The curator Garbiñe Ortega presents the 16 mm work of the American film maker, Bruce Baillie.
This program crosses part of the life and work of Bruce Baillie, the American Quijote whose mission has been always the search of the spiritual essence, beyond the surfaces, a world increasingly aligned and confused. In this program there will be read some letters of the correspondence that it supported during decades with two of his most dear friends, Stan Brakhage and Chick Strand.
PART ONE: LET'S NOT BE SO SERIOUS ABOUT ART – CANYON CINEMA COMMUNITY
The programme includes screenings of films by directors from the Canyon Cinema community and others influenced by the spirit of that movement.
Bruce Baillie and Chick Strand founded Canyon Cinema in 1961. The original purpose of Canyon Cinema was to bring people together, to establish a connection “between the people and what was happening.” (Baillie). They organized screenings of experimental, documentary, and narrative films in East Bay backyards and community centres. Acting in response to a lack of public venues for independent movies, they were part of a wider explosion in American avant-garde film. The era was one of social idealism and communal energy, and the films they showcased boldly embraced purely cinematic visual expression and cultural critique.
The Bed, James Broughton, 1968, 20'
Angel Blue Sweet Wings, Chick Strand, 1966, 3'
Riverbody, Anne Severson, 1971, 7'
INTERLUDE: Garbiñe Ortega will read some letters from Bruce Baillie.
PANTALLA FANTASMA, PRESENTATION OF THE 5TH EXHIBITION OF STRANGE CINEMA.
Mr Hayashi, Bruce Baillie, 1961, 3'
Mass for Dakota Sioux, Bruce Baillie, 1964, 20'
Valentin de las Sierras, Bruce Baillie, 1971, 10'
To Parsifal, Bruce Baillie, 1963, 16' All my Life, Bruce Baillie, 1966, 3'
The curator Garbiñe Ortega presents the 16 mm work of the American film maker, Bruce Baillie.