky (excerpt) | 1:35 | 1992

Created by John Sanborn, 1982 35:00

Quirky is a silly self-portrait comprised of short metaphoric vignettes, each wilder than the previous, adding up to a portrait of an artist who won’t stand still. Broadcast on the PBS series “The Independents”, hosted by Buck Henry. 

Static | Episode | 5:36 | 1981

Static is a dynamic boy-meets-girl narrative that uses a stuttering sound overlay of spoken text. A confusion of the heart is given a sonic voice.

Layering text and sound, Episode is a narrative of a young couple's power struggle. Over time, every relationship must end – sometimes badly. With Eric Bogosian, Jo Bonnie 

Act III | 6:30 | 1983

Created by John Sanborn and Dean Winkler, music by Philip Glass

Act III builds an imaginary world from rapidly multiplying three-dimensional forms that echo the repetitive strains and vital energy of Glass' music. Broadcast on “Alive From Off Center” on PBS, Good Morning Mr. Orwell on PBS 

“The Temptation of St. Anthony” ACT III | 6:18 | 2016

A story about faith without God, this work premiered in Bourges, France on Novmeber 24th 2016, at the Palais Jacques Coeur. It is a media opera written by Dorian Wallace (music) and John Sanborn (words) with performers Pamela Z, Paul Pinto and Charlotte Mundy, with choreography by Robert Dekkers. 

MMI ashes | 12:51 | 2002

From the movie MMI Directed by John Sanborn, music by Paul Dresher, 61:30.

"MMI" chronicles the adventures Sanborn had in New York City in 2001, tales of death and the redemptive power of family. The work is in 7 parts – each a stage of discovery and distress – outrageous tragedies that forces spiritual education. 

Untitled | 10:44 | 1989

Directed by John Sanborn for “Alive From Off Center” PBS, choreography by Bill T. Jones

Untitled pays tribute to the life and work of the dancer and choreographer Arnie Zane, who died of AIDS in 1988. His long-time partner Bill T. Jones evokes memories of Zane through a stark, eloquent dance-lament and a parade of ghostly portraits and photographs. 

Perfect Lives (excerpts) | 7:08 | 1986

Composed by Robert Ashley, Directed by John Sanborn, produced by Carlotta Schoolman and the Kitchen, commissioned by Great Britain’s Channel 4, 7 episodes – each 26.30

Perfect Lives has been called a comic opera about reincarnation and was realized for television with a combination of location photography, computer graphics, text on screen and the sublime voice of Robert Ashley. 

PICO (excerpt) | 10 mins| 2013

Created by John Sanborn, 76 min. Music by Theresa Wong, Luciano Chessa, Negativland, Sarah Cahill and John Cage. Originally produced and performed at the Berkeley Art Museum for the celebration of John Cage’s centennial.