SERENE VELOCI TY:
COL L ECTI ON SCREENI NGS THURS. NOV. 15, 1979 MUSEUM OF ART THEATRE 8: 00
FI LM SECTI ON MUSEUM OF ART CARNEGI E I NSTI TUTE.
CORRI DOR ( 1970) 22 mi n. by. St an di s h L a u d e r SERENE VEL OCI TY ( 1970) 23 mi n. by Er ni e G e h r BARN RUSHES ( 1971) 34 mi n. by La r r y Go t t h e i m CORRI DOR: Us i ng a ho me - ma d e opt i c al p r i n t e r t o r e ph ot og r a ph t he i mages ma n y t i mes , t hi s f i l m begi ns wi t h t he t h r e e- di me ns i on al na t u r e o f t he c o r r i d o r an d t r an s o f r ms i t , and t he woman, i nt o s h i f t i ng, e l u s i v e ent i t i es . The s i mp l e r e t a n g u l a r c o r r i d o r s eems t o e v ol v e i nt o an e x p a n d e d u n d e r wa t e r c a t h ed r a l , f i na l l y b e c o mi n g da nc i n g ab s t r a c t i mages as i f a Fr anz Kl i n e pa i n t i n g had c o me t o l i f e. Th e Te r r y Ri l e y mu s i c ( Rai n bow i n Cu r v e d Ai r ) i s c r uc i al t o t he s t at e o f mi nd e v ok ed by t he f i l m. " The mo s t v i s u al l y d e ma nd i n g f i l m I ha v e made, CORRI DOR i s i n no s ens e an ' e nt er t a i n ment ' f i l m. I t i s be s t d e s c r i b e d as an o c c a s i o n f o r me d i t a t i v e s p ec ul at i o n, f or i t c r eat es i n t he s p e c t a t o r an e l e v a t e d ment al s t at e no r ma l l y a t t a i n a b l e t h r o ug h me d i t at i on, dr ugs , o r di r e c t el ec t r i c al s t i mu l a t i o n o f t he br ai n. Pa r t i c u l a r l y t owar ds t he end o f t he f i l m, t he s t r o bo s c o p i c f l uc t u at i o ns o f l i gh t br i n g ab ou t a c h a n g e i n br ai n wa v e ac t i v i t y of t he v i ewer t h r o ug h t he i n t e r f ac e s t i mu l a t i o n of al ph a - wa v e f r equenc i es . I n ad di t i on t o t he me d i t a t i v e t r a n c e - l i k e s t at e t hi s i nduc es , t her e ar e al s o i l l us i ons o f c o l o r s e ns at i o ns f r om t he h i g h - i n t e n s i t y v i b r a t i o n of l i ght on t he r et i na. Th e e x t e ns i v e t r a n s f or ma t i on s of t he i mage, r e s u l t i n g f r om a t woy e ar pe r i od o f wo r k and e x p e r i me nt at i o n , we r e c r e a t e d e n t i r e l y by h o me - ma d e f i l m p r i n t i ng equi pment . — St an di s h L a wd e r
SERENE VELOCI TY: " Er ni e Ge hr
us ed a mi n i n u n n u mb e r 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
of
s t r uc t ur al
c o mp on en t s
t o ma k e SERENE VELOCI TY:
f i x e d c a me r a po s i t i on f r ame by f r ame r e g i s t r a t i on z o o m pos i t i on s al t e r i n g ev e r y f o ur f r ames u n i f or m pr o g r e s s i o n of z o om pos i t i ons . . . pr omot i o n o f t he pai r s o f z o om po s i t i on s ev e r y s i x t y f eet
Th e r i g or ous ma i n t e n a n c e of t hes e f ew s t r uc t ur al r ol es an d t he ab s e n c e of c h ar ac t e r s and dr a mat i c ev ent s t e nd t o e mp h a s i z e t he au t o no mo us , d e p e r s o n a l i z e d s t a t ur e o f t he wor k . Th e d e s c r i pt i o n of t he me c h an i c s o f t he f i l m, ho we v e r , does not ac c o un t f or t he v i e wer ' s r es pons e. Ra t h e r t han e x p e r i e n c i n g t he wo r k as a s u c c e s s i o n of d i s c r et e uni t s o p e r a t i n g wi t h i n a s i mp l e met r i c al s y s t em, t he v i e we r be c o me s awar e of an i nc r ea s i ng c o mp l e x i t y o f v a r i ous f or mal at t r i but es . " Su p er i mpo s i t i on s a n d r h y t i t s el f , b e c o me a power f ul eac h i mage i s un de r c ut as a p pe ar t o mo v e l at e r a l l y , edge o f t he s c r een, door s The s i mu l t an ous pl ay o f t me t r i c s y s t e m wh i l e i t e s t r ec t i on of one' s gl an c e or ( t hr ough s c al e, c ol or , o r beat s ar e f el t . . . .
