You Can't Lick Stamps in China

1978, 28:34 min, color, sound

A collaboration with the late art critic Gregory Battcock, You Can't Lick Stamps in China begins as a witty travelogue that explores the position of the Western tourist in relation to other cultural contexts. Created for the Visa series, which was conceived by Paik to highlight artistic/cultural explorations, the tape takes the form of a document of Battcock's two-month cruise to China. The trip is then reframed and recontextualized at a reunion of Battcock's fellow travellers, during which they watch the original travel footage and comment on their experiences. Ultimately, the tape considers the mediation of reality through memory and images.

Special Thanks: S.S. Rotterdam, Holland America Cruises. Post-production: Synapse Video Center, S.I. Newhouse School Syracuse University. Editor/Engineer: Tom Klemesrud. Synapse Staff: Henry Baker, Carl Geger, Dean Irwin. With Excerpts from Works by: Shigeko Kubota, Jud Yalkut, Pamela Scuza, Joyce Chen, Elliot Rose, John J. Godfrey, Tom Defanti, Phil Morten. Camera: Gregory Battock, Joe Gold, Dimitri Devyatkin, Bob Harris Narration: Russell Connor. Further Thanks: Shridar Bapat, Electronic Arts Intermix, Nexus Productions, Davidson?s Editing Room, John Sanborn, Kit Fitzgerald, Bill Marper, James Canvas. WNET Supervising Engineer: John J. Godfrey. Videotape Editors: Tom Klemesrud, Bob Pounds. Production Manager: John Pilot. Associate Director: Terry Benson. Production Assistant: Ruth Bonomo. Associate Producers: Carol Brandenburg, Ann Woodward. Producers: Russell Connor, David Loxton.

 
 

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