‘Music for Airports’ is a visual counterpoint to the 1978 recording of the same name by Brian Eno, which explored the idea of background or ambient music. Designed to be played at low volume, Eno’s music uses minimal elements of melody and rhythm, which are layered and looped, denying a sense of progression or conclusion. The music infiltrates and influences the general soundscape without dominating it. Scheffer exploits the qualities for which video is often condemned, creating glowing and fluid images by using inexact focus, ‘ghosting’ of moving figures and bleeding colour. He describes the results as ‘the emancipation of blur’. Frank Scheffer has indicated that this video was designed to be one of many elements in the overall visual environment.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Previously on display
22 April 2019
ACMI Viewing Booths
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
B1001847
Language
No spoken word
Audience classifications
G
Mediatheque - all ages (ACMI classified)
Sound/audio
Musical soundtrack only
Colour
Colour
Holdings
Digital Betacam [PAL]; Sub-master
VHS [PAL]; Reference - timecoded
DVD [PAL]; Exhibition Copy
Digital Betacam [PAL]; Master
MPEG-4 Digital File; ACMI Digital Access Copy - presentation