For Camera

Daily, beginning at dusk

Merce Cunningham (1919 – 2009) was one of the most widely celebrated choreographers of his time. Throughout his 70-year career, Cunningham continued to innovate, driving the evolution of the American avant-garde and expanding the frontiers of contemporary visual and performing arts. His approach to performance was groundbreaking in its complex ideology and subtle, yet rigorous technique. His collaborations with artists from every creative discipline yielded an unparalleled body of North American dance, music, text, and visual art.

Cunningham often used film to both document his performances and as a medium in its own right, and collaborated with filmmakers to stage dances specifically made for the camera. For the Merce Cunningham Centennial—a celebration of Cunningham’s legacy at arts and educational institutions around the world—High Line Art screens three such works. For Camera includes Beach Birds for Camera (1992), made in collaboration with director and filmmaker Elliot Caplan; and Locale (1980) and Channels/Inserts (1982), made with the artist Charles Atlas. Atlas is a filmmaker and video artist who has worked across film, dance, and performance for decades, and was a lighting designer at the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Caplan was the filmmaker-in-residence at the Cunningham Dance Foundation from 1983 – 1998 and worked closely with both Cunningham and his partner, the composer John Cage, in the realization of many works. These films showcase Cunningham’s devotion to joint effort through a medium that allows his choreographies to live on past their original performances.

Organized by Melanie Kress, High Line Art Associate Curator.