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Richard Newton: Flying with the Angels

Richard Newton: Flying with the Angels

Richard Newton - Flying With the Angels

Richard Newton in person!

Over the course of Filmforum series Alternative Projections we screened several works by the artist Richard Newton.  He has consistently tested the boundaries of performance, media, and materials over a practice now stretching over forty years.  Newton has made a large number of films and videos along with his installations and performances, sharing his same concerns, with some confronting the laws of the land or the rules of good taste, some films seemingly casual, others rigorous.  We’re delighted to bring a set of works by Newton, both old and new, with the artist in person, extending our looks at performance and artist's cinema that started March 13th with our screening at MOCA.

For more event information: www.lafilmforum.org, or 323-377-7238

Tickets: $10 general, $6 students/seniors; free for Filmforum members.  Available by credit card in advance from Brown Paper Tickets at or at the door.


Program running time:  81 minutes

Richard Newton was born in Oakland, California, 1948, and currently live in Pasadena, California.  He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California at Irvine.  “In 1972, I began working with cans, glass bottles, bread, produce and other cast-offs.  Partly from a need to survive and partly from a sense of fascination for the abundance of America, my practice of dumpster diving and recycling became a means to create environmental works of art.  Beggar’s Banquet, 1972, created from one night’s bounty of discarded fruits and vegetables installed as 2 lavish pyramids was included in the Getty’s “Pacific Standard Time: Los Angeles Art, 1945 - 1980.”

“My early art films and videos have shown at museums, galleries, ciné clubs, festivals, and on television.  Flying with the Angels, directed and produced with Nancye Ferguson, won many awards and screened at festivals and independent venues around the world.  Another one of my short films, Swift Nudes, won first prize at Certamen Internacional de Cine Ciutat D’Igualada, Barcelona, Spain.  My first feature film, small white house won the award for Best First Feature and was runner-up as best film in the festival at the 19th Festival Internacional de Cinema, Figueira da Foz, Portugal.  small white house also won at the ARCO ‘91, 1st Exhibition of Experimental Cinema, Madrid, Spain. Many of my films were shown at various venues during The Getty’s Pacific Standard Time, including the Los Angeles Filmforum’s Alternative Projections: Experimental Film in Los Angeles 1945-1980.

“I have shown artworks, artists’ books, films & videos and presented live performances and site-specific installations throughout the world.  My one-of-a-kind books were shown at DOCUMENTA VI in Kassel, Germany.”
  More at http://richardnewtonartist.com

01ComingintothevineNewton

Coming into the ‘vine

Coming into the ‘vine

(1969, Super 8mm to digital, sound, 2 min.)
The rhythm of life pouring into U.C. Irvine.  The film was shot silent as were most of my films at that time.  However, it was my practice to show them accompanied by music of the time.  For this film, I used Jingo by Santana.

02BoyinBlueNewton smaller

Boy in Blue

Boy in Blue

(1970, Super 8mm to digital, color, sound, 2 min.)
Trying to explain performance art to my girlfriend’s family – at Christmas.  Originally this film was screened as a dual projection.  Music: Mama Told Me Not to Come by Three Dog Night.

03bakedNewton smaller

Baked

Baked

(1971, Super 8mm to digital, B&W and color, sound, 3 min.)
When you got nothing, you got nothing better to do than film yourself doing nothing.
Originally this film was screened with 3 projectors not necessarily in sync. Music: 69 Année Érotique  by Serge Gainsbourg.

04DantesViewNewton

Dante’s View

Dante’s View

(1971, Originally shot silent on Super 8mm,, blown-up to 35mm with added soundtrack and credits, 1991, B&W and color, 3 min.)
Dante sees and hears visions and voices from his mind's eye while he meditates on the Lord's Prayer.  Screening tonight in 35mm

05ReverendRicNewton

The Great & Glorious Reverend Ric

The Great & Glorious Reverend Ric

(1979, Originally shot on Super 8mm, Blown-up to 35mm with added music and credits, 1993, color, 7 min.)
His message is Jesus, yes Jesus, oh Jesus, and the message is pure. Screening tonight in 35mm

06LamyMenNewton

Lamy Men

Lamy Men

(1987, 3/4 inch video to digital, B&W, sound, 5 min.)
Rick Castro designed a men’s line for Michele Lamy, and we put together a promotional video featuring the clothes.  The actors were artist and hipster friends who were cast for their quirky looks.  The Westside Jewish Community Center was used for the location.  The notable cast includes:  Tony Ward, Jim Smit, Max Bozeman, Leonard Ramos, Mario Melendez, Jason Greenwood, Sean Duggan,  Peter Maguire, Nicolas Meschin, Jason Jones, Vaginal Davis, Glen Meadmore, Abel Villarreal, Craig Scdoris, Michi Tomimatsu, and Charles C. Hill.  At the time we were buying art from Laibach and listening to their music a lot.  Here you can hear The Great Seal from their album Opus Dei.

07FlyingwiththeAngelsNewton smaller

Flying with the Angels

Flying with the Angels

(1997, 35mm to digital, B&W, sound, 17 min.)
The diary of a woman’s subconscious as she takes the spiritual journey from her relationship with a man to her relationship with herself.  Co-produced and directed with Nancye Ferguson.
Original soundtrack by Mark Mothersbaugh.

08BadFlowersNewton

Bad Flowers

Bad Flowers

(2009, digital video, color, sound, 18 min.)
If I were an artist, I would like to draw flowers.

09ThewrongplacesNewton

The wrong places at the wrong time

The wrong places at the wrong time

(2010, digital video, color, sound, 3 min.)
There were a lot of great art openings this past weekend in Los Angeles.  How did I end up in all the wrong places at the wrong time?  This film is one in a series: Art in Los Angeles.

10TereSegaNewton

Tere Sega

Tere Sega

(2010, digital video, color, sound, 11 min.)
An observation of traditional Ethiopian preparations for a wedding.