ALL DIVIDED SELVES
The Center for Curatorial Studies
(Anthology Film Archives), Annandale-on-Hudson
November 3, 2011
The Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College (CCS Bard) and Anthology Film Archives present the premiere screening of All Divided Selves, a new feature length film by the artist Luke Fowler. Following his celebrated works What You See Is Where You're At (2001) and Bogman Palmjaguar (2007), this is the third of Fowler's works to take up the legacy of radical psychiatrist R.D. Laing.
The social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s were spearheaded by the charismatic, guru-like figure of Glasgow born Psychiatrist R.D. Laing. In his now classic text "The Politics of Experience" (1967) Laing argued that normality entailed adjusting ourselves to the mystification of an alienating and depersonalizing world. Thus, those society labels as 'mentally ill' are in fact 'hyper-sane' travelers, conducting an inner voyage through aeonic time.
The film concentrates on archival representations of Laing and his colleagues as they struggled to acknowledge the importance of considering social environment and disturbed interaction in institutions as significant factors in the aetiology of human distress and suffering. All Divided Selves reprises the vacillating responses to these radical views and the less forgiving responses to Laing's latter career shift; from eminent psychiatrist to enterprising celebrity. A dense, engaging and lyrical collage- Fowler weaves archival material with his own filmic observations—marrying a dynamic soundtrack of field recordings with recorded music by Éric La Casa, Jean-Luc Guionnet and Alasdair Roberts.
Developed during his 2010 residency at CCS Bard, All Divided Selves will screen at Anthology Film Archives on November 3, 2011 at 6:45pm, followed by an installation at CCS Bard from November 9–December 16. The project will then travel to Inverleith House in Edinburgh in February 2012. Fowler's residency at Bard and the new film were both made possible with support from Martin and Rebecca Eisenberg and Mitzi and Warren Eisenberg.
About Luke Fowler
Luke Fowler is known for his film portraits of socially radical figures; from the avant-garde composer turned political activist Cornelius Cardew (1936-1981) to the Scottish psychiatrist R.D. Laing (1927–1989). He has had recent solo exhibitions at the Serpentine Gallery, London; CAC Bretigny and X Initiative, New York (all 2009). Forthcoming solo exhibitions include Inverleith House, Edinburgh and The Hepworth, Wakefield and Wolverhampton Art Gallery, made in association with Contemporary Art Society & Film and Video Umbrella. He participated in British Art Show 7: 'In The Days Of The Comet', and in 'Radical Nature' at Barbican Art Gallery, London; 'The Associates', Dundee Contemporary Art; 'What You See is Where You're At', The Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh and 'Younger than Jesus', X New Museum, New York (all 2009). He was born in Glasgow in 1978, where he continues to live and work.
Center for Curatorial Studies and Hessel Museum of Art
Bard College, PO Box 5000
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000
845-758-7598
ccs@bard.edu
www.bard.edu/ccs
Directions:
Anthology Film Archives is located at 32 Second Ave. at 2nd St.
Subway: F to 2nd Ave; 6 to Bleecker.
Image Credits: Photo of R.D. Laing (c) John Haynes.
