Warren Sonbert’s AMPHETAMINE at MOMA
/A weeklong retrospective film series at MoMA (January 28 – February 5) entitled “Now We Think as We Fuck: Queer Liberation to Activism” traces queer activism from the film archive's permanent collection. Works featured include those by Barbara Hammer, Gregg Bordowitz, Cheryl Dunye, Uzi Parnes, Warren Sonbert, Jean Carlomusto and Maria Maggenti, Gay Men's Health Crisis Inc, and the series' titular anchor, Marlon Riggs, with special appearances from Su Friedrich, William E. Jones, Lauren Halsted, and Ellen Spiro.
Scenes from Warren Sonbert’s amphetamine (1966)
Warren Sonbert’s AMPHETAMINE is featured in the program entitled, “Warhol, Willard, Sonbert, and Anger: Queer Before Stonewall”: “Set to a rollicking soundtrack in a sordid Manhattan apartment, Warren Sonbert’s AMPHETAMINE takes us from one to a hundred in seconds. Inspired by Warhol and his prodigies, the first half of the film is chock-full of graphic images of intravenous drug use, while the second half takes a hard left turn into something even more dangerous, blood-pumping, and joyous.”
Filmmaker Warren Sonbert
GME President Jon Gartenberg acquired AMPHETAMINE for MOMA’s permanent collection when he worked on the curatorial staff of the Department of Film in the 1980’s. He has since embarked on a major project to preserve and further Warren Sonbert’s legacy. For more information about this initiative, see: WARREN SONBERT RETROSPECTIVE. Jon Gartenberg receives special acknowledgement for this program, also for his acquisition of Kenneth Anger’s KUSTOM KAR KOMMANDOS and his work on acquiring and preserving Warhol’s films at MOMA, including MY HUSTLER.