THE AGNES VARDA COLLECTION: VOL 2 AND THE BEACHES OF AGNES ON DVD FEBRUARY 22 2010

THE AGNÈS VARDA COLLECTION

VOLUME 2

A 4 DISC BOX SET

RELEASED ON DVD

FEBRUARY 22ND 2010

Groundbreaking, influential and provocative, Agnès Varda has established herself as one of France's leading visionary directors. Following on from 2009's first instalment, the second collection includes five distinctly different but captivating features including her recent stunning retrospective documentary The Beaches of Agnès.

Extras include documentaries, short films, trailers and much more….

TITLES FEATURED IN THIS SET

THE BEACHES OF AGNÈS

Run Time: 110 mins

Extra Features:

· Interview with director Agnes Varda – Featurette (Run time TBC)

JACQUOT DE NANTES

Run Time: 118 mins

Extra Features:

· Agnes Varda recollects – Featurette (6 mins)

· Souvenirs from Nantes – Featurette (12 mins)

· Evocations and vocations – Featurette (6 mins)

· Le sabotier du Val de Loire – Featurette (26 mins)

· Jacquot de Nantes – Trailer

· Beaches of Agnes – Trailer

· Cleo 5 to 7 – Trailer

· Le Bonheur – Trailer

· Vagabond – Trailer

VAGABOND

Run Time: 105 mins

Extra Features:

· Notes and Commentaries – Featurette (40 mins)

· Music and Travels – Featurette (12 mins)

· Bonus film: Story of An old Lady – Featurette (Run time TBC)

· Vagabond - Trailer

· Cleo 5 to 7 - Trailer

· Le Bonheur - Trailer

· Beaches of Agnes - Trailer

· Jacquot de Nantes - Trailer

L'UNE CHANTE, L'AUTRE PAS

Run Time: 119 mins

Extra Features:

· Uncle Yanco – Short Film -18 mins

· Pleasure of Love in Iran – Short Film – 6 mins

· Response de Femmes – Short Film – 8 mins

· Cleo 5 to 7 - Trailer

· Le Bonheur - Trailer

· Beaches of Agnes - Trailer

· Vagabond - Trailer

· Jacquot de Nantes - Trailer

Transitland. Video Art from Central and Eastern Europe 1989-2009 – Sofia Launch Event

Transitland. Video Art from Central and Eastern Europe 1989-2009

18th and 19th September

Organized by InterSpace, Sofia

Hosted by Goethe-Insistut

Bulgarien, Sofia

http://www.transitland.eu/

The collaborative archiving project Transitland, realized on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, launches with a comprehensive website and a series of discussions and screenings in Sofia, followed by events in Budapest and Berlin. It presents a selection of 100 single-channel video works, produced in the period 1989-2009 and reflecting the transformations in post-socialist Central and Eastern Europe. The selection of works was made by an international jury from 350 videos, proposed by 40 nominators - curators, art critics and artists.

The project focuses on an extensive and turbulent time and space span. The territory of "Transitland" is quite close to being a half of Europe - population and territory wise. Once called as the "Eastern bloc" without further specification, it was conceived as somewhat homogeneous, dark side of Europe behind the Iron Curtain. Central and Eastern Europe with different sub-regions now covers 24 post-socialist European countries. Twenty years ago this territory belonged to only 9 states.

Transitland is not only the widest-spanning presentation of video art from Central and Eastern Europe but also a unique attempt to address and reflect upon an extensive period of transformation and changes. The mere breadth of time and geography and the complexity of the transition process are still beyond perception not only from outside but also within the region. Besides the numerous discursive and documentary attempts to describe, analyze and contextualize the transformations, a multitude of viewpoints and aspects, presented through the media of video art are meant to provide a unique asset of aesthetic and critical positions to the current discourse on the transition period.

