Baroque Statues

Nails painted in red polish, tender hands invite the saints to dance. Out in front of the church, feet in the grass. Close-up, wide shot, doubling, solarisation. God-fearing folds of fabric get moving in earnest. A costume drama. Film 1 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.

Director Maria Lassnig. With Lisbet Eberwein, Willy Gabriel.

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Films (selection): 1970: Baroque Statues, 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 (co-driected by Hubert Sielecki, short film).

Bonus Material