FILM, VIDEO, DVD: ALPHABETICAL LISTINGS
A B C D E F G H I J K L MN O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Film, Video, DVD: E
The Earliest Immigrants NEW!
27 min /1997/ VHS
Middle school through adults
Who were the first Americans? In 1996, two men found a skull in the Columbia River near Kennewick, Washington, leading to the discovery of one of the oldest and most complete skeletons of an American ever found, dating between 7265-7535 B.C. This program follows the journey of forensic anthropologist Jim Chatters, as he worked to uncover the secrets of Kennewick Man and the legal challenges that arose in the process.
Ed Ruscha: Four Decades WA-655 NEW!
58 min /2005/ DVD
College through adult
Ed Ruscha grew up in Oklahoma but soon became attracted to Los Angeles leading to his bold paintings that have transitioned from 60s Pop Art to timelessness. Curator Margit Rowell visits Ruscha in his studio, looking at new paintings with the artist, discussing his progress and conversing on many milestones in his large retrospective exhibition at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.
E de K: A Portrait WA-220
28 min / color / 1983 / GM / 3/4"vc, VHS
High school through adult
A personal interview with celebrated artist Elaine de Kooning is interspersed with excerpts from a workshop she conducted in 1983 at Radford University. She discusses the painters who have influenced her work and describes her own approach to the art of portraiture. This tape was a gift to the Virginia Museum from writer/director Gerald McCarthy.
Edgar Degas: The Unquiet Spirit WA-274
68 minutes / color / 1980 / APPL / VHS
High school through adult
This video program explores the life and work of the complex man and unorthodox French artist Edgar Degas. Especially controversial was Degas’s treatment of women as subjects; he often showed them engaged in “earthy and unglamorous activities.” The camera captures the beauty and simplicity of real nude models and then shows how Degas was able to transfer such visions to canvas. Many works illustrate Degas’s favorite settings-the ballet class, racecourse, and railway-and explain his innovative use of the camera.
The Edge of the Possible: Jorn Utzon and the Sydney Opera
House AR-5
57 min / 1998 / VHS
High school through adult
The Sydney Opera House with its distinctive white "shells"
or "sails" has become the most iconic building in Australia
and perhaps in the world. This program documents the amazing
story of how the landmark came to be, from its exhilarating planning
stages, to the political controversy that drove acclaimed architect
Utzon away, and to its eventual completion and acclaim.
Edge of Ice ED-292
30 min / color / 1980 / BEN / VHS
Middle school through adult
Social customs and hunting strategies developed by the Inuit are linked to the daily and seasonal changes in their harsh Arctic environment. For thousands of years, the Inuit have known how to find the “edge of ice,” openings in the 20-foot-thick layer of ice where the seal and walrus come up to breathe. This program looks at the elaborate ecosystem of the Arctic, a food chain that starts with algae and leads up through crustaceans, fish, birds, and mammals, to the Inuit. Especially recommended for classes in geography, science, ecology, and art.
Eduardo Chillida: Basque Sculptor WA-261
60 min / color / 1985 / FI / VHS
High school through adult
Opening with a stormy dream sequence based on Eduardo Chillida’s great work The Wind Combs, this program takes the viewer on an exploration of the artist, his world, his works, and his roots. Chillida’s thoughts about space, matter, and limits are heard as the camera follows the artist at home, in his studio, on a voyage to Egypt, and at work in a great foundry, as well as in the quarries and ruins of the magnificent valley of Les Baux. Chillida is seen at work as he forges a massive iron sculpture and creates other works in clay.
Edvard Munch WA-443
29 min / color / 1994 / NDV / VHS
Middle school through adult
This video is divided into 2 programs on Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944), and they are stunning testimonies to the genius of this painter. By using Munch’s works as illustrations and excerpts from his diaries as narration, a complete biography of his life is related. The classic themes of death, sorrow, and despair, which recur throughout his paintings, are discussed. These themes reflect how the tragic deaths of his mother and sister and the religious fanaticism of his father affected his art. Even his expressive treatment of sexuality is clouded by a sense of impending doom, as were his personal relationships that were ultimately failures.
