After nearly a year and a half of relative quiet, the AgX Film Collective reemerges with an outdoor program of film and live sound, co-presented by our friends at Non-Event. Bringing together single and double 16mm projections, single-channel video and live sound, this program showcases a range of formal approaches and interests pursued by our members over the last several years.
The program will open with a short musical overture, followed by a section of complete single and two-channel works on film and video. Part three brings together silent works, both in-progress and finished, all reimagined with a live improvised musical accompaniment by several AgX members. Within this section are three rolls from our collaborative “Exquisite Corpse” film project.
As the onset of the pandemic disrupted lives the world around, its abrupt arrival in Boston threw members of AgX into solemn isolation, and left us longing for the camaraderie which stands at the center of what defines us as a collective. Unable to safely gather in person, we sought new means of remote collaboration, which included a group film project inspired by the old surrealist parlor game, “Exquisite Corpse”. Each participating member had 30 seconds of film to work with – equivalent to a single wind of the spring motor on a Bolex 16mm camera. The first person shot their segment, then mailed it off to the next collaborator with only a brief, text-based prompt to inspire their segment. This method carried on from person to person until the entire roll was shot, and only after the rolls were processed were the prompts revealed and we were able to see what everyone else had shot.
Part four will conclude the evening with Wenhua Shi’s newest work Concrète – a sonic and visual exploration of Boston’s City Hall featuring quadraphonic surround sound by Kevin Micka.
Special thanks to Daniel Abugattas for technical assistance with this program, and to the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, Boston.
Program:
PT. 1 - Live musical performance by Susan DeLeo, Rachel Lieberman, and Paul Turano, ~10m
PT. 2 – Sound Films, ~35m
ENOLAEMEVAEL/LEAVEMEALONE, Kathryn Ramey, 2017, double 16mm projection, 7m
Summer Day, Padrick Ritch, 2021, 16mm and Super 8 to video, 2m11s
Bathers, Douglas Urbank, 2019, 16mm, 3m42s
In the Villa of Ormen, Michael Ventura, 2021, HD video, 4m12s
Gutai, Wenhua Shi, 2018, 16mm to video, 7m32s
First Hypnotic Suggestion, Brittany Gravely & Ken Linehan, 2019, double 16mm projection, 10m6s
PT. 3 - Films with live sound by Paul Turano, Rachel Lieberman, Susan DeLeo and Stefan Grabowski, ~30m
Le Trésor, Stefan Grabowski, 2017, 16mm, 1m46s
Arboretum, Douglas Urbank, 2019, 16mm, 3m18s
Island, Susan DeLeo, 2021, Super 8 on video, 3m20s
untitled, Brittany Gravely, 2021, 16mm on video, 3m51
Latent Spring, Kyle Petty, 2021, HD video, 7m54s
T,A,T, Nicole Prutsch, 2021, video, 30s
Exquisite Corpse Roll 1, Stefan Grabowski, Alison Folland, Douglas Urbank, Brittany Gravely, 2020, 16mm to video, 2m24s
Exquisite Corpse Roll 3, Tim Wojcik, Susan DeLeo, Anulfo Baez, Lilia Volodina, 2020, Super 8 to video, 2m34s
Exquisite Corpse Roll 2, Ian Sexton, Ethan Berry, Sean Fisher, Gen Carmel, Padrick Ritch, 2020, 16mm to video, 3m2s
PT. 4 – Live video performance by Wenhua Shi with four channel sound by Kevin Micka, ~30m
Concrète, Wenhua Shi, 2021
Directions, Maps, & Other Tips:
MAP/MBTA: Leventhal Park is just a few minutes' walk away from several T stations, including State (3 min walk), Downtown Crossing (5 min walk), and South Station (9 min walk). Here's a map of the park: https://bit.ly/LeventhalMap
PARKING: If you're driving, you can park in the garage just below the park for a flat rate of $9. More info/map of parking entrances: https://www.posquare.com/facility-info/
WHAT TO BRING: Feel free to bring a picnic blanket, cushion, or towel to sit on the grass if you'd like.
COVID SAFETY: Please wear a mask if you're in close proximity to others for extended periods of time, and practice social distancing by sitting 6 feet away from others not in your family/pod. We'll bring extra masks if you need one!
RESTROOMS: There are restrooms located in the lobby of the garage just underneath the park, accessible by an elevator/stairs at the ground level.
DONATIONS: This event is FREE and open to all, though donations to support our work are welcome and encouraged if you are able to contribute at donate.agxfilm.org. Thank you!