The Sofia launch event features discussion panels and a series of screenings. The first discussion panel addresses the question of expectations right after the Fall of the Wall, the second one traces what actually was happening in those 20 years and the third – leads to the ultimate question where we are heading now. It gathers artists and curators with personal curiosity, first-hand experience and intellectual engagement with the transition period in Central and Eastern Europe. A series of screenings and discursive events will be taking place in Budapest organized by the Agency for Contemporary Art Exchange and the Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art in the following months. In Berlin the project will be premiered by transmediale festival for digital arts and culture from 6th to 8th November at Collegium Hungaricum Berlin. Further presentations of the archive are being planned for 2010.

Transitland is realized by InterSpace Association Sofia, transmediale festival for art and digital culture berlin and Agency for Contemporary Art Exchange and Ludwig Museum-Museum of Contemporary Art Budapest, with associated partners D Media, Cluj and Videoaktiv, Berlin.

It was made possible with support from Culture 2007-2013 Programme, the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe, the European Cultural Foundation, the Culture programme of Sofia Municipality and the Hungarian Cultural Fund.

INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ART FESTIVAL 2nd EDITION/ PEKING DUCK OR VIDEO IN TIME OF CRISIS 4 – 13 AUGUST 2009, VARNA, BULGARIA

Videoholica 2009 will take place over the period of 4 -13 August 2009 in Varna and will pass under the PEKING DUCK OR VIDEO IN TIME OF CRISIS motto.

The venues of the International Video Art Festival Videoholica 2009 will be the Varna Archaeological Museum and Varna Puppet Theater.

344 videos of 138 artists from 31 countries were submitted to the 2nd edition of the Videoholica festival.

The selection of Videoholica 2009 has been made by Valeri Chakalov, Tsvetan Krastev, Georgi Krastev, Victor Petkov and Neno Belchev and will present 89 videos by the 71 artists from Australia, Austria, UK, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Macedonia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, USA, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Taiwan, Tunis, Finland, France, Netherlands, Chili, Sweden, South Korea and Japan.

Besides the conventional video screening, this year's edition of Videoholica will present the following non-governmental art organizations: Tricky Women festival of animated film (Viena, Austria), S–AIR (Sapporo, Japan), VisualContainer – Italian video art distributor and web video art TV (Milan, Italy) and the NoPassWord №0 festival for contemporary art (Genoa, Italy).

Videoholica 2009 is supported by Varna Municipality, August in Art Foundation, Varna Archaeological Museum, Varna Puppet Theater and Inside Magazine.

VIDEOHOLICA 2009 PROGRAMME

4 August 2009 – 21.00

Archeology museum/ Inner yard/ Inner yard

Gazelle Samizay, USA – “This Will Be The Last” – 2009 – 05:00

Sergio Cruz, Portugal – “Еxótica” – 2009 – 05:10

Dragana Pesic, Serbia / Germany – “The Big Glutton” –2009 – 03:03

Jonas Nilsson, Sweden – “The choice” –2009 – 02:15

Jonas Nilsson, Sweden – “Just like any other morning” – 2007 – 01:12

Qais Al–Sindy, USA – “Travelers” – 2008 – 02:44

Henry Gwiazda, USA – “Claudia and Paul 07:04 a.m.” – 2008 – 00:49

Guido Salvini, Italy – “Strength Text” – 2009 – 02:24

Giovanni Bellavia, Italy – “Brainstorm” – 2009 – 02:00

Ismail Bahri, Tunisia / France – “Résonances” – 2008 – 07:00

Mit Borras, Spain – “Deafland” – 2008 – 04:00

Nick Shiflet, USA – “Morse Code” – 2009 – 01:26

Kamen Stoyanov, Bulgaria / Austria – “Artzone – Timezone” – 2009 – 03:41

Esther Johnson, UK – “Study in Light and Form #2” – 2008 – 01:00

Konstantinos – Antonios Gautos, Greek / Germany – “Life Circle Live Circus Life” – 2005/2007 – 05:29

