Response 8 - Robert Morris

Robert Morris’s “Exchange” uses two different works to make a raw collage that leaves the viewer confused. The beginning of this film seems to be the most bizarre, with no action occurring on the screen, but a rather dizzy and confusing echo of voices are heard without much substance. This effect can be described by the words “raw material” that are heard in the piece, since that is exactly what this piece uses, the raw videos of two artists. During the majority of the piece, a man’s voice is most prevalent, but the voice in Lynda Benglis’ can be heard randomly. It seems as though Morris is discussing different works and the “she” most likely is that of Benglis. But it is very difficult to know who “she” is as well as the narrator, since the clips and content are so confusing. It is very interesting how Morris tapes a television in the background that is playing the work of another video or even live pictures. The overlapping of voices makes the video seem live and less rehearsed. Throughout the piece, if you solely listen to the voices without looking at the screen or just watch the video with no volume, there seems to be no content that can be pieced together as to have an understanding. In the end, it almost seems as if the voice is a stream of conscious that talks about anything that jumps into the narrator’s head.