On Friday, March 14, the Pulitzer's galleries will be open as a part of the Grand Center Art Walk. From 4pm - 8pm, explore the array of visual arts institutions that Grand Center has to offer.
At 7:30pm, join us for a rare opportunity to view short films by Gordon Matta-Clark, screened throughout the building on the concrete walls, creating an immersive art experience. An introduction will be given by the artist's widow and director of his estate, Jane Crawford. Refreshments will be served in the courtyard, weather-permitting. Immediately following these films, Grand Center will present Julian Schnabel's film Basquiat (1996) at 8:30pm.
Shot by Matta-Clark, mostly in Manhattan in the 1970s, these films provide fascinating insights into the artist’s personality and artmaking process. They demonstrate Matta-Clark’s love for his native city and capture in compelling ways diverse aspects of the urban landscape: sky, water, light, and architecture, both industrial and residential. This selection includes his documentaries of sculptural pieces, as well as others he described as ‘film performances.’ Both emphasize Matta-Clark’s talents as an actor and dancer.
Splitting, 1974
10:50 min, b&w and color, silent, Super 8mm film on video
This film documents the major building cut made by Matta-Clark in a
house on Humphrey Street in Englewood, New Jersey
Bingo/Ninths, 1974
9:40 min, color, silent, Super 8mm film on video
In August 1974, Matta-Clark made a cut in a house in Niagara Falls, New
York. The artist obtained permission to divide the exterior facade into
nine parts. An hour after he finished, the house was demolished;
segments of the facade were taken to Art Park and dumped.
Clockshower, 1973
13:50 min, color, silent, 16 mm film on video
In this film of one of his most daring performances, Matta-Clark climbed
to the top of the Clocktower in New York and washed, shaved and brushed
his teeth while suspended over the streets in front of the huge
clockface.
Fresh Kill, 1972
2:56 min, color, sound, 16 mm film on video
Camera: Burt Spielvogel, Rudy Burkhardt. Producer: Holly Solomon, Burt Spielvogel
This film records the complete process of the destruction of
Matta-Clark's truck (which he called "Herman Meydag") by a bulldozer in a
rubbish dump. Part of 98.5, a compilation of films by Ed Baynard,
George Schneeman and Charles Simons, this piece was shown in Documenta 5
in Kassel, Germany
Day’s End, 1975
23:10 min, color, silent, Super 8mm film on video
Camera: Betsy Susler
In May 1972, Matta-Clark worked on an abandoned pier in New York for two
months, where he cut sections of the door, floor, and roof.
