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22/10/2003

Polish Animation

The Museum of Modern Art - MoMA, New York

EXPERIMENTAL, AND AVANT-GARDE CINEMA

82 Titles by Leading Polish Filmmakers, Including Jan Lenica, Zbigniew Rybczyxski, Jerzy Kucia, Piotr Dumaxa, Stefan and Franciszka Themerson, and Roman Polaxski

A Short History of Polish Animation
October 23-November 2, 2003

A Short History of Polish Avant-Garde and Experimental Film
October 25-November 2, 2003

MoMA Film at The Gramercy Theatre

NEW YORK, September 17, 2003-The Museum of Modern Art presents an exhibition of 82 short films from Poland, representing fifty years of creative and subversive animation, avant-garde, and experimental filmmaking. A Short History of Polish Animation and A Short History of Polish Avant-Garde and Experimental Film will be presented from October 23-November 2, 2003 at MoMA Film at The Gramercy Theatre, where filmmaker Zbigniew Rybczyxski will introduce the opening night program on October 23, and then his Oscar-winning film Tango (1980) as part of the experimental program on October 25. This exhibition was organized by Joshua Siegel, Assistant Curator, Department of Film and Media, and Marcin Gixycki, a Polish expert on the history of animation and the author of Nie tylko Disney (Disney Was Not the Only One).

For the past five decades, Polish filmmakers have drawn on their nation's rich tradition of graphic art, avant-garde theater, and puppetry to create some of the most technically sophisticated, darkly satiric, and fantastical animation in the world. A Short History of Polish Animation is a survey of Poland's finest hand-drawn and computer animation from the past fifty years, the most comprehensive assembled in the United States. The exhibition reveals a wide range of animation forms and techniques, whether in Jan Lenica and Walerian Borowczyk's surrealist visions of the late 1950s and early 1960s; Witold Giersz's vibrant calligraphies of oil-based paint from the 1960s; Jerzy Kucia's jarring juxtapositions of sound and image in the 1970s; Piotr Dumaxa's groundbreaking plaster-plate innovations of the 1980s and 1990s; and Tomek Bagixski's computer-generated Art Nouveau fantasy Cathedral, nominated for an Oscar in 2002.

Joshua Siegel writes, 'Polish artists, filmmakers, and intellectuals living under Communism felt it to be a struggle of absurd, unceasing proportions. Faced with an overwhelming sense of disillusionment, anxiety, and moral indignation, these artists embraced the writings of Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, Harold Pinter, and the French existentialists, cloaking their indictments of Stalinism and repression in allegorical storytelling and ironical wit. Today, Poland's venerable animation studios and independent animation filmmakers continue to produce works noted for their atmospheric tension, their subtle graphic shadings, and their surrealistic, at times even grotesque, attention to detail.
Voyeurism, cruel humor, and violence-whether explicitly evoked or suspensefully intimated-are other distinguishing and enduring traits.'

The accompanying two-part program A Short History of Polish Avant-Garde and Experimental Film focuses on the career and legacy of Stefan and Franciszka Themerson, the husband-and-wife team who created innovative abstract and structuralist film experiments, first in Poland in the 1930s and then in England both during and after World War II. The Themersons' small but influential body of work and critical writing inspired Roman Polaxski's celebrated 1958 short Two Men and a Wardrobe; the x'dx-based Film Form Workshop of the 1970s; and Zbigniew Rybczyxski, who on October 25 will present his Oscar-winning film Tango (1980), his pioneering music videos, and other radical experiments in animation and optical printing.

This exhibition is presented in association with the Polish Cultural Institute in New York. Special thanks to Monika Fabijaxska and Pawex Potoroczyn of the Polish Cultural Institute; Mateusz Werner, Adam Mickiewicz Institute (Warsaw); Andrzej Goleniewski, Director, Film Polski (Warsaw); Wojciech Krukowski, Director, the Center for Contemporary Arts (Warsaw); Marek Serafixski, Chairman, Animated Film Section, the Polish Filmmakers Union (Warsaw); Andrzej Traczykowski, Director, Educational Film Studio (x'dx); Andrzej Bednarek and Maria Kornatowska, the x'dx Film School; Jerzy Kucia; Barbara Piwowarska; Slawomir Grunberg; and Thomas Renholder.