Andrea Kustić, Croatia – “You Are Of No Importance!” – 2009 – 05:45

Barbara Agreste, Italy – “Rain” – 2006 – 05:40

Patrizia Monzani, Italy – “Stadt – Fisch” – 2006 – 05:00

Yaron Lapid, Izrael / UK – “The New Zero” – 2009 – 03:18

Lia Chavez, USA / UK – Penetration” – 2006 – 04:19

Maria Buchnerq Australia – Richerd” – 2004 – 03:28

Julie Sparso, Denmark – “Untitled (Passengers) – 2008 – 08:44

5 August 2009 – 21.00

Puppet Theater/ Back yard

Tricky Women festival of animated film, Viena, Austria

Awarded Animations 2007

Tricky Women 2007 Trailer, Alina Bliumis, USA 2006, 0´30

Mia Hulterstam, Cecilia Actis, Sweden – „Blue, Karma, Tiger” – 2006 – 12:00

Pooja Pottenkulam, Great Britain – „NAP” – 2006, 04:00

Michaela Copíková, Slovakia – „Fat Fatal” – 2005, 05:36

Sabine Groschup, Austria – „Gugug” – 2006, 06:23

Klara Swantesson, Sweden – „Tillväxtsjukan / Radicalized” – 2006, 08:00

Maryam Mohajer, Great Britain – „The girl with Short Hair” – 2006 – 03:04

Laura Neuvonen, Finland – „Kutoja / The Last Knit” – 2005 – 06:39

Regina Pessoa, Portugal – „Història Trágica Com Final Feliz / Tragic Story with Happy Ending” – 2005 – 07:46

6 August 2009 – 21.00

Archeology museum

Presentation of S–AIR Sapporo, Japan

Lector: Mami Odai

7 August 2009 – 21.00

Puppet Theater/ Back yard

Eva Olson, Sweden – “The Labyrinth” – 2009 – 03:41

Dave Farnham, UK – “War Drawing 003” – 2009 – 01:33

Marius Leneweit / Ricio Rodriguez, Spain – “…niland” – 2009 – 06:45

Mirka Majorosova, Slovakia – „Lickerish” – 2008 – 01:04

Lucas Matejka. Slovakia – “20m” – 2008 – 01:00

Milica Rakic, Serbia – “Report” – 2008 – 01:00

Christin Bolewski, Germany – “Mountain–water–painting” –2009 – 06:12

Misup Song, UK – “Hikikomori” – 2009 – 06:46

Jeong Yoon Ahn, South Korea / Netherlands – “The Hymn of a Republic” – 2009 – 04;58

