Around & About 1980
In this concise experimental short, visionary media artist Gary Hill captures the confined essence of 1980 in Buffalo, New York.
Director: Gary Hill
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Around & About (1980) about?
Around & About chronicles artist Gary Hill's sudden transition into a compact office space at SUNY Buffalo, where he turned a cramped environment into a makeshift studio. It documents the process of working in confined quarters, using rearrangement as both survival and creative act.
Who directed Around & About?
Around & About was directed by pioneering media artist Gary Hill, who later became known for his groundbreaking video and installation works.
Who stars in Around & About?
Cast details for Around & About are not publicly listed.
Is Around & About (1980) worth watching?
Though brief and experimental, Around & About offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Gary Hill's early practice. Its themes of constraint and creativity resonate with fans of avant-garde film and media art, making it a niche but rewarding viewing experience.
How long is Around & About?
Around & About has a runtime of 5 minutes.
Around & About (1980): A Glimpse into Gary Hill's Early Experimental Vision
In this concise experimental short, visionary media artist Gary Hill captures the confined essence of 1980 in Buffalo, New York. Shot during his tenure at the State University of New York's Media Studies Department, this fleeting five-minute piece reflects the claustrophobic shift Hill experienced when forced to move from apartment to office—transforming a modest workspace into a cramped personal studio. Through disciplined rearrangement of equipment and ideas, the film transforms spatial limitations into creative fuel, offering a meditative glimpse into the mind of an artist adapting to constraint.
Around & About (1980) stands as a quiet yet revealing document of Hill's early explorations in visual media—where physical boundaries blur with intellectual and artistic ones. The film's stripped-down aesthetic mirrors the urgency of creation amid constraint, making it a compelling microcosm of Hill's broader experimental practice. Though short, it delivers a dense atmosphere of focus and quiet defiance, resonating with anyone who has ever turned limitation into innovation.