Research Catalog

Merce Cunningham, Stories of Collaboration with Visual Artists.

Title
Merce Cunningham, Stories of Collaboration with Visual Artists.
Publication
2006.

Available Online

NYPL Digital Collections

Details

Additional Authors
  • Cunningham, Merce
  • Carlson, Trevor
  • Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008
  • Cage, John
  • Feldman, Morton, 1926-1987
  • Rouse, Mikel
  • Atlas, Charles
  • Dodds, Baby, 1898-1959
  • Samelson, Henry
  • Paine, Susan
  • Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, donor.
Found In
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Description
1 streaming video file (75 min) : sound, color
Summary
A discussion and Q&A with Merce Cunningham centering on his collaborations with artists from other disciplines, held at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts as part of an annual lecture series. Following a brief introduction by Susan Paine, head of the MFA board of trustees, Merce Cunnningham and Trevor Carlson, then executive director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, have an informal conversation, interspersed with performance clips, structured around four pivotal moments in Cunningham's career, which he dubbed his "Four Moments That Led To Great Discoveries." The 'first moment' came with his initial collaboration with composer John Cage in the 1940s, which Cunningham uses as a springboard for a discussion of his decades of work with Cage, artist Robert Rauschenberg and composer Morton Feldman, as well as recent work with artist Henry Samelson and composer Mikel Rouse. (5:16) The 'second moment' began with Cunningham's use of "chance operations" and randomness in his choreography, the genesis of which is the next topic covered. (15:00) This is followed by the screening of a clip from a 1964 Helsinki performance of the Cunningham/Cage/Rauschenberg piece 'Story', and Cunningham speaks about its creation. (21:00) The talk then moves on to a consideration of the 'third moment', Cunningham's film and video work with filmmaker Charles Atlas in the 1980s and 1990s. (33:00) Following this, Cunningham defines the 'fourth moment' as his use of technology in the 1990s and beyond. He discusses the making of the film CRWDSPCR, created using the Dance Forms software program, and a clip is shown. (39:00) The conversation concludes and a Q&A portion begins. (54:00) An audience member inquires about affinities she perceives between Cunningham's work and that of video artist Bill Viola, and Cunningham briefly speaks about his admiration of Viola's work. Cunningham then responds to a question about one of his earliest projects, a 1950s collaboration with jazz musician Baby Dodds. (56:00) This is followed by a query regarding Cunningham's process in selecting artists he'd like to collaborate with and how he determines the best way in which to work together with them. (58:00) The final question concerns Cunningham's work with younger dancers of today---how he's influenced by them and how he works with them when choreographing pieces. (1:04)
Series Statement
The Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Celebrity Lectures
Alternative Title
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection. Moving image materials.
Subjects
Genre/Form
  • Dance.
  • Music.
  • Video.
  • Interviews.
  • Panel discussions.
  • Nonfiction films.
Note
  • Title provided by cataloger, based on original container label
Access (note)
  • Patrons can access streaming video file online only on site at the Library for the Performing Arts.
System Details (note)
  • Streaming video.
Source (note)
  • Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation
Linking Entry (note)
  • Forms part of the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Call Number
*MGZIDF 3732
OCLC
922889617
Title
Merce Cunningham, Stories of Collaboration with Visual Artists.
Production
2006.
Country of Producing Entity
United States.
Type of Content
two-dimensional moving image
Type of Medium
video
computer
Type of Carrier
online resource
Series
The Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Celebrity Lectures
Performer
Merce Cunningham, panelist; Trevor Carlson, moderator; Susan Paine, speaker
Event
Recorded 18 October, 2006. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
System Details
Streaming video.
Original Version
Original format: 1 videodisc (DVD) ; 4 3/4 in.
Restricted Access
Patrons can access streaming video file online only on site at the Library for the Performing Arts.
Linking Entry
Forms part of the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Source
Gift; Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, 2011-2012.
Connect to:
NYPL Digital Collections
Added Author
Cunningham, Merce, interviewee.
Carlson, Trevor, moderator.
Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008, artist.
Cage, John, composer.
Feldman, Morton, 1926-1987, composer.
Rouse, Mikel, composer.
Atlas, Charles, choreographer.
Dodds, Baby, 1898-1959, musician.
Samelson, Henry, artist.
Paine, Susan, speaker.
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, donor.
Added Title
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection. Moving image materials.
Found In:
Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection.
Research Call Number
*MGZIDF 3732
View in Legacy Catalog