9. Christian Marclay, Telephones
Made in 1995, the video Telephones stitches together snippets from over 100 movies to construct a mysterious phone conversation. It starts with shots of ringing phones, then various people picking up phones, saying “Hello?” and ends with satisfying clicks of heavy receivers returning to their cradles. It was originally a clever take on mass media and constructed narratives, but 30 years later, Christian Marclay’s iconic video is also an unintentional tribute to a technology that has vanished from our lives. Ironically, Apple stole the idea for its first iPhone commercial in 2005, a testament to the greatness of Marclay’s work.
This post is part of MFAH 100, a series featuring works from the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in honor of its 100th birthday. 100 words on 100 works in 100 days. For details and to adjust subscription settings, click here.
Have a piece you’d like me to consider? Leave a comment—I can’t promise I’ll include it but I will give it a serious look!
A very clever reminder as my mind wanders away like the land line! I'm catching up with you and liked this piece very much....