Page 64 - Studio International - March April 1975

Vladimir Stenberg's 1973 tracings some of the glaring errors and approximately an hour. In
addition there will be one-man
Feedback of 1919 drawings by himself and omissions, which are inevitable shows by the three main
his brother which relate to the
for this form of festival took place.
constructions. Important works by Gidal and contributors to the mixed
John Ducane were excluded from programmes —4 March, William
Von der Fläche zum Raum/ Russian Constructivism competition by the Belgian Raban; 11 March, Chris Welsby;
From Surface to Space, Russland/ revisited the 20-page catalogue selection committee, and in spite 18 March, René Croft; all these
Russia, 1916-24 is the 164 page from the Hatton Gallery, of the wishes of the final Jury, shows begin at 6.30 pm. The
paperback book which was Newcastle upon Tyne relates to their work could not be eligible film-makers will be present to
occasioned by, and which also the March 1974 exhibition which for prizes. This was particularly introduce and discuss their work
catalogues, the exhibition at the attempted to recreate certain of unfortunate for John Ducane, as for these evening presentations,
Galerie Gmurzynska, 5 KOIn 1, the artworks known only from P. Adams Sitney, a member of the and they will have an opportunity
Schaafenstrasse 67, during the photographs of the 1921 jury, pressed very hard for a prize to show films which are not shown
Autumn 1974 (£5.00). Its cover Obmokhu exhibition. The for his film Relations, which could in the afternoons, and also to
bears a bled off and surprisingly catalogue contains a number of not be given as the film was only screen work which does not
clean and clear photograph of one illustrations of work by shown out of competition. directly relate to the 'Landscape'
end of the Second Obmokhu Rodchenko among others, as well However, even though a number idea which is the central theme.
exhibition held in Moscow in as an introductory text by John of the best British experimental Each week, two of the afternoon
1921. This and the few other Milner, and a short piece on film-makers chose not to enter the programmes — Mondays and
similar surviving photographs Mayakovsky by Svetlana le competition — no provision was Wednesdays — will also be
from this period of Russian art Fleming. However it is made for multi-projection or introduced, in this case by Deke
history, are steadily surrendering supplemented by a brief article performance work which Dusinberre, and students of art
their content; one is gradually in issue number 5 of One automatically excluded fifty per and film are particularly welcome
being educated into seeing what magazine for November 1974 cent of the recent work here — four to these shows which can extend
the photograph recorded, rather (15 p from 1 Lever Street, London of the prizes went to British into a seminar/discussion if the
than simply being excited by such ECI) and particularly by the film-makers, Richard Wooley, audience is so inclined.
frail traces of remarkable but accompanying photographs of Anna Ambrose, Anthony McCall Dusinberre, who has selected and
apparently vanished works, some of the facsimiles cf works and Mike Dunford. I do not know organized the whole series, is a
particularly by means of the by Rodchenko and George the work of the first two, but I am young American film critic,
reconstruction and rediscovery of Stenberg made by the particularly pleased that Mike currently writing a thesis on
pieces known formerly only Department of Fine Art at Dunford's Still Life with Pear and British avant-garde cinema.