hmi c pat t er ns , no wh er e a p p a r e n t on t he f i l ms t r i p f a c t o r i n t he v i ewi n g ex per i en c e . Th e s t at i c q u a l i t y of t he l engt h b e t wee n z o o m pos i t i on s i nc r eas es . Wal l s t he ex i t s i gn pus hes t o wa r d s an d away f r om t he upper an d ob j e c t s al o n g t he wal l s e e m t o ad v a n c e and r et r eat . hes e and o t h e r p e r c ei v e d mo v e me nt s af f i r ms t he f our f r ame a bl i s he s a mo r e el a b o r a t e r hy t hm. De p e nd i n g on t he d i t he d o mi na nc e of a p a r t i c u a l r c o n f i g u a t i o n or o b j e c t v i v i d g r a p h i c c o mp o s i t i o n ) , pa t t er ns of s t r o ng and we a k
" I n an i n t e r v i e w wi t h J onas Mek as i n 1972, Ge h r r el a t i on s h i p b e t we e n f i l m an d ment al pr oc es s es . VEL OCI TY wer e:
ma de r e pe at ed r e f e r e nc e t o t he Hi s i nt e nt i o ns i n ma k i ng SERENE
a d e s i r e l es s t o ex pr es s my s e l f and mo r e o f ma k i n g s o me t h i n g ou t o f t he f i l m mat er i al i t s e l f r e l e v a nt t o f i l m f or s pi r i t ual p ur pos es . . . Wh a t I me an by ' s pi r i t ual ' i s s e n s i t i z i n g t he mi n d t o i t s own c o n s c i ou s n es s by a l l o wi n g t he mi n d s i mp l y t o o b s e r v e and d i g e s t t he ma t e r i al , t he f i l m p h e n o me n a pr es en t e d, r a t h er t han ma n i p u l a t i n g i t t o ev o k e moods and s ent i ment s . - - El l e n Fel dman, f r om A Hi s t or y of t he Ame r i c a n Av a n t - Ga r d e Ci n e ma / Pr o g r a m 7 BARN RUSHES: " A s er i es o f ei gh t i n t e r mi t t e nt gl i des pas t an up s t at e Mew Yor k bar n. The bar n, gent l y bo bb i n g on t he s c r een, r ev eal s i t s c h a n g i n g s i l h ou et t e , i t s e l f a s c r een. Eac h s u bs e c t i on , s e p a r a t e d f r om t he ot her s by l i gh t - s t r u c k f i l m ends i nt o wh i c h t he i l l us i on de s c ends ( and f r om wh i c h i t emer ge s ) , r ec or ds a d i f f e r e n t day / t i me/ l i ght s i t uat i on. A r a di ant s e r e n i t y r es ol v es t he op po s i t i o n s e x p l o r e d i n t he f i l m. The ey e i s pl eas ed, t he mi nd k eeps on t r an s c en di ng . " - - L a r r y Go t t h e i m
Thi s i s mad e po s s i b l e i n pa r t by gr ant s f r o m t he Nat i onal and t he Pe nn s y l v a n i a Counc i l on t he Ar t s ;
En d o wmen t
f or
t he Ar t s
Copyright © Creator, by permission. All rights reserved.
CMOA respects the intellectual property rights of artists and others. The CMOA website and all images and text contained therein are protected by applicable U.S. and international laws and regulations, and are owned by CMOA or used by CMOA with permission from the owners or under fair use or where otherwise specified. Copyright for some items are held by the artists and/or other third parties. You agree not to download, copy, reproduce, publish or transmit, or otherwise use any portion of the CMOA website (including any images or text contained therein), except for your own personal noncommercial use or “fair use,” as this term is defined by applicable copyright laws, without written permission from CMOA and/or other appropriate rights holders.
Commercial Use Is Restricted Unauthorized publication or exploitation of museum files is specifically prohibited. Anyone wishing to use any of these files or images for commercial use, publication, or any purpose other than fair use as defined by law must request and receive prior permission from the appropriate rights holder(s). CMOA reviews all requests on a case-by-case basis and may require payment of a license fee depending upon the intended nature of such use.
