INTRODUCED BY/INTRODOTTO DA MATTEO BITTANTI
INTERVIEWS BY/INTERVISTE DI MATTEO BITTANTI
MARCH 19-26 2023/19-26 MARZO 2023 (ONLINE)
The Neo Avant-Garde emerged in the 1950s and 1960s as a continuation and redefinition of earlier Avant-Garde movements from the early 20th century. Its artists sought to expand the definition of art by pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable and rejected traditional forms and techniques. They utilized new media and technologies, such as photography, film, and performance art, and emphasized collaboration and collective creation instead of the idea of the solitary genius artist. This led to new art forms, including happenings, installations, and conceptual art, which prioritized the viewer's experience.
Machinima, a filmmaking form that utilizes real-time computer graphics engines to create movies, shares several affinities with the Neo Avant-Garde in contemporary art. It challenges traditional boundaries between media, namely film, video games, theater, and other digital media by utilizing the language of the video game to create cinematic narratives that disrupt conventional notions of what constitutes a "film." Machinima also exemplifies the Neo Avant-Garde's collaborative ethos, with artists frequently working together to bring their visions to life.
The Neo Avant Garde program features cutting edge works by Babak Ahteshamipour, Iain Douglas, Mark Coverdale, Kara Güt, and Brenton Alexander Smith. Ahteshamipour’s In Search of the Banned Dictionaries that contain the Words for the Things You Wish you could Express but You are Unable to With Common Words reinvents self-representation by appropriating World of Warcraft. Kara Güt’s Hurt/Comfort explores the concept of confession through the lens of live-streaming. Brenton Alexander Smith's The Impossibility of Things Disappearing is a haunting vignette that defies easy categorization.
Additionally, the Neo Avant-Garde program will showcase an onsite screening of Christian Wright's Body Language, exclusively at the Museum of Interactive Cinema on March 25, 2023. Purchase your ticket here.
Matteo Bittanti
