The Gina Show

John Anderson, The GINA Show, excerpt from Season 3, Episode 5, intro sequence. Originally broadcast December 8, 1980. 1:08 min. Courtesy of the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at the University of British Columbia

The GINA Show was a cable access variety show, produced by Vancouver artist John Anderson, that was broadcast on Vancouver Cable 10 from 1978-1981. It was a collaborative experimental platform for the public screening of performance and media art, as well as a talk show. The show featured artist’s videos, interviews, early digital art, performances, poetry readings, footage of local events, and performances by local punk and new wave bands. It promoted the local cultural scene by broadcasting clips and excepts by artists who were working with PUMPS, Video Inn, the Western Front and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

This video is an intro sequence from season 3 of the show. Music from the “Talking Volume” EP by Warsaw of Vancouver.

Excerpt from Gerard Pas, “Art As Acupuncture”. Originally broadcast December 18, 1979. 16:10 min. Produced by John Anderson, The GINA Show, Season 2, Episode 11a. Courtesy of the artist and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, The University of British Columbia

This excerpt is from an interview between Gina Daniels, of “the GINA Show”, and Gerard Pas, as well as documentation of Pas’ 1979 performance at PUMPS Centre for the Arts, Vancouver.

Much more information about Garard Pas can be found on his website: gerardpas.com/

Excerpt from Elizabeth Vander Zaag “Digit Logic Lecture”. Originally broadcast March 11, 1980. 2:50 min. Produced by John Anderson The GINA Show, Season 2, Episode 21. Courtesy of the artist and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, The University of British Columbia.

Elizabeth Vander Zaag began working with computers very early in her career. For “Digit”, she made a series of early digital animations, manipulating the hardware of early computers to create a series of episodes about a female digital protagonist. Often playing on the humorous, Vander Zaag is one of two artists behind the site cougerdate.com, see: cougardate.com/cougar/default.html

The “Digit Logic Lecture” is an unanimated episode of the “Digit” series, recorded on a week when Vander Zaag was unable to access the computer to create a new work.

Biographical information about Vander Zaag can be found here: fondation-langlois.org/html/e/page.php?NumPage=256

Excerpt from John Anderson “Wonderful Art Tour”. Originally broadcast March 3, 1981. 11:25 min. Produced by John Anderson The GINA Show, Season 3, Episode 16. Courtesy of the artist and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, The University of British Columbia

The artist shares his collection of ephemera on air. Originally broadcast on the GINA Show, Season 2, Episode 23.

John Anderson, The GINA Show, excerpt from Season 1, Episode 3, Gina Daniels interviews Andy Paterson of The Government. Originally broadcast November 28, 1978. 30:56 min. Courtesy of Andrew James Paterson and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, The University of British Columbia

Gina Daniels interviews Andrew James Paterson, and Toronto band The Government. Included in this clips is a performance by the band. Segment aired on the GINA Show, Season 1, 1978.

Listen to more of the Government here:
andrewjamespaterson.com/music2.php

Excerpt from Elizabeth Chitty, “Social Studies”. Originally broadcast April 2, 1979. 6:05 min. Produced by John Anderson, The GINA Show, Season 1, Episode 19. Courtesy of the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, The University of British Columbia

“Social Studies” was the media element of a performance by Elizabeth Chitty, that took place at the Western Front on April 6, 1979. This work is a precursor to Chitty’s later work “Telling Tales”.

Elizabeth Chitty is a St. Catherines-based artist, known for her pioneering work in dance, video, landscape-based installation and performance. Her work examines the human condition and is concerned with effecting
transformation in herself and her audiences.

More information about her work can be found at elizabethchitty.ca

Excerpt from Hank Bull “Middleclass Marriage”. Originally broadcast November 25, 1980. 16:05 min. Produced by John Anderson The GINA Show, Season 1, Episode 24. Courtesy of the artist and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at the University of British Columbia.

These excerpts are from the 1979 performance work that was also the wedding of Gina Daniels, host of “the GINA Show” to Gary Bourgeois (a.k.a. Gary Middleclass).

Recorded at midnight on April Fools 1979 at Pumps Centre for the Arts, in Vancouver BC, this “Relican”(“Religion Canada”) ceremony was performed by Hank Bull, a.k.a. ‘The Great Homunculus’ among a crowd of local artists, friends, and performers. The broadcast of this work integrates the use of still slide documentation, external audio and video.

The full work aired on June 5, 1979, Season 1, episode 24 of “the GINA Show”, and is contained in the archive library of the Western Front and Video Out distribution.

Hank Bull is the director of Centre A, Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art. He has lived in Vancouver and worked at the Western Front since 1973. He became involved in radio and television in 1975. He co-hosted a radio show as part of the collaborative duo “HP”, with Patrick Ready, and was a frequent contributor to “the GINA Show”. He has been active as an organizer of international artists’ projects using electronic networks and continues various pursuits as a ‘TOTALmedia’ artist.

Excerpt from Byron Black, “Put Yourself in the Picture”. Originally broadcast, 1981. 7:10 min. Produced by John Anderson The GINA Show, Season 3, Episode 22. Courtesy of the artist and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at The University of British Columbia

Byron Black is a mail-artist, film maker, video artist, radio broadcaster, and teacher who currently lives in Indonesia. In the early 70s he hosted a community access television called “Images From Infinity” on Vancouver Cable Ten.

This clip is an excerpt from the Byron Black special episode of “the GINA Show”, which originally aired in late spring 1981.