For additional information, see the Carnegie Museum of Art Terms of Use.
FI LM SECTI ON MUSEUM OF ART CARNEGI E I NSTI TUTE.
CORRI DOR ( 1970) 22 mi n. by. St an di s h L a u d e r SERENE VEL OCI TY ( 1970) 23 mi n. by Er ni e G e h r BARN RUSHES ( 1971) 34 mi n. by La r r y Go t t h e i m CORRI DOR: Us i ng a ho me - ma d e opt i c al p r i n t e r t o r e ph ot og r a ph t he i mages ma n y t i mes , t hi s f i l m begi ns wi t h t he t h r e e- di me ns i on al na t u r e o f t he c o r r i d o r an d t r an s o f r ms i t , and t he woman, i nt o s h i f t i ng, e l u s i v e ent i t i es . The s i mp l e r e t a n g u l a r c o r r i d o r s eems t o e v ol v e i nt o an e x p a n d e d u n d e r wa t e r c a t h ed r a l , f i na l l y b e c o mi n g da nc i n g ab s t r a c t i mages as i f a Fr anz Kl i n e pa i n t i n g had c o me t o l i f e. Th e Te r r y Ri l e y mu s i c ( Rai n bow i n Cu r v e d Ai r ) i s c r uc i al t o t he s t at e o f mi nd e v ok ed by t he f i l m. " The mo s t v i s u al l y d e ma nd i n g f i l m I ha v e made, CORRI DOR i s i n no s ens e an ' e nt er t a i n ment ' f i l m. I t i s be s t d e s c r i b e d as an o c c a s i o n f o r me d i t a t i v e s p ec ul at i o n, f or i t c r eat es i n t he s p e c t a t o r an e l e v a t e d ment al s t at e no r ma l l y a t t a i n a b l e t h r o ug h me d i t at i on, dr ugs , o r di r e c t el ec t r i c al s t i mu l a t i o n o f t he br ai n. Pa r t i c u l a r l y t owar ds t he end o f t he f i l m, t he s t r o bo s c o p i c f l uc t u at i o ns o f l i gh t br i n g ab ou t a c h a n g e i n br ai n wa v e ac t i v i t y of t he v i ewer t h r o ug h t he i n t e r f ac e s t i mu l a t i o n of al ph a - wa v e f r equenc i es . I n ad di t i on t o t he me d i t a t i v e t r a n c e - l i k e s t at e t hi s i nduc es , t her e ar e al s o i l l us i ons o f c o l o r s e ns at i o ns f r om t he h i g h - i n t e n s i t y v i b r a t i o n of l i ght on t he r et i na. Th e e x t e ns i v e t r a n s f or ma t i on s of t he i mage, r e s u l t i n g f r om a t woy e ar pe r i od o f wo r k and e x p e r i me nt at i o n , we r e c r e a t e d e n t i r e l y by h o me - ma d e f i l m p r i n t i ng equi pment . — St an di s h L a wd e r
SERENE VELOCI TY: " Er ni e Ge hr
us ed a mi n i n u n n u mb e r 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
of
s t r uc t ur al
c o mp on en t s
t o ma k e SERENE VELOCI TY:
f i x e d c a me r a po s i t i on f r ame by f r ame r e g i s t r a t i on z o o m pos i t i on s al t e r i n g ev e r y f o ur f r ames u n i f or m pr o g r e s s i o n of z o om pos i t i ons . . . pr omot i o n o f t he pai r s o f z o om po s i t i on s ev e r y s i x t y f eet
Th e r i g or ous ma i n t e n a n c e of t hes e f ew s t r uc t ur al r ol es an d t he ab s e n c e of c h ar ac t e r s and dr a mat i c ev ent s t e nd t o e mp h a s i z e t he au t o no mo us , d e p e r s o n a l i z e d s t a t ur e o f t he wor k . Th e d e s c r i pt i o n of t he me c h an i c s o f t he f i l m, ho we v e r , does not ac c o un t f or t he v i e wer ' s r es pons e. Ra t h e r t han e x p e r i e n c i n g t he wo r k as a s u c c e s s i o n of d i s c r et e uni t s o p e r a t i n g wi t h i n a s i mp l e met r i c al s y s t em, t he v i e we r be c o me s awar e of an i nc r ea s i ng c o mp l e x i t y o f v a r i ous f or mal at t r i but es . " Su p er i mpo s i t i on s a n d r h y t i t s el f , b e c o me a power f ul eac h i mage i s un de r c ut as a p pe ar t o mo v e l at e r a l l y , edge o f t he s c r een, door s The s i mu l t an ous pl ay o f t me t r i c s y s t e m wh i l e i t e s t r ec t i on of one' s gl an c e or ( t hr ough s c al e, c ol or , o r beat s ar e f el t . . . .