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A SHORT HISTORY OF POLISH ANIMATION
SCREENING SCHEDULE

Thursday, October 23

8:15 p.m. Program 1: The Golden Age
A whirlwind tour of Polish animated film from the 1960s to the mid-1980s, featuring the gallows humor of Jan Lenica and Zofia Oraczewska; experiments in paint, plaster, and rubber stamping by Witold Giersz, Piotr Dumaxa, and Julian Antonisz; and a day-in-the-life, split-screen narrative by Oscarxwinning artist Zbigniew Rybczyxski, who introduces the screening on October 23.

Bankiet (The Banquet). 1974. Directed by Zofia Oraczewska. 8 min.
Czar K'xek (The Charm of the Two Wheels). 1966. Directed by Kazimierz Urbaxski. 7min.
Fotel (A Chair). 1963. Directed by Daniel Szczechura. 6 min.
Labirynt (Labyrinth). 1962. Directed by Jan Lenica. 14 min.
Kox (Horse).1967. Directed by Witold Giersz. 6 min.
Refleksy (Reflections). 1979. Directed by Jerzy Kucia. 7 min.
Nowa Ksixxka (The New Book). 1975. Directed by Zbigniew Rybczyxski. 10 min.
Sxoxce - Film Bez Kamery (The Sun: A Non-Camera Film). 1977. Directed by Julian Antonisz. 4 min.
xagodna (Gentle Spirit). 1985. Directed by Piotr Dumaxa. 12 min.
Total running time 74 min.

Friday, October 24

4:00 p.m. Program 2: Jan Lenica and Walerian Borowczyk
This rich survey of films by Jan Lenica, who was a major influence on Roman Polaxski and many others, ranges from his surrealist collages with Walerian Borowczyk to his last film, the sci-fi allegory The Island of R.O., and a documentary on its production by Marcin Gixycki.

Dom (House). 1958. Directed by Jan Lenica, Walerian Borowczyk. 12 min.
Sztandar Mxodych (The Banner of Youth). 1958. Directed by Lenica, Borowczyk. 1958. 3 min.
Szkoxa (The School). 1959. Directed by Borowczyk. 8 min.
Byx sobie raz... (Once Upon a Time). 1957. Directed by Lenica, Borowczyk. 9 min.
Italy 61. 1961. Directed by Lenica, Wojciech Zamecznik. 3 min.
Les Astronautes. 1959. Directed by Borowczyk, Chris Marker. 10 min.
Nowy Janko Muzykant (The New Janko Musician). 1960. Directed by Lenica. 10 min.
Die Nashorner (The Rhinoceros). 1963. Directed by Lenica. 11 min.
Wyspa R.O. (The Island of R.O.). 2001. Directed by Lenica. 33 min.
Wyspa Jana Lenicy (The Island of Jan Lenica). 1998. Directed by Marcin Gixycki. 29 min.
Total running time 128 min.

6:45 p.m. Program 3: Early Stirrings, Witold Giersz, and Mirosxaw Kijowicz
Polish animation was ambitious from the start: Ladislaw Starewicz worked with puppets and stop-motion; Witold Giersz with oil-based paints; Jan Janczak with collage; and Mirosxaw Kijowicz with deceptively simple line drawings that belied their subversive political underpinnings.

Zmiana Warty (The Changing of the Guard). 1958. Directed by Halina Bielixska, Wxodzimierz Haupe. 9 min.
Maxy Western (Little Western). 1960. Directed by Witold Giersz. 5 min.
Oczekiwanie (Awaiting). 1962. Directed by Giersz, Ludwik Perski. 9 min.
Czerwone i Czarne (Red and Black). 1963. Directed by Giersz. 7 min.
Materia (Matter).1963. Directed by Kazimierz Urbaxski. 9 min.
Aqua Pura. 1970. Directed by Jan Janczak. 8 min.
Klatki (Cages). 1966. Directed by Mirosxaw Kijowicz. 9 min.
Droga (Road). 1971. Directed by Kijowicz. 4 min.
Mxyn (Mill). 1971. Directed by Kijowicz. 11 min.
A-B. 1978. Directed by Kijowicz, 1978, 4 min.
Cinema verité. 1979. Directed by Andrzej Warchax. 2 min.
Total running time 77 min.

Saturday, October 25

3:30 p.m. Program 4: Jerzy Kucia and Piotr Dumaxa
Kucia and Dumaxa, two extraordinary talents still working in Poland, are the recipients of many international festival prizes. Dumaxa employs his trademark plaster-plate technique for surrealist fables and interpretations of Kafka and Dostoevsky (see Gentle Spirit, Program 1). Kucia's impressionistic portraits of town and country are masterpieces of interwoven sound and image.

