Andy Warhol in North Vancouver Is A n d y W a r h o l t h e m o s t f a m o u s artist of t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y ? Many m a k e s it perfectly clear w h y W a r h o l w a s so sure that Edie Sedgwick would be the next big thing in movies after the death of Marilyn Monroe. p e o p l e w o u l d say 'yes', a n d they m i g h t a d d that he w a s also the m o s t prolific a n d , w i t h the possible e x c e p t i o n of M a r c e l D u c h a m p , the m o s t influential artist of the last century as w e l l . His f a m e rests m o r e a n d m o r e o n his m o t i o n p i c t u r e s , as f i l m s t h a t h a d n o t b e e n s h o w n f o r thirty years are gradually n o w b e i n g released. From M a r c h 8 t o A p r i l 6 P r e s e n t a t i o n H o u s e G a l l e r y (PHG) w i l l t u r n Its t w o m a i n r o o m s into cinemas, c o n t i n u o u s l y s h o w i n g rarely seen W a r h o l film w o r k s from the 1960s as well as displaying a selection of Warhol prints In the centre gallery. Outer and Inner Space's i m p o r t a n c e for today has been noted by many critics, as its u n i n t e n d e d m y s t e r y is s i m i l a r t o t o d a y ' s c i n e m a a n d advertising, t h o u g h it w a s m a d e at a time w h e n advertising, especially, treated everything with maximum simplicity and clarity. The combination of film a n d v i d e o In o n e w o r k w a s a completely n e w Idea w h e n Warhol t r i e d it. A s t h e Village Voice's J. H o b e r m a n s a i d o f this w o r k , "(it) dramatizes the distinction between film a n d videotape while Introducing These w o r k s at P H G have been s h o w n in N e w York a n d L o n d o n over the p a s t t h r e e years w i t h N o r t h V a n c o u v e r b e i n g t h e next stop. Warhol's Screen Tests are sensitive portraits in black a n d w h i t e silent This is a very Important e x h i b i t i o n for a n y o n e w h o is interested in the history of cinema, the 'pure' side of Warhol's film output, contemporary v i d e o art, a n d for a n y o n e Involved in the m o t i o n picture industry. those issues of real-time recording a n d d e l a y e d feedback that would Inform much v i d e o art from the 1970s o n . " f i l m o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 5 0 0 p e o p l e w h o p a s s e d t h r o u g h his life in the 1960s. Twenty o f the 5 0 0 he m a d e w i l l be s h o w n , each just over three m i n u t e s l o n g . A m o n g the f e a t u r e d sitters c a p t u r e d by W a r h o l In this s a m p l i n g of the single greatest portrait project of the last century are Dennis Hopper, Jane Holzer, A l a n G i n s b u r g , Diane Di P r i m a , Nico, a n d Lou R e e d . These p o r t r a i t s a r e d i s a r m i n g l y s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d , as e a c h subject w a s simply asked t o sit m o t i o n l e s s before the c a m e r a . This is, so far as the staff at P H G k n o w , the first t i m e there has ever been a W a r h o l e x h i b i t i o n o n the N o r t h Shore. The material PHG has c h o s e n to s h o w is refreshing because it is so different from anything t h a t v i e w e r s m i g h t e x p e c t - b u t , f o r t h o s e w h o w a n t t o see some The f a c t t h a t W a r h o l r e t u r n e d c i n e m a t o its s i l e n t - f i l m roots w i t h Screen Tests provides viewers with a surprisingly wonderful juxtaposition b e t w e e n the m o o d of early c i n e m a a n d the contemporary art w o r l d of 1960s N e w York, w i t h w h i c h w e are still playing catch-up. W a r h o l p r i n t s , t h e m i n i - e x h i b i t i o n in t h e c e n t r e g a l l e r y w i l l contain material that is instantly recognizable as 'Warhol'. As It happens, none of these Images have ever been shown anywhere in Greater Vancouver before. The surprise In store f o r v i e w e r s w h o give these film w o r k s the time In PHG's west gallery, Outer and Inner Space, a double-screen projection from 1965 starring Edie S e d g w i c k w i l l be s h o w n . Jonas M e k a s said of this film that it " w a s o n e of the most i m p o r t a n t n e w w o r k s I have seen a n y w h e r e . . . ( i t ) m a r k s o n e of t h e c l i m a x e s in A n d y W a r h o l ' s creative work." This film contains w i t h i n it the first v i d e o work ever shot by an artist, s h o w n o n a television m o n i t o r l o o m i n g b e h i n d the star's h e a d . Outer and Inner Space's importance as a source for today's contemporary art has been a c k n o w l e d g e d by many artists. Sedgwick is o n screen in four simultaneous performances, playing herself in each. The experience of its 33 minutes is a bit like listening t o a n opera in a l a n g u a g e o n e d o e s n ' t understand a n d the s u b l i m e performance of the d o o m e d star What: Andy Warhol: Early Film S Video Works Who: Curated by Geralyn Huxley and is shown in collaboration with the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. When: March 8 to April 6. Both films are screened continuously. Gallery open Wed - Sun 12 to 5 & Thurs 12 to 9. Where: Presentation House Gallery that it takes t o v i e w t h e m is that they m a y w e l l agree w i t h w h a t many are already s a y i n g : in ten year's time W a r h o l w i l l be more famous for his suppressed c i n e m a output t h a n for any other aspect of his oeuvre. March | April