Maria Lassnig Kantate

A life in fourteen verses: tragicomic horror stories drawn by Lassnig herself that take the form of a street ballad sung by Lassnig herself: “It’s art that always keeps me young, it makes the spirit hungry and then fills it up!” Film 10 of the Forum Special programme “Ten Short Films by Maria Lassnig”, which we are showing to complement Anja Salomonowitz’s film Sleeping with a Tiger from the Forum main programme. Maria Lassnig’s cinematic works are exercises in body transformations: Gratifying frictions, lively critiques, wonderful ideas, sometimes hand-drawn and sung by the director herself. Sketches and animation. Ideas about women in relationships are put slyly in motion. (Christiane Büchner)

1. Baroque Statues, 1970-74
2. Encounter, 1970
3. Iris, 1971
4. Chairs, 1971
5. Selfportrait, 1971
6. Shapes, 1972
7. Couples, 1972
8. Palmistry, 1974
9. Art Education, 1976
10. The Ballad of Maria Lassnig, co-directed by Hubert Sielecki, 1992

Maria Lassnig, born in Kappel am Krappfeld in 1919. Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Since 1950 international exhibitions and awards. Together with Arnulf Rainer and Oswald Oberhuber founded the informal painting movement in Austria. Lived abroad in Paris (1961–68) and New York (1968–1980). Member of Women/Artist/ Filmmakers, Inc. New York (1974–80). 1980–90 Professor of the Master Class for Experimental Design at the College of Applied Arts in Vienna. Founded the only Austrian teaching studio for animated film in 1982. Maria Lassnig died in Vienna in 2014.

Hubert Sielecki, born in Carinthia in 1946. Visual artist and musician. In 1982, being assistant to professor Maria Lassnig, he installed the “Studio for Experimental Animation Film” at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, and headed it until 2012.

Directed by Maria Lassnig, Hubert Sielecki. From an idea by Maria Lassnig. Screenplay Maria Lassnig. Vocals Maria Lassnig. Animation Maria Lassnig. Cinematography Paul Braunsteiner, Josef Nemuth. Sound Paul Braunsteiner, Josef Nemuth. Art director Brigitte Berchtold. Make-up Brigitte Berchtold. With Maria Lassnig.

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Films

Maria Lassnig (selection): 1970: Baroque Statues (short film), Encounter (animation). 1971: Iris (short film), Chairs (animation), Selfportrait (animation). 1972: Shapes (animation), Couples (animation). 1974: Palmistry (animation). 1976: Art Education (animation). 1992: Maria Lassnig Kantate / The Ballad of Maria Lassnig.

Hubert Sielecki: 1992: Maria Lassnig Kantate / The Ballad of Maria Lassnig. 1995: Air Fright (short film). 2006: Drei Stücke (Leitsystem, Spur, Ein stein rollt) / Three Pieces (short film).

Bonus material