Dan BOORD, Luis VALDOVINO : Dia de los muertos (the last of the 20th century)
Vidéo expérimentale | beta-sp | couleur | 00:01:32 | conception, image, montage: Dan Boord, Luis Valdovino | mixage: Dan Boord, Luis Valdovino | acteurs: American Tourists | assistant: Roxanne Haynes, Garrison Roots, George Rivera | Etats-Unis, Etats-Unis, Argentine / Etats-Unis | 2000

(c) photo: Luis Valdovino

L'iconographie luxuriante de "Día de los Muertos" (le Jour des Morts), l'esprit scrutateur de Luis Buñuel, la musique de Duke Ellington et un groupe de touristes qui partagent la dernière célébration du 20ème siècle du Jour des Morts quelque part au Mexique. Avertissement : cette célébration n'est pas conseillée aux végétariens. Les agences de voyage connaissent tous nos rêves… elles consomment et examinent les cultures exotiques… Tandis que les cultures exotiques vous examinent et vous consomment.


Eine überladene Ikonografie des Día de los Muertos (Tag der Toten/Allerseelen), der forschende Geist von Luis Buñuel, Musik von Duke Ellington und eine Touristengruppe, die das letzte Mal im 20. Jahrhundert den Día de los Muertos irgendwo in Mexico feiert. Warnung: diese Feier ist nichts für Vegetarier. Die Reiseagenturen kennen alle unsere Träume... Sie studieren exotische Kulturen genau und nehmen sie aus...Während es doch die exotischen Kulturen sind, die Euch studieren und ausnehmen.


The rich iconography of Día de los Muertos, the observing spirit of Luis Buñuel, the music of Duke Ellington and a group of tourists sharing the last celebration of Day of the Dead of the 20th Century somewhere in Mexico. Warning: this celebration might not be suitable for vegetarians. The travel agency knows our dreams... consume and survey exotic cultures... while exotic cultures survey and consume you.

___ Note biographique


Luis Valdovino obtient son MFA à l'université d'Illinois en 1987. Actuellement, il exerce en tant que professeur d'Art associé à l'université de Colorado, Boulder, CO. Il a reçu des bourses de l'Institut du Film Américain, de la Dotation Nationale pour les Arts, d'Arts International/N.E.A., du Conseil des Arts de l'Illinois, du Conseil des Arts du Colorado, d'Helena Presents et du centre pour la nouvelle télévision de Chicago. Son travail a été présenté lors de nombreuses expositions notamment au musée d'Art Moderne de New York, au musée d'Art Contemporain de Los Angeles, au centre artistique Walker de Minneapolis, au musée d'Art métropolitain de New York, au musée d'Art Moderne de San Francisco, au Biennale de Venise en Italie, au musée Stedelijk d'Amsterdam en Hollande, à l'Institut d'Art Contemporain de Londres en Angleterre, au musée du centre national des Arts de la Reine Sofia de Madrid en Espagne, au centre Georges Pompidou de Paris en France, au centre national des Arts de Mexico au Mexique, au musée national des Beaux-Arts de Santiago au Chili, au Festival du film de Berlin en Allemagne, au Festival du cinéma à travers le monde de La Hague en Hollande, au Festival du film d'Edinburgh en Ecosse, et au Festival du film d'Oberhausen en Allemagne. La filmographie de Valdovino a été présentée au 37ème séminaire du film de Robert Flaherty, à The Kitchen à New York, diffusée dans "Independant Focus" sur WNET et Deep Dish Network à New York. Ajouté à cela, il a produit, en collaboration avec Dan Boord, plusieurs bandes vidéos qui ont remporté des récompenses, et il a organisé les programmes La Voz Latin : Latina/o Video Art from the USA qui ont été diffusés à travers l'Amérique Latine, l'Europe et les Etats-Unis. Dan Boord a obtenu un MFA à l'université de Californie à San Diego en 1980. Il est actuellement professeur associé à l'université d'Etat d'Ohio à Columbus, OH. Il a reçu des fonds du Center for New Television, du Ohio Arts Council, WNET / WGBH et du Southwest Alternate Media Project. Ses oeuvres ont été exposées au Whitney Museum of American Art à NewYork, au Museum of Modern Art à New York, au Walker Art Center à Minneapolis, au Metropolitan Museum of Art à New York, à la Biennale de Venise en Italie, au Stedelijk Museum à Amsterdam, au Centre Georges Pompidou à Paris, au Museo Nacional Reina Sofia à Madrid, à l' Institute of Contemporary Art à London, au European Media Art Festival à Osnabruck, au Edinburgh Film Festival, et au Oberhausen Film Festival, en Allemagne. Son travail fait partie des collections du Museum of Modern Art, New York, du Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and du Long Beach Museum , Long Beach, CA. Broadcasted on WNET, New York and WGBH, Boston et présenté à l'International Public Television Conference à Stockholm. Qui plus est, il a collaboré avec Luis Valdovino sur plusieurs vidéos récompensées.


