MEMORY AS A ROCK OUT OF REACH
AN AUDIO/VISUAL INVOCATION BY
EMA + TABITHA NIKOLAI - AUGUST 2023
PILOT LIGHT PROGRAMMING SPONSORSHIP AT BIG EARS
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The second performance in our communicative arts performance series featured EMA + Tabitha Nikolai. These two artists pushed the limits of media and storytelling with an epic piece created specifically for Knoxville Community Media.
Performed at the Pilot Light on Thursday, August 1, 2023, "Memory As A Rock Out Of Reach" was a very personal work that was summed up in their words: Amidst a soundscape of modular synth, guitar, and spoken word, Anderson scrapes at the contours of what defined her femininity within 1980s material culture: bikini babes, Saturday morning cartoons, and the overlap between them. Using videogame technologies and commercial detritus, Nikolai creates a responsive virtual mindmap that is both humorous and disquieting. Playing their respective instruments, Anderson and Nikolai weave a novel audiovisual duet—a lush and surreal collage that seeks a path through ‘80s excess and away from American Individualism. This event also featured two hauntingly beautiful opening acts by Pity Cat and the Lion/Nguyen Duo. Knoxville Community Media were proud to sponsor, in part, the programming presented by Pilot Light Knoxville. Jason Boardman is the founder + director of this amazing nonprofit organization that features mindblowing performances year-round. You'll often witness great acts at Pilot Light long before they show up on the Big Ears roster. 2023 featured an amazing lineup including Big Kitty (pictured), Macie Stewart, Simon Joyner, Diatom Deli, Ken Mujo, Tim Gick, Dorothy Carlos, Fruit LoOoPS, Green Ribbon, Matt Espy, Brainwieght, Proteins of Magic, Rob Lundberg, Basic Letters, Eric Lee, Matt Nelson's Out Series, Megamoon X
The first performance in our communicative arts series featured The Octopus Project. This event was a sensory overload featuring an amazing performance of electronic music with a surround of visuals that delighted the senses and provoked creative thought! Tatsuya Nakatani was the opening act and left the crowd breathless with his percussive storytelling. |
URBAN EXPLORER
SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2022
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“Urban Explorer” was an event hosted by KCM that presented feature-length films and videos that have documented the skateboarding scene in Knoxville, TN since the 1960's.
This night was also a wrap up for a month-long online auction that benfited KCM’s new facility fund. Artists from all over the country created original works on skateboards. Online bidding took place through September and ended with an in-person viewing/final bidding. We were fortunate to receive donations from a number of wonderful folks including: Remedy Coffee, Magnolia Records, The Killing Floor Skateboards, American Nomad, Pluto Sports, Native Maps, Riff Raff Rails, and Dischord Records. Participating artists included: Ashley Addair, Joshua Bienko, Bryan Baker, Pity Cat, Preston Farabow, Lynne Ghenov, Rubens Ghenov, Michael Giles, Marcia Goldenstein, Kellen Hatanaka, R. Michael Hendrix, Kelly Hider, Jim Houser, Risa Hricovsky, Romain Hurdequint, Carri Jobe, Jake Ingram, John Kilduff, Ariel Lee, Macrame Momma, Rebecca Norton, Amos Oaks, Cal Travis Oaks, Brian Pittman, Peter Riesing, Aaron Rose, Stephanie De La Rua, Andrew Saftel, Paul Sherry, Joshua Shorey, Tony Sobota, Jered Sprecher, Sean Starwars, Jeffrey Vallance, George Wilson, Paris Woodhull |
FIRST FRIDAY - APRIL 2022
Knoxville Community Media presented a history of public access television in Knoxville, Tennessee exhibit on April 1, 2022. This exhibit was curated by KCM's Director of Operations, J. Amos Oaks, and displayed in his working art studio. The presentation contained historic artifacts that had been collected over the years by previous managers of Community Television of Knoxville, along with many hand-made embellishments, recent viewable productions, and a projection of video previously archived by TAMIS - featuring a variety of public, educational, and government productions created in Knoxville between 1975 & 2015.
So thankful for everyone who came out to support the event!
Photos by Shawn Poynter of Poynter Photo Co.
(photo descriptions below image thumbnails)
So thankful for everyone who came out to support the event!
Photos by Shawn Poynter of Poynter Photo Co.
