10/6

1.      On one hand, because of the content and length, it can be seen as very boring because it is just a close up of a mouth. After learning more about the background of flux films, the function of the film makes a lot more sense. What seemed to be a simple long take of a mouth smiling transformed completely from the initial image because the smile faded incredibly slowly. I was amazed at how I did not even notice the change in the mouth (though I tried) until the film was almost over, therefore the duration was appropriate.

a.  In the true form of fluxus art-amusement, this piece was not incredibly profound or rare, it was simple and incredibly ordinary…anyone could do it! Therefore it conceptualized the idea of the “democratization” of art.

b.  This 11 min clip is not a piece of art or material object that would be bought or sold for lots of money, because that was obviously not what the filmmaker had in mind. If this were the case the artwork would have been more extravagant. It was made for the fun or involvement of it. It could make the audience feel involved because well, everyone has a mouth, and the viewer is slowly watching this subtle moment unfold.

2.  The central argument of Sitney is that American Avant Garde filmmakers aspire to represent the human mind. The poet’s inspiration comes from within. It seems to me that flux film is more of an outward reaction to the specific art films. The flux films in particular are parodies that blend a variety of traditional methods. It is technically not a type of art because flux art is not supposed to be pretentious.

Mary Jordan, Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis

3. Smith felt a connection with Maria Montez. She was a Dominican woman who rose above oppression and came to America in the 1940’s, becoming a superstar of the screen. When he saw her on Saturdays at the movies with his sister, he was incredibly moved to the point of crying. As a young gay male the idea of her success was inspiring to him. Her performances seemed sultry, fantastical, and glamorous, due to her clothing and attitude. As Smith said, you can tell when an actor is genuine because you “cannot tear your eyes away.”

4. New York in the 60’s was a community of artists escaping conformity and social conventions. This was a shift or reaction of the propaganda of the time. The community believed in real invention, provoking an awakening and new sense of freedom. People could live together in large populations and rent was incredibly cheap. It was the “city of opportunity.” In the trash dumps were mannequins, costumes, and “junk” that could be used in theatrical productions for free. It was like recreating a live movie without the budget.

5. Zorn says that Normal love, the amage to Marie Montez went “haywire.” The décor, crew, and audience followed an arrangement by Smith. The actual “show” was the event that unfolded before everyone’s eyes. This is in the true spirit of the time because the performance and act of creating art was more important than the final outcome.

Smith was incredibly influential to filmmakers and especially Warhol. There was a competition it seemed. Warhol was a person that was easily famous but Smith had more of a cult following because of his eccentric character and bizarre antics. Basically Warhol documented Smith to use as a subject and popularized his way of thinking. Jack Smith’s idea of having complete control over the set was a concept that influenced others of the time. He was so deeply involved in his work that he was the work itself, while Warhol remained more detached. Warhol’s “hyperbole photo studio” and famous parties with the “superstars of cinema” were both concepts that Smith invented (example: his obsession with actors such as Maria Montez).  The documentary even showed a quote of Warhol’s that said Smith was the only person he would ever try to copy.

6. What is meant by the slogan, “no more masterpieces” and how did Smith resist commodification (or the production of art products)?

An object can be “seized, captured, or banned” but a live performance happens and is talked about… it is an experience that cannot be taken away from the director, actors, or audience. To Smith, the “object” was always evolving and changing. It was not an item to be idolized. Art was not a business to Smith like it was to Warhol, it was a lifestyle.

Callie Angell, “Andy Warhol, Filmmaker”
[This can be found in the Kreul Articles folder from your flash drive]

7. His early career is characterized by incredibly long takes, a lack of action, and a huge budget that no one else would have been able to afford. He referenced the world of avant garde by showing an influence from other filmmaker. Examples included Sleep, Kiss, Eat and Haircut which all have to do with long unedited shots of repetitive routines in the everyday world.  Sleep is a montage of a human subject sleeping. Warhol faced difficulties of being limited by the equipment he had, which was a silent 16mm Bolex. In Empire, he used a subject that was inanimate. It was also a long take with no editing.

8. There were 500 of them in a time period of 2 years (1964-1966) and they were like a guest book for the people involved with the Factory. Instead of signing, there were portraits of various celebrities and workers filmed on the spot. It is a documentation that has been kept to show the NY arts scene of the 60’s. The screen tests sometimes led to someone (an actor) getting a role in one of Warhol’s films, such as Mario Montez and his banana.

9. How does Angell characterize the first period of sound films in Warhol’s filmmaking career? Who was Warhol’s key collaborator for the early sound films? What are some of the films from this period and what formal properties did they share?

When he got his sound camera, he began to make films that were described as a kind of “delineated performance space” where there was basic structure and setting, but the events were mostly improvised and always unique. Dialogue and lines were said but sometimes forgotten or mixed up. Basically they were in the true tradition of avant garde because whatever was recorded would be the final film.