Stephen Beck

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Stephen Beck (* 1950 in Chicago ) is an American video artist .

Life

Beck was born in Chicago and took an early interest in electronic toys and radios. He had the first idea for his later video images as a child when he closed his eyes and consciously perceived the resulting image. Experience with hallucinogens was added in the 1960s . Stephen Beck graduated from the University of California, Berkeley as an engineer . He studied electronics and electronic music at the University of Illinois . Beck began experimenting with light while studying in Illinois . For several years he worked as a technician in the university's experimental music studio. In 1971, during an artist in residence program at the National Center for Experiments in Television (NCET) in San Francisco, Stephen Beck developed the Direct Video Synthesizer (“Zero” and “One”), a device which generates images. Stephen Beck runs his own computer company in Berkley, the company "Beck-Tech".

Works

Beck's videographic work includes many videotape compositions using the direct video synthesizer as well as live performances . Well-known works from the early days, some of which were shown at documenta 6 in Kassel, are:

  • Synthesis (1972-74), 30 minutes. Three works that demonstrate the artistic possibilities of working with the direct video synthesizer.
  • Illuminated Music II and III (1973), 30 minutes, with Warner Jepson. Beck improvises with the direct video synthesizer on the screen, while Warner Jepson improvises with the "Buchla Audio Synthesizer ". The result is a spontaneous performance in real time .
  • Video Weavings (1976), Anima (1974) and Union (1975), 28 minutes. Video Weavings : Using a computer developed by Stephen Beck himself, new visual images are generated. In Anima , Katie McGuire's dance is transformed into light and colors and combined with music by Jordan Belson.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Catalog for documenta 6: Volume 1: Painting, sculpture and performance; Kassel, page 328, 1977 ISBN 3-920453-00-X
  2. ↑ experimental television center, Paul Mannion Stephen Beck , accessed May 10, 2015.
  3. ↑ Medien Kunst Netz Stephen Beck , accessed on May 10, 2015.
  4. ↑ stephen beck´s vsynths Stephen Beck Direct Video Synthesizer (Analog), 1970, Beck Video Weaver (Digital), 1974, accessed on May 10, 2015 (English)
  5. ↑ electronic arts intermix videotapes Stephen Beck , accessed on May 10, 2015 (English).
personal data
SURNAME Beck, Stephen
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American video artist
DATE OF BIRTH 1950
PLACE OF BIRTH Chicago , Illinois