Edvard Munch: The Frieze of Life
WA-549
30 min / 1992 / TV / VHS
High school through adult
Shot on location in Norway, using original paintings, graphic works, and commentary mainly drawn from Munch’s own writings, this video explores the biographical and artistic origins and significance of some of the most arresting images in European art. He dedicated himself to works on the universal themes of love, anxiety, and death linked to a “symphonic arrangement” he titled “The Frieze of Life”.
Edward Hopper WA-221
30 min / color / 1980 / VM / 3/4"vc
College through adult
Edward Hopper (1882-1967) spent a lifetime recording intimate glimpses of 20th-century America. Combining uncompromising honesty with sincere subjective involvement, he challenged the idyllic sentimentality of many of his contemporaries to create rural and urban scenes that gave new strength and directness to modern landscape painting. Hopper’s oils, watercolors, drawings, and etchings are shown, many never before recorded, exhibited, or reproduced.
Edward Hopper NEW!
30 min /2007/ DVD
High school through adult
This high quality National Gallery of Art video traces the painter’s varied influences from French Impressionism to the Hollywood gangster movies of the 1930s. Using archival photos and film, locations in New York and on the New England coast, and comments by artists Red Grooms and Eric Fischl, much is uncovered about the enigmatic Hopper. Narrated by actor and art collector, Steve Martin.
Edward Hopper: The Silent Witness WA-558 NEW!
43 min/1995/ VHS
High school through adult
This is a profile of one of America’s best known and greatest painters, Edward Hopper, who was noted for his few words. His paintings and life are discussed by people who knew him. Locations where he lived and visited in Cape Cod and New York are shown and matched to places depicted in his works.
Egon Schiele: His Life and Works
55 min / 1994 / VHS
College through adult
The Austrian artist whose intense, intimate paintings and drawings
are still highly provocative Was born on the Danube in 1890.
As a student, the young Schiele made an impact on the Vienna art
scene where he produced 300 oil paintings and 3,000 works on paper
before his untimely death in 1918. A contemporary of Klimt and
Kokoshka, Schiele embodied the notion of the artist as tortured
soul and constantly returned to and refined his trademark themes:
intense exploration of the self and human sexuality through portraits
and self-portraits.
The Eighteenth-Century Woman WA-306
55 min / color / 1982 / AA / VHS
High school through adult
Marie Antoinette, Madame du Pompadour, and Dolley Madison are a few of the women who, from heights of power, helped to shape the Age of Enlightenment. In this program, which corresponds to an exhibition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the roles of women in the 18th century are revealed through period diaries and writings, clothing, accessories, paintings, and music. This documentary is excellent for history, social studies, literature, and music classes, as well as women’s studies.
Eisenstaedt: Germany WA-196
28 min / color / 1981 / AFA / 16mm
High school through adult
Photographer Serjei Eisenstaedt’s legendary images of Marlene Dietrich and Hermann Goering express the essence of photojournalism and capture the spirit of pre-war Germany. This film documents 82-year-old Eisenstaedt’s return to Germany for the first time since his emigration in 1935; the artist photographs his homeland-this time for his tenth book-and reminisces about his career as a chronicler of significant people and events. Blue Ribbon, American Film Festival.
El Greco WA-254
30 min / color / 1982 / FI / VHS
High school through adult
This tape presents not only the events of El Greco’s career, but also the pressures and emotions of the Counter-Reformation that inspired him. It traces his beginnings in Crete as Domenikos Theotokopoulos, a Byzantine icon painter, and shows scenes that were familiar to him, including the streets, churches, and countryside of Toledo, Spain. El Greco’s art expresses the religion of his times and a private spiritual quest, both of which are explored here in masterpieces from great churches and museums of the world.
Electric Boogie ED-181
30 min / color / 1983 / FL / VHS
Middle school through adult
The street culture of America’s black and Hispanic neighborhoods captivated the country in the early 1980s. Breakdancing flourished in every school yard in America. This film is about 4 young boys from the Bronx who live, eat, and sleep Electric Boogie. For them, dancing becomes a way of coping with the harsh realities of their lives. The film reveals more than the razzle-dazzle of a dance fad-it captures the dreams and spirit of 4 inseparable friends-city kids who have not been hardened by street life. This film is an excellent statement about interracial relationships and the desire of young people to succeed. Blue Ribbon, American Film Festival.
