Page 18 - Studio International - March 1973

Graphics Vision only American film) and Howard Gutenplan of
the Millennium Film-makers Workshop, along
with Amos Vogel, expressed on Jud Yalkut's
WBAI radio programme their dissatisfaction
A difficulty with any mixed exhibition is During the past months the role of Jonas with the press coverage of their film
that one can't tell how much the exhibition is Mekas in the film world has begun to be programmes. They were particularly critical of
coloured by the person who has made the questioned. Some kind of crisis has seemed Mekas in Village Voice. There have been over
selection and how much it shows what it inevitable for a long time. For years he has 100 programmmes at Millennium, but Mekas
purports to show. The variety of work in the largely ignored the development of film-making has only written of them three or four times.
exhibition of modern Finnish prints, at the in Europe, despite the fact that in Austria, Overt criticism has so far been withheld
Swiss Cottage Library, London, in January, Germany and Britain, at least since 1967-68, because of the great respect which film-makers
leads to the assumption that this exhibition was there has been independent and significant work, have for his achievements, but his present,
fairly representative. If so, I think it might be worthy of critical attention. This criticism is pervading influence is damaging to the
possible to make some observations about prints also levelled at P. Adams Sitney and Peter emergence of fresh thinking and energy. In
in the exhibition which suggest 'trends' in Kubelka; all three, in basic accord, are very Village Voice (7 December 1972), as part of an
Finnish graphics. Several of the people in the influential. Between them there is Mekas's obituary for Jerome Hill, he wrote : 'The
exhibition made use of series as an integral part Village Voice column, Film Culture, the American avant-garde film is a chapter in the
of their work or to extend or amplify an idea. Anthology Archive and Cinema, and a generally history of cinema . . . . and a long line of works of
Three screenprints by Matti Koskela, all titled assumed authority on new American cinema. great beauty has been created . . . . Yes, it's very
Theme 02, only made their point, in an All of them have been in Europe often enough possible that we are at the end of a great period
Albers-like manner, when it was noticed that to have no excuse for not knowing the situation of creativity in American cinema; it's very
the same grey grid appeared to change colour here. The core of the problem is not ignorance; possible that Jerome Hill's death marks the
when it was printed over different coloured certainly Mekas and Kubelka, during their beginning of another stage of the American
target shapes. Harro Koskinen's print of the visit to the London Underground Festival in avant-garde film: the stage of preserving for
Finnish flag crumbling was strengthened by his 1970, experienced some of the developments in posterity what has been created.' Admittedly
other two prints Finland is Melting and Finland film-making and acquired a basis from which to this was an obituary for a friend, but there was
is Stretching. Pekka Mäkinen's Information look further. The coverage from Mekas in no need to make it an obituary for the American
and Information 2 also seemed to rely on one Village Voice betrayed his lack of perception avant garde. How do film-makers like Andy
another. The interest in these photo images of the most interesting new directions. Noren, Barry Gerson, Larry Gotheim, Tony
came from the transformation that took place Kubelka's case is more complex; he does not and Beverley Conrad, David Rimmer, Paul
when the same image was printed in different write, and most of his influence is behind the Sharits, Taka Imura, Ernie Gehr, feel to be
colour combinations. scenes as co-director of Anthology, and joint moving into this exciting archival era ?
Again, whether it reflects the selection or is a director with Peter Kohnlechner of the For over ten years Jonas Mekas has been the
distinguishing aspect of Finnish graphics, I Austrian Film Museum and Archive. From the prophet of a new concept and situation for
noticed the prominence of several highly evidence of his own films, conversations and film. Perhaps it is appropriate for him to move
personal surreal images. Four prints by Väino involvement in the Viennese situation I find it into a new phase of consolidation; but if he no
Rouvinen included one called Angel of harder to assume a lack of perception. The longer identifies thoroughly with more active
Destruction which depicted an angel clutching a question of what he likes, and chooses to (and risky) sources of new creative energy,
bomb in her arms as she flew over a landscape. promote, especially in the case of the post-war as shown by organizations like Millennium,
Kimmo Kaivanto's Let the Sunshine In was a Austrian underground movement (which was then perhaps he should hand on his column
chain composed of hooked fingers and Z not influenced by America), and particularly to someone who does. New film-makers there
showed a burning hand trying to escape itself. where it relates to the work of Kurt Kren, is would then learn to live without Jonas.
There seemed also to be some humour in many pervaded with deep bitterness and suspicion.
prints like Koskinen's Finland is Crumbling and A full examination of this is contained in In the week following Christmas, Gallery
Reijo Koskela's This is how a Tie is Tied. Birgit Hein's book 'Film im Underground' House London continued with their mini film
There may have even been an indication of a (Ulstein paperback, DM 3.8o,1971), as is the festival. There was work by Gunter Brus,
Finnish graphic style present throughout the general issue of the non-awareness of European Tony Morgan, Robert Morris, Carolee
exhibition. It would seem to be typified by work in the USA. She makes a charge of 'new Schneeman, Anthony McCall and Hermann
images drawn with a crisp black line or dots on American cinema protectionism' on the part of Nietsch who (with help from Peter Kubelka and
white or a flat colour area — almost as if the the 'holy trinity' (Mekas, Kubelka, Sitney) Charlotte Moormann) created some stir with
rapidograph were a Finnish invention. which I agree with. However, recent tendencies his live (dead ?) event in December in New York.
The number of people who took a look at the in New York indicate that there is a wider There were some more fire construction pieces
exhibition while they were in the Library was problem than that of European versus American from Bill Lundberg, two new films (one for
amazing. I would expect that more people saw film-makers. Film-makers there are concerned four screens) by Gill Eatherly and a new set of
this exhibition than if it had been held almost about the effect of Anthology's elitist ethic. The projection pieces by myself.
anywhere in London. archive is certainly magnificent but the Anyone who is interested in the film situation
collection and presentation of current work give in Europe, particularly in England and Germany
Editions Press, 621 Minna Street, San a seal of official approval to the few who are should have the Gallery House catalogues,
Francisco, formerly Collector's Press, has presented, and makes recognition difficult for especially 'The Berlin Scene' 1972 and
recently released its first project. The Mexican those who are not. The effect is to dose up the `A Survey of the Avant Garde in Britain'
Masters Suite is a portfolio of eight colour situation, imposing the taste of an 'academy'. volume 3, (see Studio International December
lithographs, two each by José Luis Cuevas, There are alternative possibilities for 1972 p. 213).
David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, and screening in New York, but here the issue of
Francisco Zuniga. The prints were printed at publicity arises. Last December the screening NB Videoshow at the Hayward Gallery London
March. Work by Beuys, Dibbetts,
Editions Press's own studios by master-printer organizers of the three main alternatives to from
Ernest De Soto. q Anthology: Karen Cooper of Film Forum, David Rinke, Ruckreim, Serra, Sonnier and others. q
BUD SHARK Bienstock of the Whitney Museum (showing MALCOLM LE GRICE
104