Send/Receive: Liza Bear and Keith Sonnier

Send/Receive: Liza Bear and Keith Sonnier from Keith Sonnier on Vimeo.

Description

Send/Receive Satellite Network: Phase I, 1977, color, 25 min., sound. (co-producer Liza Béar)

Send/Receive Satellite Network: Phase II, 1977, color, 30 min., sound. (co-producer Liza Béar)

A primer in satellite system operation, Send/Receive extends the critique of media as a commodity by asking questions concerning the people’s right to access satellites.

The objective of Send/Receive was specifically to connect groups of artists on the East and West Coasts via public satellite, and it was the first artist-initiated project to do so.

Part I presents an in-depth study of the politics and possibilities of using satellite networks to establish a two-way communication system for public use, as opposed to the industry-driven, militaristic and mass media uses to which satellites are currently restricted.

Part 2 excerpts a live satellite feed between New York City and San Francisco.

Liza Béar and Keith Sonnier co-produced this pioneering media work, Send/Receive Satellite Network: Phase I and Send/Receive Satellite Network: Phase II, 1977, which used a NASA systems operation to demonstrate the possibility of establishing a two-way communication system for public use in opposition to government and military control of public access to information. Phase II provided a live satellite feed between groups of artists in New York City and San Francisco.