Re: views on Views from the Avant-Garde Part 2

From: Cari Machet (email suppressed)
Date: Wed Nov 01 2006 - 18:13:29 PST


On 11/1/06, William Wees, Dr. <email suppressed> wrote:
> Scott makes some good points in questioning my statement about the lack of political films in the "Views" screenings. My statement applied to "Views" over the years, and was not directed specifically at this year's "Views." No doubt, I should have been a bit more cautious in my generalizations, but I think they hold true regarding "Views" screenings over the past ten years. For that matter, I think they also hold true for this year's screenings taken as a whole.
>
> Scott is right, too, to suggest that a-g films challenge the conventions of popular, commercial filmmaking, and are, in that sense, political. But how many of the films would strike a political scientist as political--i.e.. dealing with issues such as neo-colonialism, feminism, consumerism, racism, American imperialism, etc., etc.?

and classism
and classism
and classism
and any anti-capitalist

>
> Of course I'm not asking for PBS-style documentaries on political issues--or Michael Moore rants, for that matter. And I'm too far removed from the current a-g film scene to be able to name films that I think fit both categories of avant-garde and political, but I find it hard to believe they don't exist in far greater numbers than the "Views" screenings would lead us to believe. I just feel that--over all--formalist, "high art" criteria come first in the selection of films screened at "Views," and that seems to me unduly restrictive if one is interested in the full range of a-g production today.

wow
well yes i think there is just a huge difference between
academics and intelligence
and
while i believe that i have seen great shows at views
the curatorial aspect of show what u get sent
can just be really sad for me
and kinda hey wheres the curatorial aspect in that?
u end up with sort of like the outfits you get at a shopping mall
"oh this little sweater set goes well with these matching argile socks"
(1950's mentality)
as opposed to the amazing ladies i see here in chinatown
dressed in plaid, poka dot, flowers - all at once
to me one has more life than the other
i think the show would be well served to bring in
a guest curator
someone like bradley eros
or why not bradley himself? he has a brain
perhaps for at least one screening
- maybe they have done this
i don't know but -
it is widely accepted to curate with the
show what you get sent mentality but
widely accepted is not really ag is it?

thanks again DR (doc.)

c

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