Finda Ozgunaydin, Germany – “Namus Belasi” – 2008 – 04:12

Gordon Culshaw, UK – „Slinky” – 2008 – 03:46

Yiannos Economou, Cyprus – „Forest Loops” – 2007 – 01:25

Scot Keefer (My Name Is Scot) – “The Wild Goose” – 2009 – 03:06

Roland Wegerer, Austria – “How To Clean A Puddle!” – 2008 – 01:44

Martin Kohout, Germany – “Moonwalk” – 2008 – 02:20

Sal Cooper, Australia – “The Second Circle” –2009 – 03:40

Stefan Riebel, Germany – “Untitled #44” – 2009 – 00:41

Ines Wickmann, France – “Landscape with mirror” – 2006 – 07:00

Maslen & Mehra in collaboration with Riz Maslen, UK – “Erasure” – 2009 – 03:18

Lemeh42, Italy – “Study on Human Form and Humanity #01” – 2008 – 02;00

Christian Nikolay, Canada – “ampli fly” – 2008 – 02:43

Rebekkah Palov, USA – “Fog Drops” – 2009 – 02:54

Wei Ming Ho, Taiwan – “Run Nanu Run!” – 2008 – 05:50

9 August 2009 – 21.00

Archeology museum/ Inner yard

Angelina Voskopoulou, Greece – “Button” –2009 – 04:35

Maria Karini, Italy – “Hopeless K” – 2007 – 06:00

Sindy Rehm, USA – “Passage” – 2008 – 05:15

Renaud Perin, france – „Ispaitche” – 2009 – 04:00

Ava Lache, germany – “Silence” 2008 – 03:13

Judith Vandermade, Netherlands –“One” – 2007 – 03:40

Paola Vela, Peru – “the Shelling of Neon Lights” – 2009 – 04:00

Justin Randolph Tompson – Italy – “Table” –2009 – 04:10

Kira Zhigalina, Russia / UK – “Blank or Attempts to Draw at Nothingness” – 2008 – 05:30

Stuart Pound, UK – “Not You Again!” – 2009 – 03:49

Giuseppe di Bella, UK – „Healing” – 2008/2009 – 06:21

Yin–Ling Chen, Taiwan / UK – „Gaze /Parents” – 2008 – 02:46

Jonathan Trayner, UK – “Walbrook restoration” – 2008 – 03:00

Boris Eldagsen, Germany – “the Dieing Widow” – 2008 – 06:19

Jasika Adnan, Bosnia and Herzegovina – “This Body” – 2009 – 03:15

Robert Waldeck, Canada – “Neutron & Black Demon” – 2008 – 04:05

Elisa Eliash, Chile – “I am the dog: Pavlov’s Experiment Applied” – 2009 – 01:49

Lary Caveney, USA – “Singing Waitress” – 2006 – 04:00

Ulrike Mothes, Germany – „On Impermanence” – 2008 – 03:20

Anna Sieradzka – Kubacka, Poland – “Consciousness Chanell” –2009 – 03:30

11 August 2009 – 19.00

Archeology museum

Presentation of Visualcontainer, Milan, Italy

Lectors: Giorgio Fedeli, Alessandra Arno

Riccardo Arena, Italy – “25.765” - 2008 -07:00

Alessandra Arnò, Italy – “Save Ours Souls” – 2008 —03:50

Silvia Camporesi, Italy – “Dance dance dance” – 2008

Luca Christian Mander, Italy – “Eppursimuove” – 2009 – 03:40

Maria Korporal, Italy – “Passing by” – 2008 – 07:39

12 August 2009 – 19.00

Archeology museum/ Inner yard

Presentation of NoPassWord №0 festival for contemporary art, Genoa, Italy

Lector: Elleonora

13 August 2009 – 21.00

Archeology museum/ Inner yard

John Deneuve, France – “Cerebral Adventure” – 2008 – 04:00

Robin Whenary, UK – “The Boy, the Bike and the Apple” – 2007 – 04:30

Nadine Kiese, Germany – “I Toppled Monument Yesterday” – 2009 – 01:17

Floriane Davin, France – “Cosmos” – 2008 – 01:59

Maria Panayotovaq Bulgaria – “Untitled” – 2009 – 05:00

Gaelle Jaunay–Desroches, France – “Goodtimes” – 2009 – 03:17

Kristina Bozurska, Macedonia – “Polyptych” – 2008/2009 – 03:58

Sergey Patskevich, Russia – “Never Ending Rain” – 2008 – 03:13

Virginie Foloppe, France – “J. F.’s Toybox” – 2004 – 05:50

Kika Nicolela, Brazil – “Naked” – 2008 – 03:22

Andrew Salgado, UK/ Canada – “The Bather” – 2009 – 04:30

Alice Bradshaw, UK – “Brown Paper Bag Box” – 2008 – 04:57

Maja Hodoscek, Slovenia – “Escape with a Flaw” –2008 – 01:00

Kate Pelling, UK – “Whipped” – 2009 – 06:24

Gerard Funk, Germany – “Streak” –2008 – 02:33

Charles A. Gick, USA – “Flowers from Mouth” – 2009 – 04:43

Charles A. Gick, USA – „Hand with Cloud” – 2009 – 07:00

Andrea Zrno, Croatia – “Me vs Myself” – 2009 – 04:44

Inger Alfnes, Netherlands – “Exercise №1” – 2008 – 04:44

Serpentine Cinema: Henry Flynt and Owen Land Sunday 2 August

American conceptual artist, filmmaker, philosopher and avantgarde musician Henry Flynt shows two short films, Shrine of the Insect, 2008, and My Paisley Eyes, 2008. American artist and film-maker Owen Land screens Dialogues, 2007–09, 30 years since his last completed film. It takes the form of a series of short films, informed by folklore, history and theology.

