‘Bob and Jill (Pt 2)’: Piece written about John Adams and his video works for the Electronic Arts Intermix Catalogue

In Bob and Jill (Pt. 2), the relation between fact and fiction in the personal and popular narratives of everyday life is rendered in an assemblage of soap opera conventions, performance and documentary. Opening with on-screen text that relates “The Story So Far” (“Jill crashed the Volvo….”), Adams intercuts several parallel story lines. He assumes a fictional role to recount the personal histories of Bob and Jill. Bob is seen boiling an egg for breakfast, as artists discuss the politics of criticism and art-making. These narratives are linked with the “real” information of a radio forecast. Will Bob and Jill reunite? Will artists and critics ever agree? Adams writes a happy ending, concluding, “Life goes on ….” – Electronic Arts Intermix