Il televisore che piange (1972)

The performance Il televisore che piange [The crying television] was broadcasted in 1972 during the RAI [Channel No 2] TV show “Happening”, directed by Enrico Rossetti, after some historical examples of the first American “Happening” by Allan Kaprow and others.

We see images of the author in front of a screen that says “The End”.

The broadcast is then interrupted for about 60 seconds as though for a central breakdown. In the background, a grief-stricken cry is heard. The words “The crying TV set” appear on the screen.

The camera then focuses on the message “The End”. Many viewers called RAI to enquire about the awkward and prolonged breakdown: someone was crying in the background of the empty screen.

For Mauri, that was a political cry, stricken by the daily contradictions of the Italian life. (Dora Aceto)

Exhibition dates and venues

1972 - Broadcasted during Happening, RAI, directed by Enrico Rossetti.

1993 - Happening and performances, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome.

Conference with Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev

2003 – The video game – Il televisore che piange [The video game - The crying television], Galleria Pianissimo, Milan, curated by Milovan Farronato

2004 – MacroVideoteca.Video-Performance-Live-Media - Il televisore che piange [The crying television], MACRO Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome, curated by Valentina Valentini

– On Air - Il televisore che piange [The crying television], Fortino di S. Andrea, Bari

2012 – Convention - Rewind Italia, MACRO Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome, curated by Laura Leuzzi

2014 – Videoex  - Il televisore che piange [The crying television] - Internationales Experimentalfilm & Video Festival Zürich

2016 – Fabio Mauri Retrospettiva a luce solida, Museo MADRE, Napoli, a cura di Laura Cherubini e Andrea Viliani

2017 – Televisionario. Francesco Vezzoli guarda la RAI, Fondazione Prada, Milano