Luis Valdovino ist zur Zeit Gastprofessor für Kunst an der University of Colorado. Sein Werk wurde im Rahmen zahlreicher Ausstellungen in den USA, in Lateinamerika und Europa gezeigt. Er hat in Zusammenarbeit mit Dan Boord mehrere Videobänder produziert, die ausgezeichnet wurden, und zeichnete für das Programm von "La Voz Latina" verantwortlich. Dan Boord ist zur Zeit Gastprofessor an der Ohio State University. Sein Werk wurde weltweit ausgestellt. Seine Werke gehören zu der Sammlung des Museum of Modern Art von New York.


Luis Valdovino received an MFA from the University of Illinois in 1987. Currently, he is Associate Professor of Art at the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. He has received grants from the American Film Institute, the National Endowment for the Arts, Arts International/N.E.A., Illinois Arts Council, Colorado Council for the Arts, Helena Presents, and The Center for New Television, Chicago. His works have been included in numerous exhibitions including The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, Venice Biennale, Italy, The Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Holland, The Institute of Contemporary Art, London, England, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France, Centro Nacional de Las Artes, Mexico City, Mexico, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile, Berlin Video Festival, Germany, World Wide Video Festival, The Hague, Holland, Edinburgh Film Festival, Scotland and Oberhausen Film Festival, Germany. Valdovino's videos have been presented at the 37th Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, The Kitchen, New York, and broadcasted on "Independent Focus" at WNET and Deep Dish Network, New York. In addition, he has produced several award winning tapes in collaboration with Dan Boord and has curated the programs "La Voz Latina: Latina/o Video Art from the U.S.A." that have been screened throughout Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Dan Boord received an MFA from the University of California, San Diego in 1980. Currently, he is an Associate Professor at the Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. He received grants from The Center for New Television, The Ohio Arts Council, WNET/WGBH and the Southwest Alternate Media Project. His work has been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Venice Biennale, Italy, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France, Museo Nacional Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain, Institute of Contemporary Art, London, England, European Media Art Festival, Osnabruck, Edinburgh Film Festival, Scotland and the Oberhausen Film Festival, Germany. His works are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and The Long Beach Museum , Long Beach, CA. Boord's works have been broadcasted on WNET, New York and WGBH, Boston and presented at the International Public Television Conference in Stockholm. In addition, he has collaborated with Luis Valdovino in several award winning videos.

