Six Wednesdays in January and FebruaryBrazil itself is a grand experiment of fantastical places, complex histories, and spirited cultures. Out of this continually ripening country has come art of lively and formidable proportion. Less known than Brazil's lush music, literature, and film is its bounty of new media art. Distinguished by the markings of this profuse culture, these videoworks are anything but provincial, for they also look beyond Brazil for inspiration, assimilating contemporary concerns and aesthetic strategies from abroad. Experimentos Tropicais surveys the current state of Brazilian media arts, drawing upon an intriguing and zestful body of works, many of them presented in their U.S. premieres. From compact poetic recitations to innovative indigenous ethnography; from lyrical essayistic explorations to life-affirming visions of culture-Experimentos Tropicais offers the chance to view the rich diversity of Brazil's media artists.For one evening, we cross borders to introduce an important Argentinian artist, Marcello Mercado, with the premiere of The Warm Place, the First Prize-winner at this year's Videobrasil.-Steve Seid We would like to thank the staff of Videobrasil, a bi-annual festival based in São Paulo, for being such gracious hosts at their most recent event. This series could not have occured without them. Also special thanks to: Solange Farkas, Marcia Antabi, Eder Santos, and Sandra Kogut for their generous advice and assistance.Wednesday January 13, 1999
