Home COMMON PROBLEMS The Moment of Truth, Daniel Dion

The Moment of Truth, Daniel Dion (with the collaboration of Su Schnee)

 

Daniel Dion, The Moment of Truth

Daniel Dion, The Moment of Truth

Daniel Dion (with the collaboration of Su Schnee), The Moment of Truth, 1991, Video installation, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Installation view. Photo © 1999, MMFA.
Daniel Dion, The Moment of Truth, 1991. Components detail: Sony GV-300 and video still.

 

The Moment of Truth (1991) was acquired by the MMFA in 1999 and consists of a 100-second videotape shown on a portable video player affixed to a wall. In the work, a sentence is repeated over and over, somewhat like a mantra, and is accompanied by a series of images that begin with nature and conclude with the fate of humanity.

 

The current presentation of the work differs notably from the way it was first presented. Originally, the 8 mm videotape was displayed directly on a Sony GV-300 player mounted on the wall and powered with rechargeable batteries. Following its acquisition, the tape was played by a concealed external device, which was powered by a regular electrical outlet. A few years later, the screen on the original player broke down. Because it was no longer possible to obtain the Sony device on the market, it was replaced by a model recommended by the artist, a Casio EV-670.

 

Daniel Dion, The Moment of Truth

Daniel Dion (with the collaboration of Su Schnee), The Moment of Truth, 1991, Video installation, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Components detail: Casio EV-670 player and video still. Photo © 2008, DOCAM.

 

First problem: preservation of the viewing device

To successfully lead the conservation efforts for a work, the restorer must understand the conceptual, historical, aesthetic and operational importance of the devices that comprise it. To help identify these aspects, a discussion with the artist may be advisable. During a videotaped interview for this study and other purposes, the artist confirmed the conceptual importance of a standalone machine (actual or perceived independence). He discussed the lightweight aspect of portable viewers compared to other video broadcasting equipment of the time. And, he added, even though he judges that the object’s appearance has no central value to the work, its dated look and historical positioning still contribute to its content. The transition from the Sony to the Casio was acceptable to the artist because the object’s conceptual traits were maintained, and its aesthetics placed the work in a similar historical period.

 

Appropriate preventive conservation activities were identified by the restorer (maintenance and storage of the equipment).


The restorer, based on details provided by the artist during the interview, selected solutions for the future that would offset the eventual deterioration of the Casio, which is currently used to exhibit the work. For the artist, moving to a recent model monitor is unacceptable; long-term planning for models identical or similar to the Sony or Casio is therefore essential. Research into the user market has resulted in the identification of replacement models, and consideration is being given to acquiring two Sony devices and one Casio. Over the longer term, emulation strategies could be examined. It might also be possible to integrate a recent model monitor in the original casing once the replacement equipment is no longer functional.

 

Second problem: preservation of the video

As with any work involving video, one of the challenges is the long-term preservation of the content on media that will ensure its readability and integrity. During the interview with the artist, the issue of the integrity of the image was discussed. The image construction, limited in this case by the original technology used compared to more recent models, is important to the artist, because this construction places the work in a specific period in history. Therefore, any restoration of the image must be rejected.