Czarny Kapturek (Little Black Riding Hood). 1982. Directed by Piotr Dumaxa. 6 min.
Latajxce Wxosy (Flying Hairs). 1984. Dumaxa. 8 min.
Wolnoxx Nogi (Freedom of the Leg). 1988. Dumaxa. 10 min.
Powr't (The Return). 1972. Jerzy Kucia. 9 min.
Wiosna (The Spring). 1980. Kucia. 9 min.
Parada (The Parade). 1986. Kucia. 14 min.
Franz Kafka. 1991. Dumaxa. 16 min.
Total running time 72 min.

Sunday, October 26

4:00 p.m. Program 5: Portraits in Black: Stefan Schabenbeck, Ryszard Czekaxa, and Others
Stefan Schabenbeck's absurdist tales of Sisyphean men and recalcitrant machines; Ryszard Czekaxa's nightmarish scenes of a Nazi concentration camp; and Jerzy Kalina's and Julian Antonisz's visions of madness all confirm Polish animation's dark cast.

Wszystko Jest Liczbx (Everything Is a Number). 1966. Directed by Stefan Schabenbeck. 8 min.
Schody (Stairs). 1968. Directed by Schabenbeck. 7 min.
Susza (Drought). 1969. Directed by Schabenbeck, Henryk Ryszka. 5 min.
Syn (The Son). 1970. Directed by Ryszard Czekaxa. 10 min.
Apel (The Roll-Call). 1970. Directed by Czekaxa. 7 min.
Jesiex (The Fall). 1976. Directed by Zbigniew Szymaxski. 7 min.
Martwy Ciex (Dead Shadow). 1980. Directed by Andrzej Klimowski. 10 min.
Portret Niewierny (Unfaithful Portrait). 1981. Directed by Ewa Bibaxska. 8 min.
Esperalia. 1983. Directed by Jerzy Kalina. 9 min.
M'j Dom (My Apartment House). 1983. Directed by Jacek Kasprzycki. 10 min.
xwiatxo w Tunelu (Light at the End of the Tunnel). 1985. Directed by Julian Antonisz. 9 min.

Total running time 90 min.

6:00 p.m. Program 6: Daniel Szczechura, Piotr Kamler, and the New Guard
Polish animation of recent years combines cutting-edge technologies with traditional practices. This program features Daniel Szczechura's bitter, melancholic renderings of Polish domestic life; Mariola Brillowska's sado-erotic Grabowski, House of Life; and Tomek Bagixski's Oscar-nominated Cathedral, a computer-generated art nouveau fantasy.

Le Pas. 1974. Directed by Piotr Kamler. 6 min.
Hobby. 1968. Directed by Daniel Szczechura. 8 min.
Podr'x (A Trip). 1970. Directed by Szczechura. 7 min.
Skok (Jump). 1978. Directed by Szczechura. 5 min.
Fatamorgana 2 (Mirage 2). 1983. Directed by Szczechura.10 min.
Wyxcig (Race). 1989. Directed by Marek Serafixski. 7 min.
Widok z G'ry (A View from Above). 1978. Directed by Marek Komza. 5 min.
Garb (A Hunchback). 1982. Directed by Andrzej Czeczot. 4 min.
Grabowski, Haus des Lebens (Grabowski, House of Life). 1990. Germany. Directed by Mariola Brillowska. 20 min.
Za Grosz (For a Penny). 1998. Directed by Agnieszka Woxnicka. 7 min.
Fryzjer (The Barber). 1996. Directed by Robert Sowa. 5 min.
Katedra (Cathedral). 2002. Directed by Tomek Bagixski. 7 min.

Total running time 91 min.

Thursday, October 30

6:00 p.m. Program 4: Jerzy Kucia and Piotr Dumaxa. See Saturday, October 25, 3:30 p.m.
7:45 p.m. Program 2: Jan Lenica and Walerian Borowczyk. See Friday, October 24, 4:00 p.m.

Friday, October 31

2:00 p.m. Program 1: The Golden Age. See Thursday, October 23, 8:15 p.m.
4:00 p.m. Program 3: Early Stirrings, Witold Giersz, and Mirosxaw Kijowicz . See Friday, October 24, 6:45 p.m.

Saturday, November 1

3:00 p.m. Program 6: Daniel Szczechura, Piotr Kamler, and the New Guard. See Sunday, October 26, 6:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m. Program 5: Portraits in Black: Stefan Schabenbeck, Ryszard Czekaxa, and Others. See Sunday, October 26, 4:00 p.m.

