Thwarted Representations

Canadian artist and filmmaker Joyce Wieland (1931–1998) played a key role in the New York structural film movement in the 1960s, while her combination of national and feminist issues and concerns made her a major protagonist in the Canadian art scene from the 1970s. Over two evenings, we will focus on Wieland’s films, which address both a political and public realm and the artist’s own private autobiography. This program attempts a genealogical definition of Wieland‘s portrait films in the context of the New York film avant-garde of the 1960s and beyond, and also wishes to show the relevance of these films for art today.

Curated by Bettina Brunner
 

„I can never see beyond two pages.“ (Joyce Wieland)

The second evening focuses on Wieland’s film A & B in Ontario (1967/1984). This film was made together with the filmmaker Hollis Frampton. It was conceived as a wild chase, during which Wieland and Frampton each direct their cameras at the other. A & B in Ontario is a humorous double portrait of two friends. The film also provides key insight into Wieland’s artistic practice and biography. This will be placed into context in a lecture and a short film program.

Program

Joyce Wieland (with Hollis Frampton), A & B in Ontario, 1967/1984, 16 min
Lecture: Bettina Brunner, Von Katzen, Körpern und Segelbooten (On Cats, Bodies, and Sailboats)

Joyce Wieland, Peggy’s Blue Skylight, 1964/1986, 12 min
Laure Prouvost, The Artist, 2010, 10 min
Joyce Wieland, Water Sark, 1965, 13 min
Beatrice Gibson, Agatha, 2012, 15 min

Presented by Bettina Brunner

Bettina Brunner works at the interface between curatorial practice and academic research in the field of avant-garde film and contemporary art. In 2017 she completed her dissertation at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna titled Eine durchkreuzte Geschichte des strukturellen Films (A Thwarted History of Structural Film), also dealing with Wieland’s works from the perspective of the New York film avant-garde.