Serpentine Cinema

‘There’s no film. Cinema is dead. There can’t be film anymore. If you want, let’s have a discussion.’

Guy Debord

Serpentine Cinema is a series of monthly screenings and events at The Gate cinema in Notting Hill which give an opportunity to view rarely seen artists’ films in a cinema context. Presented in association with Sketch.

The Gate

87 Notting Hill Gate

London W11 3JZ

0871 704 2058

gate@picturehouses.co.uk

Antichrist opens in the UK; Lars Von Trier interview

Lars Von Trier speaks to the Guardian about his new film, ANTICHRIST. He talks a lot about his depression and why he needs to think he's the best director in the world in order to make a film.


Antichrist was given an 18 certificate by the BBFC and remains completely uncut, despite scenes containing explicit penetrative sex and masturbation, extreme torture and genital mutilation. The BBFC have conceded that “there is no doubt that some viewers will find the images disturbing and offensive,” with the Sunday Times judging that Antichrist “deserves to be banned.”



Antichrist has divided UK press, receiving both boos and applause at this year’s world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, provoking debate across the nation: UK journalists have warned that “nothing can prepare you for Antichrist. Nothing,” (John Carr, Sky Movies). Early UK preview screenings have seen people run for the exit during the final scenes, physically retching.



Antichrist has faced censorship in other areas. The film poster, featuring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg in a graphic sex scene, has been met with uproar and Artificial Eye, the film company releasing Antichrist, has been barraged with complaints by offended cinema-goers. The poster image has been BANNED for use on the London underground and BANNED for use in the Metro newspaper. Social networking site, Facebook, has even BANNED the sex scene featured in the trailer. Antichrist flyers, also featuring the image, have even been sabotaged by outraged members of the public, ripped from display stands and destroyed, with cinema owners struggling to replenish stocks.



Antichrist is the latest film from provocative Danish director Lars von Trier, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe. A psychological horror film, many film distributors doubted that Antichrist could be released in the UK uncut, but the British cinema-going audience will now have their chance to watch the ‘must see film of the summer’ from this Friday.



Director Lars von Trier says: “I can offer no excuse for ANTICHRIST. Other than my absolute belief in the film – the most important film of my entire career.”

OUT SOON: PRESS SCREENING: LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT - Fri 17 July

(Via email):

LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT

(The Young Ladies of Rochefort)

A film by Jacques Demy
 
Music by Michel Legrand
 
 France 1967 / 126 mins / cert tbc
 
Starring  Catherine Deneuve,  Françoise Dorléac,  Gene Kelly




A BFI release

RELEASE DATE: 14 August 2009
Opening Venue: BFI Southbank
 

New writing gig

I've started collaborating with a new arts salon from London called Woolf & Wilde. My first post was on Maya Deren and you can read it here.

Norman McLaren’s 1971 short film Synchromie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_McLaren

ANTICHRIST has been given an 18 certificate by the BBFC

ANTICHRIST has been given an 18 certificate by the BBFC and remains completely uncut. Described as ‘the most shocking film in the history of the Cannes Film Festival,’ ANTICHRIST will hit UK cinemas on 24th July 2009.