Elements and Principles of Design ED-310
46 min / color / 1989 / CRYS / VHS / DVD
Middle school through adult
Artist and educator Tony Couch graphically explains how the elements of design (line, shape, value, color, texture, and direction) are used to build a design. He shows how each of the principles of design (balance, harmony, gradation, repetition, contrast, dominance, and unity) applies to each of the elements. The artist draws diagrams on camera and then shows his own paintings and the works of master artists, such as Edward Hopper and Vincent van Gogh, to illustrate how the elements are applied to the principles.
The Elephant on the Hill ED-274
60 min / color / 1989 / WETA-TV / VHS
High school through adult
If an elephant is standing on a hill of mud and starts to slide down, how long will it take him to reach the bottom? A physicist will tell you to construct a simple equation to find the answer. A philosopher observes that this doesn’t tell you anything about how mud feels as it squooshes between the animal’s toes. The point of this discussion is that we have become so technically oriented that we have forgotten concepts such as our individual perceptions, emotions, and the philosophical and legal implications of new technologies. Today, artists are crossing the boundaries between art and science, using computers and space-age technology as the material and provocation for their art. Artists such as Laurie Anderson speak eloquently in support of the cross-over between current technological advances and art. Recommended for science, art, computer, history, and music classes.
Eliot Porter’s World WA-296
29 min / color / 1988 / DC / 16mm, VHS
High school through adult
Eliot Porter, one of America’s foremost environmental photographers, discusses his attachment to landscapes that range from his hometown in Maine to the Taos region of New Mexico, and further afield on expeditions to Alaska and China. A vital and dedicated artist, Porter imparts information about his personal growth and experience as a photographer, as well as technical points concerning his selection of subject matter, lighting, and photographic processes. This film is highly recommended for classes in photography, American studies, and geography.
Elizabeth King: American Artist WA-322
25 min / color / 1990 / CBAR / VHS
High school through adult
Virginia sculptor and teacher Elizabeth King is the subject of this program. The film opens in the artist’s studio, a vast orderly space filled with whimsical objects and mechanical devices: antique dolls, angelic Renaissance faces, a palette filled with rows of glass eyes, and her remarkably detailed sculpture, which invites close investigation. She creates a visual dialogue between her works’ exteriors (remarkable likenesses in delicate porcelain) and interiors (joints of wood and bones of bronze), thus inviting the viewer to consider the point at which polished mechanical dynamics and elusive human spirit meet.
Elizabeth Catlett WA-594
28 min / 1998 / L&S / VHS
College through adult
Attributing her art directly to difficulties in life she faced as a black woman, Elizabeth Catlett sculpted “the truth” with flawless technique from wood, stone, and terra cotta. This video provides a personal look at the life and sculpture of Catlett. It shows her working in her studio while explaining and describing her art and life. Faith Ringgold adds commentary.
Elizabeth Swados: The Girl with the Incredible Feeling ED-99
39 min / color / 1977 / PFI / 16mm
High school through adult
This is a joyous film celebrating a remarkable, creative talent, Elizabeth Swados, author, composer, and performer. Swados composed music for two of Joseph Papp’s Lincoln Center productions, won an Obie Award for her music for an off-Broadway production of Medea, performed throughout Europe and Africa, wrote the book The Girl with the Incredible Feeling, and taught music at Sarah Lawrence and Bard Colleges. This film is about her unique approach to life and work. Red Ribbon, American Film Festival.
Ellsworth Kelly: Fragments NEW!
60 min /2007/ DVD
College through adult
This is a comprehensive retrospective of the life and works of Ellsworth Kelly, a giant of American modernism. He explains how he has always sought to make connections between abstraction and nature from which he extrapolates the essence and purity of form and color. High definition video brings out the vivid, hard-edged minimalist elegance of his works.