through reproduction. Newcastle University, which are Anthony McCall's Line Describing Whilst he admits that the
not illustrated in the Newcastle a Cone were recognized as landscape 'tag' is a somewhat
Half of the content of From catalogue. important works. I was also glad arbitrary classification, it none-
Surface to Space relates directly to see that films by Peter Ducane, theless represents one identifiable
to the exhibition in that it Vordemberge-Gildewart William Raban and Marilyn axis of the recent work in this
illustrates works exhibited and Remembered is another catalogue Halford were chosen for country. This direction began
gives substantial biographical of some substance which competition—Marilyn Halford is a largely in 1970-71 with the
information about each artist documents the life of an artist particularly bright new film- collaboration between William
represented, but the other half whose activities commence just maker who has just begun to show Raban and Chris Welsby,
is made up of parallel German as the period encompassed by work in London. (A fuller review culminating in their joint
and English versions of essays From Surface to Space comes to a of the Knokke festival appears production of the two screen
which discuss aspects of the close, and whose life is an example on page 137 of this section.) River Yar, completed in '72. Their
period, or the work of specific of the, sometimes enforced, In January, I wrote about the early work together, and much of
artists, as well as including cosmopolitanism of certain problem of independent film on their separate work since, has
pieces by Malevich and artists between the wars. The 160- TV, and mentioned the been concerned with some form of
Rodchenko. The bare bones of page catalogue was occasioned establishment of the Independent landscape observation. Certainly
Camilla Gray's 1962 pioneer by an exhibition at Annely Juda Film-makers Association — IFA. the 'landscape' aspect of the work
study are in the process of being Fine Art, 11 Tottenham Mews, At the time of writing, there have is significant, but perhaps more
fleshed out by publications such London W1P 9PJ in the autumn been three general meetings of significant is the almost systematic
as this, in which the fruits of the of 1972, it costs £3.50. Nearly a the Association, which exploration of various
diligent searching of archives, quarter of the works exhibited concentrated on the TV issue — observational procedures. For
and of the tracking down and were lent by Frau Vordemberge- agreeing a submission for the both film-makers this begins with
examination of fugitive Gildewart, however, all these and Annan commission and beginning the simple, time-lapse method,
publications, as well as the first most of the additional works were preliminary discussions with the resulting in the compression of
publication of newly translated by Vordemberge-Gildewart's BBC about a series of Independent large-scale time events like tide,
texts, are first disseminated to a friends, associates and heirs, Film presentations. The cloud movements, passage of sun,
wider public. For example from Beckmann to Bill, and attendance at these meetings has stars or moon, into periods which
Tatlin's encounter with Picasso Lissitzky to Lohse. The text of been very high, and the level of can be experienced kinetically. Of
is here described more fully than the catalogue (in both German debate extremely good. The itself, this technique is neither
before, thanks to a recent and English) by Gerhard Weber membership is expanding rapidly. surprising nor especially
Russian publication, while two chronicles the artist's movements (Jan/Feb 'Vision' has membership innovatory, but for both film-
previously unknown letters by and friendships, and is augmented details.) In the immediate future, makers it only served as a point of
Malevich in the Pushkin by photographs, some from the meetings will be held on the first departure for the examination of
Museum are published for the family album, as well as Saturday of each month, other methods of sampling; like in
first time as a result of their reproductions of the remarkable beginning at 1.30 at NFT 3. Now Welsby's case systems based on
discovery by Szymon Bojko; entries and illustrations in that the TV debate has been wind speed and direction, and a
Vordemberge-Gildewart's
the Pushkinskii Dom archive has largely completed, the future concentration on unexpected
also yielded others from guest-book, of exhibition meetings are expected to filmic problems which emerged
Malevich to Matyushin. Doctors installations, and of publications concentrate more on the question originally as by-products, like
Bowlt, Bojko and Kovtun all with which he was associated. of cinema presentation and Raban's exploration of the effect
contribute informative articles, Clive Phillpot distribution in GB. of exposure-time on colour
and Bowlt has also compiled a Perhaps the most encouraging emulsion sensitivity. René Croft,
detailed chronology commencing news this month is that the Tate who is the other main contributor
in 1910 and petering out in 1934, will at last present its first to the series, has worked mainly
with an additional section coherent review of an aspect of in 8mm. Like Welsby and Raban
documenting the 'events which Vision the new British cinema. As with (and a large proportion of film
have helped to rehabilitate the two previous forays by the experimenters), Croft originates
certain Russian artists' from 1962 Tate, the series of British from a painting/sculpture
onwards. Apart from the For a change, I have to write Landscape Film, to be run from background, and his work is
reproduction of covers of about a number of events which the 3 to 21 March, has sprung probably most related to the
publications of the period and are basically very encouraging. from the initiative of Terry concept and land-art film
photos of the artists, a First, Knokke. Belgium's Fifth Measham of the education produced by artists like Richard
particularly interesting feature of International Film Competition, department. But this is by far the Long, Dan Graham or Robert
the illustrations is the recording which was held at Christmas, most ambitious programme to Smithson.
of recently relocated constructions allows me the subtle duality of date. There are to be three mixed There is some indication that
by Rodchenko and the both saying 'I told you so' and at programmes, each running for a certain of the films included in the
Stenbergs, the work of the latter the same time being pleased by week (weekdays only) at midday series might be purchased for the
being presented together with some of the results. As I expected, and also at 4.00 pm for Tate's film collection. I hope all
134