ANTICHRIST is the latest film from provocative Danish director Lars von Trier, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe. A psychological horror film, Antichrist outraged viewers at the world premiere at Cannes Film Festival 2009. London has seen two press screenings in the last 7 days in which several journalists walked out in disgust and repulsion. While many film distributors doubted that Antichrist could be released in the UK uncut, the British cinema-going audience will now have their chance to watch this ‘must see’ film of the summer.



Throughout the film viewers are exposed to explicit penetrative sex and masturbation, extreme torture and genital mutilation. The BBFC have conceded that “there is no doubt that some viewers will find the images disturbing and offensive.”




Curzon Artificial Eye CEO, Philip Knatchbull says “There is no doubt that Antichrist is a controversial film but it’s our duty as a distributor to present the works of talented directors such as Lars Von Trier in their original form exactly as the director intended. We fully support the BBFC’s decision to allow people to make up their own minds about this film.”



Director Lars von Trier says: “I can offer no excuse for ANTICHRIST. Other than my absolute belief in the film – the most important film of my entire career.”


That's good news. I haven't seen the film yet but I have immense respect for Lars Von Trier. The fact that this sort of film causes scandal while teenage violent fantasies have a free pass reveals something quite sinister about our culture. I was flabberghasted when I read reports that a petulant British journalist had demanded from Trier an explanation at a Cannes press conference. Really ...

From the newswire: MID-AGUST LUNCH

I haven't seen this film yet but I sure like the sound of it. It will released in the UK on 14 of August. Here's the full press release:

MID-AUGUST LUNCH (12 A)

(PRANZO DI FERRAGOSTO)

A film by Gianni Di Gregorio



Winner of the SATYAJIT RAY AWARD – London Film Festival 2008



Starring

Valeria de Franciscis, Marina Cacciotti, Maria Calì, Grazia Cesarini Sforza, Alfonso Santagata and Gianni di Gregorio



Italy / 2008 / 75 Mins / In Italian with English Subtitles / Colour / 1.85



An Archimede production in collaboration with Rai Cinema



Gianni is a middle-aged man, the only son of his widowed mother, with whom he lives in an old house in central Rome. Living under the tyranny of this impoverished aristocrat, his life drags on between housework and going to the bar. The day before the August bank holiday the apartment manager asks him to take his mother into his home for the two days of the bank holiday. In exchange, he will knock some money off the debts Gianni has run up over the years. Gianni is forced to accept.



The manager treacherously turns up with two women, since he doesn't know where to take his aunt, he brings her along too. Gianni is overwhelmed and crushed by the clash between these three dominant characters, but heroically does his best to make them happy. At a certain point he feels faint and calls a friend of his who is a doctor. The doctor not only reassures Gianni, but foists his own elderly mother on him, since he is on shift at the hospital. Gianni goes through 24 hours of hell. But when at last it’s time to say goodbye, the women have other ideas…



Gianni Di Gregorio was born in Rome in Trastevere, where he still lives and works. After studying classics at high school before attending the Accademia di Arti Sceniche in Rome, run by Alessandro Fersen, where he took a diploma in directing and acting. For three years he worked in Fersen’s experimental research workshop (taking part in seminars and exchanges with the groups of Bob Wilson, Grotowski, Kantor and Chaikin), which led to the show LEVIATHAN, presented at the Festival of Spoleto in 1976. After three years of theatre, as an assistant director and actor, he saw Scorsese’s film MEAN STREETS, which made such an impression on him that he left theatre and started to work in film.



In 1986 he wrote the screenplay for the film SEMBRA MORTO MA È SOLO SVENUTO by Felice Farina, with Sergio Castellitto and Marina Confalone, which won the Premio FRIPRESCI at the Settimana della Critica, at the 1987 Venice Film Festival. In the same year he wrote the story and screenplay for the film CAREFREE GIOVANNI by Marco Colli, with Sergio Castellitto, Eleonora Giorgi, Aldo Fabrizi, Franco Fabrizi and Luca De Filippo. Presented at the Quinzaine des Realisateurs at Cannes 87, it was awarded the Grand Prix du jury at the festival of Annecy.