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A SHORT HISTORY OF POLISH AVANT-GARDE AND EXPERIMENTAL FILM
SCREENING SCHEDULE

Saturday, October 25

6:00 p.m. Program 1

Pharmacy (Apteka). 1930/2001. Poland/USA. Directed by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson, Bruce Checefsky. 5 min.
Tam i Tu (Here and There). 1957. Directed by Andrzej Pawxowski. 9 min.
Or. 1985. Directed by Jalu Kurek, Ignacy Szczepanski, Marcin Gixycki. 4 min.
Dzix Mamy Bal (There Is a Ball Today). 1934. Directed by Jerzy Zarzycki, Tadeusz Kowalski. 7 min.
Przygoda Czxowieka Poczciwego (Adventure of a Good Citizen). 1937. Directed by S. and F. Themerson. 8 min.
Dwaj Ludzie z Szafx (Two Men and a Wardrobe). 1958. Directed by Roman Polaxski. 15 min.
Calling Mr. Smith. 1943. Great Britain. Directed by S. and F. Themerson. 10 min.
Strojenie Instrumentow (Tuning the Instruments). 2000. Directed by Jerzy Kucia. 16 min.
The Eye and the Ear. 1945. Great Britain. Directed by S. and F. Themerson. 10 min.

Total running time 84 min.

8:00 p.m. Program 2 (introduced by Zbigniew Rybczyxski)

Sxodkie Rytmy (Sweet Rythms). 1965. Directed by Kazimierz Urbaxski. 6 min.
Rynek (Market). 1970. Directed by J'zef Robakowski. 5 min.
Idx (I Am Going). 1973. Directed by Robakowski. 2 min.
Inwentaryzacja (Inventory). 1970. Directed by Wojciech Bruszewski. 4 min.
Wszystko (Everything). 1972. Directed by Piotr Szulkin. 7 min.
Copyright by Film Polski. 1976. Directed by Szulkin. 2 min.
Blok (Apartment House). 1982. Directed by Hieronim Neumann. 7 min.
Zupa (Soup). 1974. Directed by Zbigniew Rybczyxski. 8 min.
xwixto (Holiday). 1976. Directed by Rybczyxski. 9 min.
Close to the Edit. 1984. USA. Directed by Rybczyxski. Music by Art of Noise. 4 min.
Imagine. 1986. USA. Directed by Rybczyxski. Music by John Lennon. 3 min.
Tango. 1980. Directed by Rybczyxski. 8 min.
Pierwszy Film (The First Film). 1981. Directed by J'zef Piwkowski. 10 min.
Catch The Tiger. 1993. Directed by Jarosxaw Kapuxcixski. 10 min.
Beta Nassau. 1993. Directed by Piotr Wyrzykowski. 9 min.
Total running time 94 min.

Sunday, November 2

2:00 p.m. Avant-Garde and Experimental Program 1. See Saturday, October 25, 6:00 p.m.
3:45 p.m. Avant-Garde and Experimental Program 2. See Saturday, October 25, 8:00 p.m.

____________

Press Contact: Paul Power, (212) 708-9847

Box Office: Monday and Thursday, 1:30-8:30 p.m.; Friday, 1:30-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 12:30-9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 12:30-7:30 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Admission: $12, $8.50 seniors and students with valid ID. For screenings after 4:00 p.m. on Fridays, admission is pay-what-you-wish. A MoMA Gramercy film ticket stub may be used for one admission to MoMA QNS for up to 30 days from the date on the ticket. Likewise, a MoMA QNS ticket stub may be used for one day of films at The Gramercy Theatre.

Ticketing: MoMA film tickets will be available only at The Gramercy Theatre box office during box office hours. Film tickets will not be distributed at MoMA QNS. A limited number of advance tickets for each film will be available to all MoMA members one week in advance for a 50 cent service charge. For information on ticket availability, call The Gramercy Theatre box office during box office hours at (212) 777-4900.

Subway: x 6 Local train to 23 St station; N or R train to 23 St station. Walk east on 23 St for MoMA Gramercy.

Bus: x M23 to Lexington Avenue; M1 to Park Avenue and 23 St.; M101, M102, or M103 to Third Avenue and 23 St.

The public may call the box office at (212) 777-4900 for detailed program information.

MoMA Film at The Gramercy Theatre, 127 East 23 Street, between Lexington and Park Avenues, closer to Lexington.

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