Alexander Calder: An Evening of Music and Film

L&M Arts at 660 Venice will host “Alexander Calder: An evening of music and film” tomorrow evening from 7-9 pm. The evening will feature live music and film in conjunction with the current Alexander Calder exhibition at the gallery.

From L&M Arts:

We are pleased to present a rare viewing of Herbert Matters’ landmark 1950 color film, Works of Calder. John Cage, whose centennial year is being celebrated, composed the film’s original score mostly for a prepared piano, a genre he pioneered. Pianist Richard Valitutto will perform this score live during the viewing. The piece contains a section made from sounds Cage had recorded in Calder’s studio that only survives on film.

The project began in 1944, when the photographer Herbert Matters was commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art, New York to make a film about Calder, his friend and neighbor. The film’s making offers remarkable insight into the American Avant-garde art scene of the time, as Matters and Cage met through their mutual friend artist Jackson Pollock. The film was completed at the beginning of 1950 and it premiered at New York’s Town Hall. The music was awarded a special prize at the 1951 Woodstock Art Film Festival, the first art film festival in the United States.

The performance will be presented twice during the evening beginning at 7 pm:

East Gallery, 7:30 & 8:15 PM: Works of Calder (film, 1950) Herbert Matters and John Cage.

West Gallery, 7:30 & 8:15 PM: Works of Calder (prepared piano, 1950) John Cage performed by Richard Valitutto.

This event is free and open to the public. However, space is limited. Please arrive on time.

Biography:

Pianist Richard Valitutto has been described by the LA Times as “vigorously virtuosic” and “building vast cathedrals of sound from single melodic lines.” He has given numerous premieres and has worked with composers who represent the vast spectrum of contemporary music, such as Clarence Barlow, Sofia Gubaidulina, Steve Reich, and Chinary Ung. Richard is a founding member of the new music collective wildUp!.

Guest curator Daniel Rothman is a composer and sound installation artist whose work has been widely featured at music and art venues in the US, Europe and Asia. He curates Beyond Music at Beyond Baroque in Venice, CA and produces artist and composer editions for Los Angeles River Records.

A special thanks to: Hollywood Piano Company and Fred Fehl of Pasadena Piano Company.

GALLERY INFORMATION: L&M Arts, Los Angeles, 660 South Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA, 90291. Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 – 5:30 and by appointment. For additional information, please contact L&M Arts at: +1.310.821.6400 or visit our website: www.lmgallery.com.