hmi c pat t er ns , no wh er e a p p a r e n t on t he f i l ms t r i p f a c t o r i n t he v i ewi n g ex per i en c e . Th e s t at i c q u a l i t y of t he l engt h b e t wee n z o o m pos i t i on s i nc r eas es . Wal l s t he ex i t s i gn pus hes t o wa r d s an d away f r om t he upper an d ob j e c t s al o n g t he wal l s e e m t o ad v a n c e and r et r eat . hes e and o t h e r p e r c ei v e d mo v e me nt s af f i r ms t he f our f r ame a bl i s he s a mo r e el a b o r a t e r hy t hm. De p e nd i n g on t he d i t he d o mi na nc e of a p a r t i c u a l r c o n f i g u a t i o n or o b j e c t v i v i d g r a p h i c c o mp o s i t i o n ) , pa t t er ns of s t r o ng and we a k
" I n an i n t e r v i e w wi t h J onas Mek as i n 1972, Ge h r r el a t i on s h i p b e t we e n f i l m an d ment al pr oc es s es . VEL OCI TY wer e:
ma de r e pe at ed r e f e r e nc e t o t he Hi s i nt e nt i o ns i n ma k i ng SERENE
a d e s i r e l es s t o ex pr es s my s e l f and mo r e o f ma k i n g s o me t h i n g ou t o f t he f i l m mat er i al i t s e l f r e l e v a nt t o f i l m f or s pi r i t ual p ur pos es . . . Wh a t I me an by ' s pi r i t ual ' i s s e n s i t i z i n g t he mi n d t o i t s own c o n s c i ou s n es s by a l l o wi n g t he mi n d s i mp l y t o o b s e r v e and d i g e s t t he ma t e r i al , t he f i l m p h e n o me n a pr es en t e d, r a t h er t han ma n i p u l a t i n g i t t o ev o k e moods and s ent i ment s . - - El l e n Fel dman, f r om A Hi s t or y of t he Ame r i c a n Av a n t - Ga r d e Ci n e ma / Pr o g r a m 7 BARN RUSHES: " A s er i es o f ei gh t i n t e r mi t t e nt gl i des pas t an up s t at e Mew Yor k bar n. The bar n, gent l y bo bb i n g on t he s c r een, r ev eal s i t s c h a n g i n g s i l h ou et t e , i t s e l f a s c r een. Eac h s u bs e c t i on , s e p a r a t e d f r om t he ot her s by l i gh t - s t r u c k f i l m ends i nt o wh i c h t he i l l us i on de s c ends ( and f r om wh i c h i t emer ge s ) , r ec or ds a d i f f e r e n t day / t i me/ l i ght s i t uat i on. A r a di ant s e r e n i t y r es ol v es t he op po s i t i o n s e x p l o r e d i n t he f i l m. The ey e i s pl eas ed, t he mi nd k eeps on t r an s c en di ng . " - - L a r r y Go t t h e i m
Thi s i s mad e po s s i b l e i n pa r t by gr ant s f r o m t he Nat i onal and t he Pe nn s y l v a n i a Counc i l on t he Ar t s ;
En d o wmen t
f or
t he Ar t s
Copyright © Creator, by permission. All rights reserved.
CMOA respects the intellectual property rights of artists and others. The CMOA website and all images and text contained therein are protected by applicable U.S. and international laws and regulations, and are owned by CMOA or used by CMOA with permission from the owners or under fair use or where otherwise specified. Copyright for some items are held by the artists and/or other third parties. You agree not to download, copy, reproduce, publish or transmit, or otherwise use any portion of the CMOA website (including any images or text contained therein), except for your own personal noncommercial use or “fair use,” as this term is defined by applicable copyright laws, without written permission from CMOA and/or other appropriate rights holders.
Commercial Use Is Restricted Unauthorized publication or exploitation of museum files is specifically prohibited. Anyone wishing to use any of these files or images for commercial use, publication, or any purpose other than fair use as defined by law must request and receive prior permission from the appropriate rights holder(s). CMOA reviews all requests on a case-by-case basis and may require payment of a license fee depending upon the intended nature of such use.
For additional information, see the Carnegie Museum of Art Terms of Use.
