ANÉMIC CINÉMA
UNSEEN CINEMA
•
6m 42s
Thought-provoking and offensive are possible ways to interpret the ten optical discs and corresponding puns displayed in the film. The word play of French syllogisms gleefully collides with the protruding-receding optical illusions of the rotating spheres. Julien Levy called the film SPIRALS and screened it repeatedly at his New York City gallery during the 1930s. - Bruce Posner
Artworks by the fictitious Rrose Sélavy (1920-1950) first appeared in 1920 and subsequently Duchamp used her as his feminine alter ego. Her name implies she is driven by erotic power; the antithesis of Duchamp's cool, cerebral character. For this reason, Duchamp attributed certain works to her. Man Ray photographed Duchamp as Rrose on numerous occasions. - R. Bruce Elder / Bruce Posner
Arguably the 20th century's greatest art iconoclast, Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) devoted his entire career to debunking pre-existing ideas about art which he believed should appeal to the intellect rather than the senses. Encouraged by the storm of controversy sparked by his painting NUDE DESCENDING A STAIRCASE NO.2 at the 1913 Armory Show, Duchamp moved to New York in 1915. He was extremely active in the fledgling American avant-garde, editing several Dada magazines, inventing word games and puns, and designating ordinary objects as "readymade" works of art. During this period, he cemented a life-long working friendship with Man Ray. - Michael Taylor
Up Next in UNSEEN CINEMA
-
BALLET MÉCANIQUE
Fernand Léger's BALLET MÉCANIQUE occupies a preeminent place in modern art. There is no other film quite like it. One reason is the collective effort of the Americans who participated in its creation, including Ezra Pound, Alvin Langdon Colburn, Man Ray and especially co-director Dudley Murphy an...
-
COLOR RHAPSODIE
Produced by a pioneer film designer to create moods through the eye as music creates moods through the ear. Do you see anything like this when seeing sound?
"[Mary Ellen] Bute transcends her influences; her visual imaginations triumphs. I like the romantic flair of COLOR RHAPSODIE, its visual de...
-
THE CONQUERING CROSS
Never completed by famed Russian director Sergei Eisenstein, the footage for his proposed feature QUÉ VIVA MÉXICO! was financed and preserved by husband-and-wife team Mary and Upton Sinclair. A series of Filmosound travelogues were constructed later by film editors William Kruse and Egon Mauthner...
