Friday, March 23, 2012

Lapis, short film by James Whitney (1966)


I first saw this film as part of a kinetic art exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, some time in the last decade. The blurb said something vague and art world-y like 'James Whitney was profoundly inspired by Indian mysticism'. I'd love to have had it explained a bit further. Maybe I should read the Upanishads.

I once almost spent £20 at Camden Town's sorely missed Compendium Bookshop on a book called 'Jacques Derrida and Indian Philosophy - or did I only dream it? - but opted for something else instead (an umpteenth generation Lenny Bruce stand-up tape I think - or dreamt).

Here's another James Whitney film, Yantra, from 1957. It took 7 years to make, by hand, tracing the dots one after another over a page. Watch out for the strobe effects. And have a good Friday night.


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