A programme of screenings to accompany the exhibition “The Thinking Machine. Ramon Llull and the «ars combinatoria»”

Before artists worked with computers, a series of avant-garde painters such as Oskar Fischinger, Harry Smith and Jordan Belson created a form of non-narrative film that addressed geometry, the possibilities of mathematic combinations, and spirituality. After these visionaries, artists like John Whitney embraced the new synthetic image medium to continue exploring abstract animation. Many artists have followed in their wake, up until the present day.

Bohemians, mystics or visionaries. In abstract animation, these painters, some associated with Dada, others with the Beat generation, found a medium to express their visions. In addition to geometric graphics, colour and music play an important part in these films.

Programme: - Spiritual Constructions (Oskar Fischinger, 1927, 16 mm, 7’) - Komposition in Blau (Oskar Fischinger, 1935, 16 mm, 4') - Early Abstractions Nr. 7 (Harry Smith, 1951, 16 mm, 6’) - Allures (Jordan Belson, 1961, 16 mm, 7’) - Lapis (James Whitney, 1966, 16 mm, 10’) - Permutations (John Whitney, 1968, 16 mm, 8') - Samadhi (Jordan Belson, 1967, digital, 6’) - Mutations (Lillian Schwartz, 1972, 7’) - Playpiece 2. Dreamtime, Dance of the Shaman (Lesley Keen, digital, 7’31”)