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The Birth of the Telephone
Institute of Contemporary Arts
Digital

Cinema 3

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The Birth of the Telephone, dir. David McShane, UK 2021, 2 min. 51 sec.


Originating from footage of Thomas Watson relating the conception of the telephone, Birth of the Telephone distorts and challenges the simplicity of this account. We uncover a different type of birth occurring. Here is a device that, beneath the camouflage of instrumentality, raises questions about connection, anxiety and death.
Director: David McShane
Sound Design and Mix: Ines Adriana
Additional Animation: Renee Zhan
Additional Animation: Isabel Garrett
Executive Producer: Shane O'Sullivan (Kingston School of Art)
This work was produced for New Creatives, supported by Arts Council England and BBC Arts.
 
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This film is available to watch from 1 to 6 February 2022.