___ Vidéographie de Dan Noord / Dan Boord video works

- Two or Three Things I know About Ohio, 2002, 2:16 minutes, Boord/Valdovino
- Dia de Los Muertos (The Last of the 20th Century), 2001, 1:32 minutes, Boord/Valdovino
- Standards, 2000, 25 minutes, Boord/Valdovino
- Eat Like a Winner, 1998, 8 minutes, Boord/Durbin/Valdovino
- A Refutation of Time, 1997, 8 minutes, Boord/Durbin/Valdovino
- Patagonia, 1996, 28 minutes, Boord/Valdovino,
- Distant Relations, 1994, 15 minutes, Boord/Durbin
- Another World of Dance, 1994, 9 minutes, Boord/Hill/Marloff/Valdovino
- Una Historia/A History, 1992, 26:30 minutes, Boord/Valdovino
- Tierra Nueva, 1991, 20 minutes, Boord/Valdovino
- The World of Dance, 1990 9 minutes, Boord/Hill/Marloff/Valdovino
- Methods, 1990 12 minutes, Boord/Durbin
- Truco, 1990 12 minutes, Boord/Valdovino
- The Great Frontier, 1988 28 minutes, Boord/ Durbin
- The Going Away Party, 1987 31 minutes, Boord/ Durbin
- Democracy in America or Everyone is Welcome, 1986, 17 minutes Boord/ Durbin
- The Nature Theatre of Oklahoma, 1985 35 minutes
- How Television Works, 1985 17 minutes
- Epistemology, 1984 12 minutes
- Wit and Its Relation to the Unconscious, 1980 19 minutes
- Jean-Luc Goes Sea World, 1979 8 minutes
- The Last Days of Immanuel Kant, 1979 29 minutes
- George IV, 1979 17 minutes w/ Paul Buscemi
- The Birth of Tragedy, 1978 39 minutes
- Fourth of July, 1978 21 minutes w/Paul Buscemi

___ Films et vidéos de Luis Valdovino / Luis Valdovino film / Luis Valdovino's films

- Two or Three Things I know About Ohio, 2:16 min. video, Dan Boord/Luis
Valdovino, 2002
- Día de Los Muertos (The Last of the 20th Century), 1:32 min. video, Dan Boord/Luis Valdovino, 2001
- Standards, 25:57 min. video, Dan Boord/Luis Valdovino 2000
- Eat Like a Winner, 8:18 min. video, Dan Boord/Greg Durbin/Luis Valdovino 1998
- A Refutation of Time, 8:16 min. video, Dan Boord/Greg Durbin/Luis Valdovino 1997
- Patagonia, 28:30 min. video Dan Boord/Luis Valdovino 1996
- Another World of Dance, 9:00 min. video Boord/Hill/Marloff/Valdovino 1994
- Una Historia/A History, Dan Boord/Luis Valdovino 1992
- Work in Progress, 14 min video, Luis Valdovino, 1990-92
- Tierra Nueva, 20 min video, Dan Boord/Luis Valdovino, 1991
- Truco, 12 min video, Dan Boord/Luis Valdovino, 1990
- The World of Dance, Boord/Hill/Marloff/Valdovino, 9 min video, 1990
- Large Midwestern Institute, 2 min video, Dan Boord/ Luis Valdovino
- The Video Letter, 18 min video, Dan Boord/Luis Valdovino
- Argentina, 30 min video, Luis Valdovino, 1988
- Ni se Aflije ni se Afloje, 20 min video, Luis Valdovino, 1988
- Argentina, 1 min video, Luis Valdovino, 1986
- Pomo-Pressure, 3 min video, Luis Valdovino, 1986
- Undecition, 3min film, Luis Valdovino, 1984-87
- Spagetti, 3 min film, Luis Valdovino, 1984

___ Expositions de Dan Boord / Dan Boord's selected exhibitions

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Venice Biennale, Italy, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France, Museo Nacional Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain, Institute of Contemporary Art, London, England, European Media Art Festival, Osnabruck, Edinburgh Film Festival, Scotland and the Oberhausen Film Festival, Germany. His works are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and The Long Beach Museum, Long Beach, CA. Broadcasted on WNET, New York and WGBH, Boston, International Public Television Conference, Stockholm.

