Origins and Ends

Assembled from the neglected 35mm shelf in the Coop's stacks, this program traces thematic resonances linking an otherwise diverse set of works from the Film-Makers' Cooperative's eclectic 35mm collection. For artists working in the world of experimental cinema, the relative aesthetic richness offered by 35mm film is typically outweighed by its costliness and limited potential for exhibition. The circumstances that led to the production of these works are thus highly varied. While many of these artists’ engagements with this format were motivated by specific creative concerns, some turned to 35mm out of technical necessity, others adopted it only after receiving substantial financial support, while still others encountered it through a sublime accident of history. Despite their different production contexts, however, each of these films employ captivating formal strategies that underscore the distinct aesthetic capacities of 35mm film, drawing on such methods as optical printing, direct animation, experimental editing techniques, stereo sound design, and split-screen effects to exploit this format’s specific audio-visual and material qualities. Featuring under-screened films by artists from the U.S., Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada, "Origins and Ends" presents an array of strategies for harnessing the experimental resources of the rich image.

Curated by Josh Guilford.