Phyllida and Film: Short Film Screenings

To launch our ‘Phyllida and Film’ series, join us for an evening of short films and compositions, introduced by special guests Frances Morris and Fabian Peake, at Hauser & Wirth Somerset.

Phyllida Barlow’s lively and informed interest in art, literature, music, film and the performing arts was as broad as it was varied. Coinciding with the exhibition, ‘Phyllida Barlow. unscripted’, this film program has been selected by curator Frances Morris, with active involvement from Barlow’s husband Fabian Peake. The films celebrate Barlow’s love of the absurd, of making and creating in new ways, and her curiosity for the world around us.  

Tickets are free and include a glass of wine or soft drink on arrival. If you are able, we suggest a £7 donation to support our 2024 – 2025 charity partner, Good Company Bruton.

This event will take place in our bookshop. Advance booking is essential and seats will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. We recommend an age rating of 13 years and above for all the screenings. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Please note that the gallery and garden will close at 4 pm. Da Costa and Roth Bar are open until 6 pm. You can consume food and drink from Roth Bar during the film screening or bring your own refreshments.

About ‘Protect and Survive’
‘Protect and Survive’ (1975), is a 10-minute public information film on civil defence produced by the UK government. It is part of a series of 20 films produced to advise the British public on how to survive a nuclear attack. In addition to the films, the campaign included pamphlets, newspaper advertisements and radio broadcasts.

About ‘One Week’
‘One Week’ (1920), directed by Buster Keaton and Edward F Cline, is an American two-reel silent comedy film starring Buster Keaton and Sybil Seely. It is the first independent film production Keaton released on his own. The 19-minute short film contains a large number of innovative visual gags largely pertaining to either the house or to ladders.

About ‘The Girl Chewing Gum’
‘The Girl Chewing Gum’ (1976), is a British short film directed by John Smith, in which a omnipotent voice appears to be directing all the action on a busy London street. The 12-minute film is at once a portrait of street life in East London and a wryly funny critique of the myth of documentary neutrality.

About ‘4’33’
‘4’33’ (1952), is a silent, modernist composition by American experimental composer John Cage. It was composed for any instrument or combination of instruments, with the score instructing performers not to play their instruments throughout the three movements, although ambient sounds contribute to the overall performance. For many composers and artists , ‘4′33’ signalled a seismic reimagining of art and life, and the constructs that too often divide them.

About ‘Un Chien Andalou’
‘Un Chien Andalou’ or ‘An Andalusian Dog’ (1929), is a French silent short film directed, produced and edited by Luis Buñuel, who co-wrote the screenplay with Salvador Dalí. A seminal work of surrealist cinema, this 16-minute film is a scabrous study of desire, the subconscious and anti-clericalism.

About ‘Phyllida Barlow. unscripted’
The work of Phyllida Barlow (1944 – 2023) takes over Hauser & Wirth Somerset in a celebration of the British artist’s transformative approach to sculpture, marking the 10th anniversary of the arts center that was inaugurated by Barlow’s solo exhibition ‘GIG’ in 2014. The landmark exhibition, curated by Frances Morris, draws on her close working relationship with the artist during her lifetime. ‘Phyllida Barlow. unscripted’ explores the evolution of Barlow’s formal and expressive vocabulary, bringing together singular sculptures, installations, studio maquettes and drawings from her extensive career, some of which will be on public view for the first time.

The exhibition is on view through Sunday 5 January 2025.

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Photographs will be taken at this event for use on the Hauser & Wirth website, social media and in other marketing materials.