In 1991 he wrote Shipwrecks directed by Marco Colli, and the following year he wrote the story and screenplay for the film AFFETTI SPECIALI directed by Felice Farina. In 2000 he wrote the screenplay for LONG LIVE THE MONKEY!, based on the short story LE DUE ZITELLE by Tommaso Landolfi and directed by Marco Colli. He met Matteo Garrone (GOMORRAH) after seeing his first film, TERRA DI MEZZO. He started working with him, as assistant director, in 2000 with Roman Summer, and continued with THE EMBALMER and FIRST LOVE. In 2007, with Braucci, Chiti, Gaudioso, Saviano and Garrone, he co-wrote the screenplay for the film GOMORRAH, directed by Matteo Garrone.

Jonas Mekas in Paris

Galerie du Jour agnés b.

Paris, France

A Few Things I Want To Share With You, My Paris Friends

May 16 – June 20, 2009

Jonas Mekas’ solo exhibition entitled A Few Things I Want To Share With You, My Paris Friends is currently on view at galerie du jour agnés b., Paris through June 20, 2009. Focusing on the dynamic scope of Mekas’ work from recent years, the presentation brings to light his innovations within avant-garde film and contemporary currents of the visual arts. Highlights include the premiere of a 12-monitor installation featuring the monumental 365-Day Project, for which Mekas released one film a day throughout 2007 on his website www.jonasmekas.com. Designated to one month each, the monitors are hooked up to i-pods playing footage that was downloaded directly from the artist’s website. Mekas states, “It was a very challenging and demanding undertaking, but I did it. This is the first presentation of the Project as it was intended, that is, as an i-pod project.” The exhibition is accompanied by the 365-Day Project catalogue, produced in conjunction with Maya Stendhal Gallery, New York, which offers revealing profiles of each film through descriptions and stills. Mekas’ Summer Manifesto (2008) takes form in an installation of 40 nature images that Mekas chose from his vast archival footage. While manifestos tend to be politically charged and oppositional, Mekas’ statement finds comfort in the subtle beauty and fleeting happiness of summer. Also on view is an installation of 4 quartet pieces divided into parts entitled Destruction Quartet, SoHo Quartet, Martin Scorsese Shooting “The Departed,” and The Education of Sebastion. The work features riveting footage of renowned filmmaker Martin Scorsese at work, the fall of the Berlin Wall and events from 9/11 in combination with images of old SoHo and the artist’s journey to Egypt. A Few Things I Want To Share With You, My Paris Friends is dedicated to the long-time friendship between Mekas and fashion designer and supporter of the arts agnés b.

A recent retrospective at Museum Ludwig in Cologne prolifically summarized Mekas’ accomplishments in establishing film as art. Viewers were given rare access to the artist’s personal archives in the form of documents, photographs, catalogues, texts, and film posters alongside his and later film works, installations, and film still collections. A great success, it drew nearly 100,00 visitors, and was followed by Museum Ludwig’s acquisition of the internegative and 4-channel installation of Birth of a Nation for its permanent collection. Mark Gloede of Art in America singled out the presentation for the magazine’s International Review issue writing, “[T]he exhibition achieved a striking dynamic: in the space between different mediums, it became clear that the film experience cannot be limited to watching movies in a dark room. With this overview of Mekas’s work, the full cosmos of independent cinema opened up.” A full-page color exhibition catalogue was published in collaboration with Serpentine Gallery, London and is available through Koenig Books. A second major retrospective on the artist will be exhibited at Serpentine Gallery, London in 2010.

Reuters piece on Michael Heneke's White Ribbon

Michael Haneke's newly anointed Palme d'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival gets a Reuters review. Click on the title to read the whole piece.

New film outs gay American politicians

Watch: Cheryl Donegan's Head (US,1993, 5'47")

Some pieces of video art contain more ideas than Hollywood's entire yearly output ...



More about Cheryl Donegan