Artist's Choice Summer Film Series
Artist’s Choice Summer Film Series is a program of free evening film screenings that will take place on the rooftop of the Hauser & Wirth New York, 22nd Street in June and July.
With films selected by gallery artists Rita Ackermann, Phyllida Barlow, Ellen Gallagher, Amy Sherald, and Anj Smith, Summer Film Series will present a vibrant collection of cinematic works that illustrate the many ways in which the moving image provides a rich source of inspiration for visual artists.
Offering dramatic views of New York’s West Chelsea Arts District and the Hudson River, Hauser & Wirth’s rooftop features works by artists from the gallery’s roster, including a special installation of Martin Creed’s ‘Work No. 2198,’ selected by the artist for the space.
An assortment of drinks and light snacks will be available on the roof from the Roth Bar during each of the screenings. While screenings are free, advanced booking is essential due to limited seating. See Artist's Choice Summer Film Series program below.
Flat is Beautiful, 1999, by Sadie Benning © Sadie Benning, courtesy of Video Data Bank, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
‘Flat is Beautiful’ selected by Ellen Gallagher Wed 6 Jun, 6.00 pm Hauser & Wirth’s 2018 Summer Film Series kicks off with Sadie Benning’s experimental ‘Flat is Beautiful’ (1998), selected by Ellen Gallagher.
The film centers on a gender nonconforming tween grappling with their identity in a working-class Milwaukee neighborhood. Shot in Super-8 and Pixelvision, ‘Flat is Beautiful’ incorporates masks, animation, subtitles, and drawings to confront the loneliness of living between masculine and feminine in a culture obsessed with defining gender difference.
Kárhozat, (Damnation), 1987, Béla Tarr © Clavis Films
‘Kárhozat, (Damnation)’ selected by Rita Ackermann Wed 13 Jun, 6.00 pm ‘Kárhozat, (Damnation)’ the highly stylized 1987 black-and-white Hungarian film is chosen by Rita Ackermann. Directed by Béla Tarr and set in the late Soviet era, ‘Damnation’ is a nihilistic portrait of isolation and despair. The film was the first of Tarr’s five collaborations with novelist László Krasznahorkai, and marked a turning point in the director’s distinctive oeuvre.
The Mirror, 1975, by Andrei Tarkovsky. Image courtesy of Janus Films
'The Mirror' selected by Anj Smith Wed 27 Jun, 6.00 pm Our Summer Film Series continues with Andrei Tarkovsky’s iconic movie, ‘The Mirror’ (1975). Loosely autobiographical, the film weaves together memories of a dying poet in his forties. Combining breathtaking imagery, readings of the poetry of Tarkovsy’s father, the prominent Russian poet Arnsey Tarkovsky, newsreel footage, memories and dreams, ‘The Mirror’ is one of this iconoclastic director’s most unique films.
A Man Escaped, 1956, by Robert Besson. Image courtesy of Janus Films
'A Man Escaped' selected by Phyllida Barlow Wed 11 Jul, 6.00 pm The second-to-last film in our Summer Film Series is ‘A Man Escaped’ (1956) directed by Robert Bresson and selected by Phyllida Barlow. The film, based on the prison accounts of French soldier and Resistance leader André Devigny, follows the protagonist Fontaine as he attempts to break out of a Nazi-run prison. One of Bresson’s most acclaimed works, ‘A Man Escaped’ is an austere and poignant investigation into humanity, faith, and freedom.
Moonrise Kingdom, 2012, Wes Anderson © Focus Features
'Moonrise Kingdom' selected by Amy Sherald Wed 18 Jul, 6.00 pm The last film in our Summer Film Series is Wes Anderson’s touching coming-of-age story ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (2012), selected by Amy Sherald. Set during an idyllic New England summer, ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ follows the adventures of two preteen lovers, Sam and Suzy, as they try to run away together in search of existential fulfillment. Fantasy, angst, and whimsy characterize this tender homage to the trials and tribulations of growing up.
