Research Catalog

Title

[Merce Cunningham panel discussion] [videorecording] / [presented by] the Wexner Center for the Arts.

Publication

1993.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Brown, Carolyn, 1927-
• Killacky, John R.
• Copeland, Roger.
• Lichtenstein, Harvey.
• Wexner Center for the Arts.

Found In

Merce Cunningham archive.

Description

1 videodisc (NTSC) (85 min.) : sd., col.; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

This panel discussion of Merce Cunningham's achievements and influence was part of a celebration of Cunningham at the Wexner Center for the Arts, including presentation of the Wexner Prize. Moderator John Killacky introduces the panelists and speaks about John Cage's influence and collaborations with Cunningham. Harvey Lichtenstein speaks about studying at Black Mountain College in the 1950s and about the Merce Cunningham Dance Company's first appearances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and audience reactions to the performances. Lichtenstein and Carolyn Brown share anecdotes about production difficulties encountered by the company. Brown discusses how she began dancing with Cunningham; financial difficulties and critical neglect of the company in its early days; and Cunningham's exploration of chance and indeterminacy in his choreography. Roger Copeland discusses critical responses to Cunningham's work, in particular to the musical scores and sets for his pieces; audience reactions to Winterbranch; the issues of audiovisual overload and poly-attentiveness. Brown discusses Robert Rauschenberg's and Jasper Johns' collaborations with the company. Lichtenstein discusses the presentation of Roaratorio at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Cunningham's decision to continue performing in old age. Brown discusses emotion as a component in Cunningham's work and the difficulty for dancers performing his choreography. Copeland comments on the renewed focus on narrative in dance in the 1990s.

Series Statement

Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection

Subjects

• Panel discussions
• Choreographers > United States > 20th century
• Cage, John > Influence
• Modern dance > United States > 20th century
• Johns, Jasper, 1930-
• Artistic collaboration
• Video
• Merce Cunningham Dance Company
• Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008
• Cunningham, Merce > Influence

Genre/Form

• Panel discussions.
• Video.

Note

• Title supplied by cataloger.

Event (note)

• Videotaped at the Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, in May 2005.

Biography (note)

• The Wexner Prize, first awarded in 1992, is presented annually to a major contemporary artist in any artistic field who has been consistently original, influential, and challenging to convention. In 1993 the prize was awarded to Merce Cunningham and posthumously to John Cage, who died on Aug. 12, 1992.

Linking Entry (note)

• Forms part of the Merce Cunningham archive.

Call Number

*MGZIDVD 5-487

OCLC

NYPG05-F11250

Title

[Merce Cunningham panel discussion] [videorecording] / [presented by] the Wexner Center for the Arts.

Imprint

1993.

Country of Producing Entity

U.S.

Series

Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection

Performer

Moderator: John Killacky. Panelists: Roger Copeland, Carolyn Brown, Harvey Lichtenstein.

Event

Videotaped at the Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, in May 2005.

Biography

The Wexner Prize, first awarded in 1992, is presented annually to a major contemporary artist in any artistic field who has been consistently original, influential, and challenging to convention. In 1993 the prize was awarded to Merce Cunningham and posthumously to John Cage, who died on Aug. 12, 1992.

Linking Entry

Forms part of the Merce Cunningham archive.

Added Author

Brown, Carolyn, 1927- Speaker

Killacky, John R. Speaker

Copeland, Roger. Speaker

Lichtenstein, Harvey. Speaker

Wexner Center for the Arts.

Found In:

Merce Cunningham archive.

Research Call Number

*MGZIDVD 5-487