Plenty: Plastic Haircut
Tuesday 12 April 2011, 19h-21h
Event Gallery
96 Teesdale Street, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PU

- Plastic Haircut (Robert Nelson, USA, 1965, 16mm, b/w, sound, 15 minutes)

Two actors perform absurd actions in sets composed of geometric shapes. Two experts try to explain what it all means. Goofing off in positive/negative space, Robert Nelson and collaborators William T. Wiley, Ron Hudson, R.G. Davis and Steve Reich construct a spirited work that invokes Alfred Jarry, Dada and improvised theatre.

“None of us knew anything about making movies, but we all knew about art (namely that it had something to do with having a good time).” (Robert Nelson)

Robert Nelson (born 1930) was a key figure of the post-war independent film scene and one of the founders of Canyon Cinema. His belief that filmmaking should be primarily a fun activity created some of the most entertaining and infectious works of the American underground.

Plenty is a free monthly screening series selected by Mark Webber. It forms part of the “Brief Habits” programme curated by Shama Khanna, supported by Arts Council England.