Rachel Perry Welty
(Born in 1962 in Tokyo, Japan)
Karaoke Wrong Number, 2001-2004
Video on DVD
6:52 minutes
Edition 1 of 25
Gift of Sheryl Marshall and Howard Salwen
Rachel Perry Welty’s video shows a frontal head and shoulders view of the artist herself lip-synching to messages left in error on her telephone answering machine. Welty uses expert timing and facial gesturing and maintains a priceless deadpan expression during the intervals between messages. Karaoke Wrong Number reveals the simultaneous connections and disconnections of contemporary life, where technology both assists and impedes communication. Welty was a finalist for the 2006 James and Audrey Foster Prize.