For nearly a decade, Mungo Thomson (US, b. 1969) has been creating a series of stop-motion animations that use reference encyclopedias, photo books, how-to guides, and production manuals as their raw material. The resulting videos, titled Time Life (2022) after their primary reference, showcase a wide array of human activity.
Published from 1961 to 2003, the original Time-Life Books promised readers a way to “be an instant expert.” The publications shared knowledge on a range of subjects, from cooking to exercise, planting a garden to tying knots. Thomson considers those volumes, with their thousands of images, “an early analog internet.”
Through high-resolution photography of the pages, Thomson brings the books to life. Set to a driving musical score, images flash by in a propulsive rhythm. Digitization becomes a method of transformation, the starting point for a conversation about history, cultural material, technology, and perception.
Accessibility and Sensory Notes
Sensory note: These videos include flickering effects and changes in volume, pitch, and tone.
For information about accessibility or to request additional accommodations for this program, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.
For more information about accessibility at the Walker, visit our Access page.
Before Your Visit
Paid underground parking is available on-site. Enter the ramp on Vineland Place at Bryant Avenue. Biking or taking Metro Transit? Learn more.
Visiting the galleries? Enhance your experience by joining a public tour or with self-guided resources accessible for free on Bloomberg Connects.
Personal photography is permitted throughout the Walker and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, but please turn off the flash when visiting the galleries.
To help us promote future events and programs, this event may be photographed or recorded. By attending, you consent to appear in this documentation and its future use by the museum. Please let staff know upon arrival if you prefer not to be photographed.
