The Films and Photos of Friedl Kubelka vom Gröller Were Recently Presented by Anthology Film Archives

PHOTOGRAPHER FILMMAKER FRIEDL KUBELKA VOM GRÖLLER

Gartenberg Media is pleased to note this recent, thorough presentation of Friedl Kubelka vom Gröller’s work in New York City, with the artist present at the screenings that ran from April 21-26. Click to review the program notes for this series.

GME currently presents a joint DVD/DSL Bundle/Book publication entitled SILENCE ON THE SCREEN/Once is Not Enough (Photography and Film), featuring the work of  Friedl Kubelka vom Gröller.  She is an Austrian photographer, filmmaker and visual artist born in London, England in 1946. Her photographic practice has been attributed to a 20th-century movement known as Viennese Actionism.  This is one of the latest publications in the series of editions published by INDEX DVD, a joint venture of the Vienna-based Sixpack Film and Medienwerkstatt established for the publication of Austrian films and art videos.  This specific release complements similar editions of Viennese Actionist filmmakers such as Kurt Kren (KURT KREN: ACTION FILMS) and Valie Export (VALIE EXPORT: 3 EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILMS).   Rejecting the commodification of art, these artists enacted precisely scored “Actions” --  staged events in environmental spaces – which paralleled activities of the Fluxus artists (see FLUXFILM ANTHOLOGY).  Many of the films that these artists created focused on the body.  For women artists, these moving image works also were known as “Feminist Actionism" (see also Valie Export’s INVISIBLE ADVERSARIES). 

A selection of stills from SILENCE ON THE SCREEN

The DVD, SILENCE ON THE SCREEN, is a selection of 19 short films by Friedl vom Gröller.  These works were filmed in Austria, Senegal, Italy, and France.  They focus primarily on portraiture, including faces, female breasts, and hands.  Most all of these films are 1 ½ to 3 minutes in length. 

The accompanying soft-cover book entitled ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH (in which the DVD is included) is replete with photographs that parallel the artist’s moving image works in portraiture.  This hard-copy publication contains pictures of artists and filmmaker friends.  They include Bruce Baillie, Hollis Frampton, Nam June Paik, Shigeko Kubota, and George Maciunas; Kenneth Anger, Bruce McClure, and George Landow; vom Gröller's former husband Peter Kubelka (FRAGMENTS OF KUBELKA), George and Mike Kuchar (SINS OF THE FLESHAPOIDS), Stan and Jane Brakhage (ANTICIPATION OF THE NIGHT),  Jackie Raynal (DEUX FOIS), Jonas Mekas and Hollis Melton (JONAS MEKAS:  THE MAJOR WORKS), and Ken and Flo Jacobs (CYCLOPEAN 3D:  LIFE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN).  

This publication also features several of vom Gröller’s  annual series  of self-portraits.  This book also includes two important essays: “Aging – An Ideal Condition/Photography and film in relationship to each other” by critic Dietmar Schwârzler), as well as “The Metal Bowl,” authored by filmmaker Miranda July.