___ Expositions de Luis Valdovino / Luis Valdovino's selected exhibitions

The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, Venice Biennale, Italy, The Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Holland, The Institute of Contemporary Art, London, England, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France, Centro Nacional de Las Artes, Mexico City, Mexico, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile, Berlin Video Festival, Germany, World Wide Video Festival, The Hague, Holland, Edinburgh Film Festival, Scotland and Oberhausen Film Festival, Germany. 37th Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, The Kitchen, New York, and broadcasted on "Independent Focus" at WNET and Deep Dish Network, New York.

___ Autre texte


Le processus de réalisation a nécessité que nous soyons à Mexico pendant la célébration du Jour des Morts qui se déroule chaque année du 31 octobre au 2 novembre. Nous avons suivi un groupe de touristes américains qui assistaient aux célébrations à Mexico et à Tenango del Aire. L'objectif de cette œuvre vise à créer et à "audiovisualiser" les collages qui explorent l'iconographie pleine de richesse de cette célébration. Le film juxtapose toutes ces iconographies visuelles et la musique de Duke Ellington, pour terminer sur la scène du dîner final durant lequel des touristes américains ingurgitent d'énormes quantités de viande. La métaphore de la consommation de la culture est rendue par la mise en lumière de la nature sacrée ou profane des objets consommés ; en outre elle éclaire le paradoxe qui concerne notre considération des autres cultures. La consommation de la culture du Tiers-monde par les touristes occidentaux et la façon dont la culture du Tiers-monde consomme les touristes.





The process of filming included going to Mexico during the celebration of Day of the Dead which takes place every year from October 31-November 2. We followed a large group of American tourists who were attending this celebrations in Mexico City and Tenango del Aire. The intention of the work is to create and audio-visual collage that explores the rich iconography of the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico. The video juxtaposes its visual iconography with the music of Duke Ellington and ends in a final dinner where American tourists consume large quantities of meat. The metaphor for consumption of culture spans across the video by highlighting the sacred and profane nature of the objects consumed and sheds light to the paradoxes of viewing other cultures. The consumption of Third World culture by Western tourists and the way that Third World culture consumes tourists.

___ Autre texte








The narrative of the work follows, in collage form, iconographic elements from the celebration of Day of the Dead in Mexico. Day of the Dead is one of the most important cultural celebrations in Mexico. People from different backgrounds get together to celebrate their deceased family and friends by offering flowers, Day of the Dead Bread, and other personal items in the form of an altar. The collage of iconographic elements is interleaved and punctuated with the sardonic tone of a Jazz composition from Duke Ellington. African Americans in the American south also have a tradition of celebrating their dead by parading the coffin throughout the city and playing jazz. The celebration of Day of the Dead spurs an immense commercial paraphernalia during the celebration where people can buy sugar skeleton heads, miniature tableaux of family scenes with skeletons, images mixing Halloween carved pumpkins and skeletons with a Mexican hat. Tourists from all over the world, come to Mexico each year to witness this three-day celebration. Strangers are welcome to people's houses to honor their dead with altars and offerings. It is an established custom to bring candles as an offering for the dead and families will offer food and drink to their guests. Through-out the video collage, tourist paraphernalia is juxtaposed with images from altars, a cathedral, Day of the Dead bread, a girl who dances with a skeleton and a passing peasant on a horse carrying a sacrificial lamb. One of the main iconographic images of Christianity is the image of the Last Supper. The last tracking shot of the video pans across a dinner table where American tourists are eating regional Mexican food and ends on a huge pile of raw meat at the end of the table. This shot pays a metaphorical homage to The Last Supper as an ironic commentary on American tourists who get sick from eating food in third world countries. At the same time, the last shot pays homage to the sardonic spirit of Luis Buñuel in this scene. Buñuel's 1961 film Viridiana parodies The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci where the action deals with the theme of a group of outcasts who ungratefully turn against their protector. In his film, Buñuel parallels the conviction that, in the face of social problems and the transformation of man, Christian charity is futile. Conversely, the video exposes the central paradox of consumption of third world culture by Western tourists and the way that Third World culture consumes tourists.