Page 30 - Studio International - November December 1975

Diaries, Notes and Sketches, new films by Baillie, reciprocal initiative towards the reintegration of film
Conner, Frampton, Snow and Sonbert, and what to many into the broader spectrum of the avant-garde. Subsequent
was a first viewing of any work by Sharits ; and from shows at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, Garage, the
Europe, new films by Kren, the Heins, Nekes and 0, Serpentine Gallery, the Artists' Meeting Place and even
Winkelman's Heinrich Veil, Sistiaga's extraordinary on two rare occasions at the Tate appear to confirm this
35mm Cinemascope sprayed animation, and of course trend. (The second Tate season, the 'Avant-garde
Muehl's Sodoma and chicken 'action.' Published to British Landscape Films' series arranged by Dusinberre
coincide with the Festival, Afterimage issue 2 (edited by in March '75, is astonishingly the first instance in this
Field and Sainsbury) is devoted entirely to the avant- entire chronology of writing by an independent critic
garde film, the first English magazine to make such a (rather than by the film-maker himself) being
commitment (though only one of the films discussed is commissioned to accompany a film exhibition).
English). The increasing emphasis placed upon 'expansion' of
Spring '71. The Robert Street building is demolished ; cinema away from the traditional one-screen format
the co-op, re-housed in Prince of Wales Crescent, sets (described elsewhere in this issue of Studio
about rebuilding its workshops and constructing its own International) may in part be based on a related impulse
cinema. The N FT in the meantime allows us to follow to be literally inclusive of other artforms; the Breakwell/
the Festival with a weekly series, 'Development of the Leggett film-word-paintings and the Dunford/Potter
New Cinema', which shows English and international film-choreography— both of the early seventies — are
work but heretically includes features by Hanoun and examples. But the wider adoption of expanded cinema
others. This series initiated a continuing policy at the by the co-op group (illustrated at its peak at Gallery
N FT of allowing occasional seasons devoted to the House in March '73, at the '73 Festival and during the
avant -garde. (Gidal arranges 'English Independent summer of '74 when Nicolson took over the running of
Cinema' in '72 and 'Films from the LFM Co-op' in '73, the co-op cinema) seems more directly related to the
both exclusively of English work ; and a second whole dialogue between structure and informality already
International Festival happens in 1973). inherent in the English position.
September '71. The co-op cinema opens under Postscript :
Gidal's direction with once-weekly showings of February '75. The 'First Festival of Independent
international work in the co-op's collection, concentrating British Cinema' is held at Bristol. The extent to which the
on new acquisitions and increasingly on new English avant-garde has invaded the art school — the traditional
work per se. The year '71-2 saw Gidal and DuCane source of English artists' income—is very evident (Ron
enjoying the unprecedented luxury of being able to Haselden at Reading, Mike Leggett at Exeter, Guy
precede each new programme of films shown at the co-op Sherwin at the N. E. London Poly, David Hall and Tony
with a critical review in Time Out, plus occasional bonus Sinden (and Jeff Keen) at Maidstone, Anne Rees-Mogg
features on individual film-makers. This brief honeymoon at Chelsea, Gidal and Dwoskin at the RCA, Malcolm still
with the media possibly did more to establish a popular at St Martin's). Equally so (from the projected credits),
appreciation of the concerns of avant-garde cinema than the degree to which they are now individually supported
any other single event. It is more than just coincidence by Arts Council and BFI Production Board grants.
that the belated beginnings of a recognition by the BFI September '75. The co-op's move to new premises
and Arts Council of their responsibilities in this field (Fitzroy Road, NW1) is accompanied by its first major
originate precisely during this period. grant from the BFI for further workshop equipment.
November '71. In his final involvement with the Specifically included in the grant-application is provision
computer film, Malcolm announces a series of for salaried workshop staff and the co-op's declared
programmes displaying the 'historic background and intention to establish formal teaching sessions.
current situation in Abstract, Concrete and Cybernetic These latest moves confirm the avant-garde's
(Computer-based) Cinema.' As part of the unrealized complicity in its own institutionalization, and a further
series, Vanderbeek and John Whitney show full stage in its integration into the English pattern of
retrospectives at the US Embassy. education and patronage in the arts. To what extent it
April '72. Tony Rayns commences publication of can survive this orthodoxy, and preserve its radical
Cinema Rising, a paper devoted to all branches of cinema position in relation to the (equally uncommercial)
(it folds after 3 issues). Issue 1 includes a directory of 'commercial' cinema, is a question likely to be answered
English avant-garde and independent/political film- during the next ten years.
makers — the first group interestingly far-outnumbering the
second.
October '72. The inclusion of a number of film-
makers in the Survey of the Avant-garde in Britain
mounted by Gallery House suggests a limited but

Le Grice, Eatherley and Raban multi screen projection in Gallery House, March 1973
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