IAHIS 3900 Alternating Currents: Experimental Film & Video
In this course, students study film and video made by artists and directors working outside of - and often in opposition to -- the established norms of mainstream cinema. Experimental film and video has been associated with avant-garde, non-linear, poetic filmmaking and encompasses works by artists (Leger, Ray, Paik, Schnabel), auteur-directors (Brakhage, Deren, Snow, Berliner), and videographers (Tanaka, Viola, Nehshat). Throughout the semester, students will research the origins and history of experimental films, explore diverse genres of avant-garde cinema, consider new directions in contemporary video, and develop a critical framework for analyzing these forms of motion media. Classes are structured to include presentations, screenings, and discussions.