There is no question that Andy Mann was one of the seminal figures in the early video scene, in particular for his remarkable 'street tapes' which continued and amplified a tradition in film history marked by such works as Helen Leavittps IN THE STREET. - Gene Youngblood, author, Expanded Cinema The late media artist Andy Mann (1949-2001) was a pioneer of video art who began his career in New York City in 1969. Mann was active in several historic video collectives such as the Videofreex, Perception, TVTV (Top Value Television), Global Village, and Raindance, as well as a regular contributor to the video art magazine Radical Software, founded in 1970. Mann also acted as video documentation for performances by artists Hannah Wilke and Chris Burden. Recognized for his groundbreaking camera work, Mann was one of the earlier artists in the US to receive grant funds from the National Endowment for the Arts to produce video (1975 and 1978). His videos were included in the 1973 and 1975 Whitney Biennials; the 1973 Sao Paulo Bienal; the 1977 Documenta VI, Kassell, Germany; as well as exhibitions at the Walker Art Center; Los Angeles County Museum of Modern Art; and Leo Castelli Gallery. Mann moved to Houston in the 1980s and began working in video installation and public sculpture. He was a producer for Access Houston cable since its 1987 inception, hosting a hybrid live video art program/talk show. Mann continued to produce videotapes until a few weeks before his death in 2001. "Andy Mann's videotapes are classic examples of the 'street tape' genre-a video equivalent of 'cinema verite,' drawn directly from life, with a minimum of staging, acting or editing. The direct, candid style of Mann's tapes reflects the enthusiasm sparked by the new equipment amongst a whole generation of first-time video users; the possibility of capturing subjective experiences and details of the world in which one lived was tremendously exciting at that time, and was reason enough to go out and shoot a video." - Video Data Bank, Chicago About The Andy Mann Video Library http://www.aurorapictureshow.org/ Andy Mann left an extensive collection of his video art to Aurora Picture Show, Houston, Texas, with the desire to have the work distributed and screened for educational and artistic purposes. The Andy Mann Video Library is comprised of over 800 videotapes, which date from the late 1960ps through 2001. Highlights of the collection include One-Eyed Bum (1974) recognized as a seminal early video work, and consistently requested for teaching purposes. Beyond a wealth of the artistps own work, the Andy Mann Video Library contains dozens of candid video interviews Mann conducted with New York, Los Angeles, and Houston-based artists from 1970-1999. Amongst the interview subjects are late folk musician Phil Oaks, legendary performance artist Chris Burden, and the late painter Mark Lombardi. Tapes: "Andy Mann was one of the early video pioneers, along with Nauman, Wegman and Acconci. My association with Andy and our common interest in video directly influenced my own interest in video." - Chris Burden Video Diary #1, 1972, 33:00 (5:00 excerpt) A daily video diary produced by Mann during a summer rooming with video artist Frank Gillette, in South Hampton, NY. Subway Tape, 1970s, 6:00 By night, an ecstatic Andy Mann commandeers an empty subway car-- from stem to stern. One-Eyed Bum, 1974, 8:00 In Mann's most famous street tape, he encounters an eager-to-be videotaped "one-eyed bum" on the Bowery. Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, 1974, 30:00 (6:00 excerpt) Mann's early fascination with framing nature in the urban landscape begins with this tape . All Across Boston (WNET, New York, WGBH Boston), 1975 60:00, (6:00 excerpt) The television series "Video/Television Review" commissions Mann to create a video portrait of Boston. St. Anthony of Padua, 1970s, 33:00 (5:00 excerpt) The Italian-American parade held in Little Italy. Andy Gets a Haircut, 1972, 15:00 (6:00 excerpt) Mann's enormous afro gets an imperceptible trim. The Night Show, 1989, 30:00 (5:00 excerpt) A relentless montage of Mann exercising. Disclaimer and Last Hit, 1989, 30:00 (6:00 excerpt) Diatribes against spending time or money on cable television. Punishment TV, 1990, 30:00 (7:00 excerpt) Mann explains his latest video sculpture, the Sparkle Box. Beard Rap, 1980s, 30:00 (5:00 excerpt) A monologue about lost friends and Mann's art career.