Filming Art

Certainly, the argument can be made that film, by definition, is art. I think that anyone who has seen a Michael Bay movie might dispute that assertion pretty handily, but for the most part, artists have always recognized the power of that medium to convey their ideas to a mass audience. Andy Warhol, the Quay Brothers and Matthew Barney have all harnessed the power of the motion picture to transmit their vision, and now, video installation is a must in the arsenal of the modern art curator. As such, the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth is currently examining the bridge between film and art with Phillip Haas' exhibit Butchers, Dragons, Gods and Skeletons, a fascinating series of commissioned films about pieces in the Kimball collection that actually play as independent installations. And while this is groundbreaking in and of itself, the Kimbell has pushed this examination of film and art a little further by co-sponsoring a free film festival with the Lone Star Film Society titled Philip Haas: Documentaries With Artists that delves into the art of Richard Long, Seni Camara and David Hockney, among others. Haas will briefly introduce each his films, giving further insight into the marriage between art and the big screen. The festival, which runs from 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday, will be held at the Darnell Street Auditorium, 3233 Darnell St. Visit kimbellart.org for more information.
Fri., Sept. 18; Sat., Sept. 19; Sun., Sept. 20, 2009