Media Burn

Media Burn

Production country: 
us
Year: 
1975
Duration: 
23:02
Edition: 
2012
Format: 
film/video
Image: (c) PhilipMakanna/GHOSTS
Image: (c) PhilipMakanna/GHOSTS

“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth,” said John F. Kennedy on 25 May 1961. His politics was decisive in helping the USA become the first nation to put a man on the moon. 500 Million people would follow the events live on television when, in 1969, the first man set foot on the moon. On 4 July 1975 the two “artist-dummies” (Doug Michels and Curtis Schreier) steered what was billed by the collective Ant Farm as the “ultimate media event” to its climax. The watching eyes of the local television networks witnessed the “Phantom Dream Car” – a modified Cadillac in the shape of a rocket – being driven into a pyramid of burning television screens. In his introductory speech the “artist-president” (Doug Hall) had remarked, “the world may never understand what was done here today, but the image created here shall never be forgotten.”

 

Image: (c) PhilipMakanna/GHOSTS

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