Past Event
The second of two events comprising a London-wide survey of the aesthetically and politically radical Catalan film-maker. This programme concentrates on the four films Portabella made with painter Joan Miro, examining the creation / destruction complex inherent in art making, alongside a short film commissioned by Hans Ulrich Obrist for the former home of Federico Garcia Lorca. There will be a specially filmed introduction to the evening’s Miro quartet by acclaimed Irish writer Colm Tóibín, and in person to Mudanza by Marcelo Expósito. Copies of the new LP by Carles Santos for the work of Pere Portabella from label purge.xxx will be available at the event.
Miro L’Altre (1969, 15m)
Miro la Forja (1973, 24m)
Miro Tapiz (1973, 22m)
Aidez L’Espagne (1969, 5m)
Mudanza (2008, 20m)
A WORM’S TAIL VIEW IS OFTEN THE TRUE ONE: FILMS BY PERE PORTABELLA
Whitechapel Gallery host two events in the most complete international survey to date of the radical Catalan filmmaker, Pere Portabella, in his 92nd year, and the 60th year of his production company, Films 59 (Viridiana). Responding first in violent poetic resistance to a Franco-occupied Spain, Portabella continues to understand the cinematic medium as intervention; as a forum for political debate and participation.
Curated by the Liberated Film Club.
Pere Portabella is the rarest combination of radical artist and politician. In 1977, he was elected senator, participating in the writing of the present day Spanish constitution; this, in parallel with his work as one of the most important living film directors internationally. For information on the full retrospective of work by Pere Portabella please visit: purge.xxx/portabella.
Marcelo Expósito is an artist, cultural critic and until 2019 served as secretary to the congress of the Catalan En Comú Podem.
Colm Tóibín was born in Enniscorthy in 1955. He is the author of nine novels including The Master, Brooklyn, The Testament of Mary and Nora Webster. His work has been shortlisted for the Booker three times, has won the Costa Novel Award and the Impac Award. His most recent novel is House of Names. He has also published two collections of stories and many works of non-fiction. He lives in Dublin.
Liberated Film Club is curated by artist Winstanley Schtinter. Films screened are often drawn from Schtinter’s personal archive of unknown and unseen cinema.
