Charlemagne Palestine

EAI celebrated the publication of Running n Chanting n Falling n Ranting, a new 257-page book by artist, composer and musician Charlemagne Palestine. Focusing on Palestine's extraordinary body of performance videos from the early 1970s to the present, this artist book featured an interview between Palestine and Serpentine curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, an introduction by EAI Executive Director Lori Zippay, and 204 images from his video works. During the launch event, EAI screened Where It's Coming From (1977, 56:50), an extended video conversation between Palestine and Wies Smals that becomes a performance in its own right. The event concluded with a short surprise performance by Palestine.

EAI presented a screening and conversation with internationally celebrated sound and performance artist Charlemagne Palestine. In a rare New York appearance, Palestine, who lives and works in Brussels, screened a selection of his video works, including Body Music I/Body Music II (1973-74), Running Outburst (1975), You Should Never Forget the Jungle (1975), and Ritual in the Emptiness (2001). New York-based curator and writer Jay Sanders joined Palestine in conversation after the screening to discuss Palestine's inimitable approach to performance, video, and sound.

EAI presented 45 Years of Performance Video from EAI, a survey of four decades of artists' engagement with video and performance. This project is presented in conjunction with 100 Years, an exhibition on the history of performance art organized by P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center and Performa 09.

During the PERFORMA07 performance biennial, EFA Gallery was transformed into a video lounge to host Electronic Arts Intermix's Viewing Room, a program that provides free public access to one of the foremost collections of video art in the world. Visitors to EFA Gallery were able to choose from a curated selection of major performance-based video works by over 30 artists from the EAI Collection. Viewers were able to watch these seminal performances and contemporary classics at their own pace in a comfortable viewing environment. During the opening reception on Friday, November 2nd, programs featuring selected works were installed throughout the gallery.

As the keystone of EAI's 30th anniversary events, Museum of Modern Art presented First Decade: Video from the EAI Archives, a major retrospective that looked at the early days of video through EAI's historical collection. Featuring 60 works, the twelve-part program explored themes and issues ranging from performance and the body; narrative; cultural essays; activism, and poetics.