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Item: James Lee Byars, The World Question Center

Jef Cornelis

1969

Film, 01:02:06.
Materials: single-channel video, b/w, sound

Collection: Collection MACBA, Barcelona (Inv. no. 2883).

'The World Question Center' is a "performance" by James Lee Byars that was broadcasted live on Belgian television. Byars addressed a heterogeneous group of intellectuals, to each ask him a question about something they thought was significant. Among these people, were artists Marcel Broodthaers and John Cage, writer Simon Vinkenoog, doctor Robert Jungk and Knesset member Uri Avnery. The questions were discussed by Byars and a group of people in the studio, seated in a circle around him, all wearing an especially designed robe by the artist. The broadcast itself was directed by Belgian Jef Cornelis, who also filmed Byars during his activities at the Wide White Space Gallery. These images resulted in the documentary 'James Lee Byars: een Amerikaans kunstenaar', that was aired prior to the live broadcast of 'The World Question Center'.

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