(photo descriptions below image thumbnails)
Artifact 1: Original Digital Community mural by local artist/performer Pity Cat - created for this exhibition.
Artifact 2: Peggy Gilbertson. Peggy was a true public access television pioneer. The third general manager of Community Television (CTV), Peggy made important connections with film makers and videographers - most notably, New York documentarian, George C. Stoney.
Peggy ensured a properly fitted studio with state-of-the-art equipment and created strong systems for engaging the community with workshops that gave folks opportunities they never dreamed of having - their own voice on cable television!
Peggy's influence was recognized around the world and prompted a Dutch film company to travel to Knoxville to create a film that focused on this new concept of public access tv.
Artifact 3: Michael Edens/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Resignation Letter. Michael was the fourth general manager of CTV. Michael brought his love of production and enhanced the workshops to make them even more approachable. In his off time, he freelanced as a cartoon script writer.
After 4 years of managing CTV, he was offered an exciting opportunity to write for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlescartoon. He continued to write for a number of cartoons of that era and other television series - making a huge impact on youth culture of that time.
Artifact 4: Various News Clippings/George C. Stoney Quote. These are just a few of the countless news clippings from over the years collaged together. The quote below is from the "Father of Public Access Television", George C. Stoney.
George created a number of notable documentaries over the years and taught at Columbia University, Stanford University, and New York University's Tisch School of Arts. With his work in public access tv, Stoney sought to democratize "voices" recorded on an audiovisual medium by sharing authority through community engagement.
He was an active member of the Board of Directors for the Manhattan Neighborhood Network and the Alliance for Community Media.
Artifact 5: Sony CA-327 Studio Camera and Cable (c.1990). One of the many cameras used by CTV studios over the years that unbelievably became outdated in a 'blink of an eye'.
Artifact 6: David Vogel/List of GMs Over the Years. David Vogel was the fifth general manager of CTV, and the longest standing. In his time, David revolutionized free speech, free expression, and public information for the community of Knoxville, Tennessee and was an equally impactful influencer for access centers across the nation. He forged long-lasting relationships with the City of Knoxville and Knox County as well as area nonprofit organizations. His leadership was strong and his approachability made him a living legend in the world of public access tv.
David engaged the community in a way no one had before and had even organized a television series that allowed trustees from prison to come to the station to create their own television program series.
He was an advocate for youth, the voiceless, the disenfranchised, and anyone who was eager to have their opinion shared with the community.
David left a pair of difficult shoes to fill.
Artifact 7: Metro Pulse Cartoon by Rik Baldwin (from David Vogel's personal collection). This cartoon was inspired by free expression pushed to its limit. Community Producer, George Bove, created a television program titled, "GTV". This show was risqué and edgy - a possibly blatant attempt to provoke the community or, at the very least, raise some eyebrows. The program ended up threatening the stations standing in the community and was the focus of debate regarding funding, free-speech, and free-expression. Many community members followed suit in the 1990s and early 2000s creating other edgy programming - such as the "Satanic Puppet" program.
Artifact 8: Knoxville Community Media Logo (by Peter Riesing)/Video Archives/Studio Prop Plant). Knoxville Community Media's new "K" logo. The logo was built on the idea of nature, technology, and community. The video clips presented a variety of programming between 1975 & 2015. They were edited by KCM (then CTV) staff and digitized by TAMIZS. The prop plant will live forever.
Artifact 9: Projection Stack/Logo Variation. The video projector is seated on a stack of outdated equipment from our studios. The adjacent wall has a hand-painted variation of the KCM logo.
In the Case:
Artifact 2: Peggy Gilbertson. Peggy was a true public access television pioneer. The third general manager of Community Television (CTV), Peggy made important connections with film makers and videographers - most notably, New York documentarian, George C. Stoney.
Peggy ensured a properly fitted studio with state-of-the-art equipment and created strong systems for engaging the community with workshops that gave folks opportunities they never dreamed of having - their own voice on cable television!
Peggy's influence was recognized around the world and prompted a Dutch film company to travel to Knoxville to create a film that focused on this new concept of public access tv.
Artifact 3: Michael Edens/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Resignation Letter. Michael was the fourth general manager of CTV. Michael brought his love of production and enhanced the workshops to make them even more approachable. In his off time, he freelanced as a cartoon script writer.
After 4 years of managing CTV, he was offered an exciting opportunity to write for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlescartoon. He continued to write for a number of cartoons of that era and other television series - making a huge impact on youth culture of that time.
