To mark the 50-year city partnership between Berlin and Los Angeles, film curator Marc Glöde and collector Axel Haubrok put together a film festival and exhibition under the name LA > X which focuses on artistic viewpoints from Los Angeles.
Berlin and Los Angeles, seen in an international context, are significant sites of artistic production and have – for decades – counted as two of the most influential cities for interesting discussions on art. What could be more suitable, from a Berlin point of view, than using this year’s anniversary as a framework for looking at artists from Los Angeles and presenting them to a Berlin audience during and after Berlin Art Week?
The LA > X Film festival takes place at Kino Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video-art and presents a day’s worth of films from Los Angeles artists, as well as productions where L.A. is the central point of interest. The film festival, curated by film scholar Dr. Marc Glöde, showcases works from Edgar Arceneaux, John Baldessari, James Benning, Morgan Fisher, Alex Hubbard, Rodney McMillian, Sarah Morris, Ryan Trecartin and Jennifer West. This program also shows Berlin and Los Angeles as sister cities who despite their differences, look back on a long and broad film tradition, reaching from mainstream-cinema to artistic experimental films – which are the main focus of this program. Themes span the spectrum of historic to current structural positions, and from current aspects of film material to gender issues. LA > X provides the platform and opportunity for an intense experience – and intense exchange with – Los Angeles.
The film presentations are complemented by discussions surrounding the topic “Statements and projections”. On the one hand, the question “Is everything political?” is addressed by the artists in attendance. On the other, a discussion is held on perspectives about the city partnership between Berlin and Los Angeles. At 9 pm, the concept artist, filmmaker, and musician Stephen Prina will bring the program to an end with a concert on the cinema stage.
Marc Glöde & / Axel Haubrok
The LA > X Film Festival is supported by:
Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video-art
Der regierende Bürgermeister von Berlin – Senatskanzlei
haubrok foundation
Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg
Stauffenberg Dry Gin
Taylor Wessing
Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House
Adamski Gallery
Galerie Buchholz
Capitain Petzel
Marc Foxx
Galerie Neu
Neugerriemschneider
Sprüth Magers
Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects
Partner of Berlin Art Week
List of works
Edgar Arceneaux
Until, until, until…, 2015
courtesy Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles
John Baldessari
Baldessari sings LeWitt, 1972
courtesy Sprüth Magers, Berlin / Los Angeles
Julie Becker
Federal building, 2002
courtesy the Estate & Greene Naftali, New York
James Benning
Farocki, 2004
courtesy Neugerriemschneider, Berlin
Morgan Fisher
(), 2003
courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Cologne / Berlin / New York
Morgan Fisher
(), 2003
courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Cologne / Berlin / New York
Morgan Fisher
Picture and sound rushes, 1973
courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Cologne / Berlin / New York
Alex Hubbard
Hit wave, 2012
courtesy Galerie Neu, Berlin
Peter Ivers
New Wave Theatre with Peter Ivers Vol. 1, 1982
courtesy the Estate of David Jove
Rodney McMillian
Preacher man, 2015
courtesy Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles
Rodney McMillian
A migration tale, 2014–2015
courtesy Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles projects, Los Angeles
Rodney McMillian
A song for Nat, 2012
courtesy Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles
Rodney McMillian
untitled (The great society I), 2006
courtesy Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles
Rodney McMillian
untitled (Sheet performance), 2005
courtesy Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles
Rodney McMillian
untitled (America), 2002
courtesy Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Los Angeles
Sarah Morris
Los Angeles, 2004
courtesy Capitain Petzel, Berlin
Ryan Trecartin
Junior war, 2013
courtesy Regen Projects & Sprüth Magers, Berlin / Los Angeles
Ryan Trecartin
A family finds entertainment, 2004
courtesy Regen Projects & Sprüth Magers, Berlin / Los Angeles
Jennifer West
Pink beach red desert dream sand film, 2017
courtesy Marc Foxx, Los Angeles
Jennifer West
Film title poem (35 min special short version), 2016
courtesy Marc Foxx, Los Angels
Jennifer West
Salt crystals spiral jetty dead sea five-year film, 2013
courtesy Marc Foxx, Los Angeles
Jennifer West
Spiral of time documentary film, 2013
courtesy Marc Foxx, Los Angeles
Jennifer West
A 70 mm film wearing thick heavy black liquid eyeliner that gets smeary, 2008
courtesy Marc Foxx, Los Angeles
Jennifer West
Rainbow party on 70 mm film, 2008
courtesy Marc Foxx, Los Angeles
Christopher Williams
Supplement, 2003