[Frameworks] experimental film in the art world

[Chuck Kleinhans]

Two oblique tangents to this interesting discussion:

Conceptual art in the 1960s was an attempt to interrupt the museum/gallery artworld's expectation of a physical object or performance event.  What the conceptual artists discovered after a while was that their "reputation" (suitably documented) became the start of economic exchange: what would get you grants, fellowships, commissions, etc.  Performance artists learned the value of recording their performances so there was a precious document of their event.  Some commercial galleries, such as Castelli, got their start by showing new young outrageous artists who had no objects to sell: typically unique and non-portable installations.  Once established as the new hip important gallery, salable objects appeared on the walls.  Some artists who originally worked in mass reproduction (e.g. Barbara Kruger) learned to do their schtick with one of a kind salable objects.  

It was rather common in some experimental film circles for makers to screen b&w or color reversal film as original.  In that sense, there really was a unique object, for which copies could only be inferior, and which incidentally changed/wore out with each projection and passing time.

Chuck Kleinhans