Artifact 4: Various News Clippings/George C. Stoney Quote. These are just a few of the countless news clippings from over the years collaged together. The quote below is from the "Father of Public Access Television", George C. Stoney.
George created a number of notable documentaries over the years and taught at Columbia University, Stanford University, and New York University's Tisch School of Arts. With his work in public access tv, Stoney sought to democratize "voices" recorded on an audiovisual medium by sharing authority through community engagement.
He was an active member of the Board of Directors for the Manhattan Neighborhood Network and the Alliance for Community Media.
Artifact 5: Sony CA-327 Studio Camera and Cable (c.1990). One of the many cameras used by CTV studios over the years that unbelievably became outdated in a 'blink of an eye'.
Artifact 6: David Vogel/List of GMs Over the Years. David Vogel was the fifth general manager of CTV, and the longest standing. In his time, David revolutionized free speech, free expression, and public information for the community of Knoxville, Tennessee and was an equally impactful influencer for access centers across the nation. He forged long-lasting relationships with the City of Knoxville and Knox County as well as area nonprofit organizations. His leadership was strong and his approachability made him a living legend in the world of public access tv.
David engaged the community in a way no one had before and had even organized a television series that allowed trustees from prison to come to the station to create their own television program series.
He was an advocate for youth, the voiceless, the disenfranchised, and anyone who was eager to have their opinion shared with the community.
David left a pair of difficult shoes to fill.
Artifact 7: Metro Pulse Cartoon by Rik Baldwin (from David Vogel's personal collection). This cartoon was inspired by free expression pushed to its limit. Community Producer, George Bove, created a television program titled, "GTV". This show was risqué and edgy - a possibly blatant attempt to provoke the community or, at the very least, raise some eyebrows. The program ended up threatening the stations standing in the community and was the focus of debate regarding funding, free-speech, and free-expression. Many community members followed suit in the 1990s and early 2000s creating other edgy programming - such as the "Satanic Puppet" program.
Artifact 8: Knoxville Community Media Logo (by Peter Riesing)/Video Archives/Studio Prop Plant). Knoxville Community Media's new "K" logo. The logo was built on the idea of nature, technology, and community. The video clips presented a variety of programming between 1975 & 2015. They were edited by KCM (then CTV) staff and digitized by TAMIZS. The prop plant will live forever.
Artifact 9: Projection Stack/Logo Variation. The video projector is seated on a stack of outdated equipment from our studios. The adjacent wall has a hand-painted variation of the KCM logo.
In the Case:
- Archival books on top of the case include letters, notes, fan-mail, minutes, newspaper clippings, and a variety of ephemera from CTV's past. Individual items in the case include:
- Facets Magazine - A communications magazine featuring the CTV studios on the cover.
- Photo of the original CTV studios in St. John's Episcopal Cathedral.
- 1990s brochure with CTV's air schedule.
- Placard from the 6th floor of the CTV studios in the Andrew Johnson Building.
- Someone's resignation notice that was taped to the window of David Vogel's office.
- Photograph that includes former general managers, Peggy Gilbertson and Johnathon Hardin.
- Cable TV guide from the early 1980s featuring listings of all channels, including ours.
- Handmade typeset poster created by Striped Light Letterpress for an engagement event.
- Envelope from NY video center - one of many connections made by Peggy Gilbertson.
- Letter indicating proposal of a public access center for Knoxville through Athena Cablevision.
- 1990s envelope that includes the "Wise Channel" logo. This channel offered educational programming and is now operated by Knox County Schools.
- Early stationary with photo of a fish tank. In the early years, when there was limited programming to air, CTV would cut away to this fish tank for live fish viewing!
- Dutch postcard to Peggy Gilbertson thanking her for hosting the crew during their documentary stay.
- Early Program Proposal.
- 1990s CTV illustration.
- Letter from George C. Stoney to David Vogel.
- 2000s CTV logo magnet
- Ann B. Davis (Alice from the Brady Bunch) autograph on CTV stationary. We have no idea why she would have been visiting.
- Reappropriated free speech flyer from Community Producer, Hope Chambers. Hope, and her friend Kim, created a program titled "What The..." It featured skits, activist public service announcements, and featured local bands.
- David Vogel's first workshop form at CTV as a Community Producer.
- Blueprints for running cable through downtown for CTV.