Ellsworth Kelly and Jasper Johns:
Modern Masters? ED-540
14 min / color / 1999 / FFH / VHS
High school through adult
What is “art”? Correspondent Paul Solman attempts to define it through the huge, monochrome canvases of Ellsworth Kelly and the symbol-laden compositions of Jasper Johns. Shot on location in New York at retrospective shows of each artist at the Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art with their directors making the case for art. Opposing views are given by critic Hilton Kramer, a museum guide, and even Solman’s own camera crew.
The Emperor’s Eye: Art and Power in Imperial China ED-282
58 min / color / 1989 / FL / VHS
High school through adult
The Emperor’s Eye is the biography of Chienlung, an extraordinary emperor of China, who amassed one of the finest art collections ever in an attempt to solve a problem. He wanted to make his court forget he was not of the ancient and refined Mandarin line, but instead was descended from rough Manchurian horsemen who had conquered China. As a result of his quest for respect centuries ago, Chienlung created one of the most hotly debated feuds between his Communist Chinese and Taiwanese descendants. In the 1930s, after years of internal strife, the Japanese invaded China. The Imperial Collection was loaded into crates and taken from the Forbidden City. For years the objects moved continuously, until they were removed from the mainland to the island of Taiwan. Today, both Communist China and Democratic Taiwan claim ownership of the marvelous collection.
The Endless Strand AT-21
12 min / color / 1983 / CP / 16mm
High school through adult
Images of China past and present are included in this colorful film on the technique and history of carpetmaking in the People’s Republic of China. Of special interest are scenes that explore sources of carpet design in nature and symbol, and the scenes that follow the production of a carpet from start to finish.
The England of Elizabeth ED-25
26 min / color / 1960 / IFB / 16mm
Middle school through adult
This film carries the viewer back to the 16th century, to the greatness and glory of the Elizabethan period. Views of the English countryside-little changed since Shakespeare’s day-along with art treasures, early maps, books, and architecture all combine with a poetic narrative to make the events and personalities of Elizabethan times come alive.
English Architecture ED-570
1997/ CD-ROM
Elementary through adult
This interactive disk gives a comprehensive introduction to the major periods in English architecture. Explore Roman ruins, Saxon churches, Norman castles, Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance country homes, Tudor and Elizabethan government buildings and fortresses, manor homes from the Georgian and Regency periods, stately Victorian mansions, and 20th-century landmarks that reflect both the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements. Interior and exterior photos of over 200 structures are accompanied by text and narration that provide both historical and architectural background with an extensive glossary of terms.
The English House
26 min / color / 1984 / MG / 16mm
High school through adult
This 7-part series surveys English houses and their inhabitants, past and present. Grand aristocratic lifestyles are examined through architecture, interior decorating, and art collecting.
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1. The English House EH-1
This overview of the history of English architecture was shot entirely from a helicopter. The camera sweeps from a Norman castle to Welwyn Garden City, from the Queen’s House at Greenwich to a 19th-century mining village.
2. Planning for Comfort and Style EH-2
Tredagar House, a living architectural library of building styles from medieval times to the 20th century, is examined. Household needs and resulting innovations affected the house’s physical structure and appearance over the centuries.
3. One Hundred Years of Decoration: 1680-1780 EH-3
Petworth House in Sussex and Syon House in Middlesex provide case studies of trends in house decoration over a 100-year period from the Baroque to the Classical style of Robert Adam.
4. Center of Fashion EH-4
Some of Britain’s most notable architects such as Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren, William Kent, Robert Adam, and Charles Voysey are discussed and the finest examples of their work are shown.
5. Possessions EH-5
At Petworth House, successive generations of owners have assembled one of the finest private collections of furnishings, art, and decorative objects in Britain. A survey of the collections reveals the changing tastes of England’s upper class.
6. Technical Developments EH-6
Until the 1930s most people lived in houses that were similar to those built hundreds of years before. This film discusses the innovations that have radically changed the appearance and comfort of homes in modern times.
7. A Day in the Service EH-7
Follow the servants of an upperclass Edwardian household through their duties on a typical day at Erddig House in 1909.
The English Masters series NEW!
50 min ea; 6 disks /2000/ DVD
High school through college
These videos provide in-depth looks at six painters who are considered the English Masters. The series highlights significant events in each artist’s life, pinpoints their stylistic trademarks, and provides detailed explanations of their techniques. All of this is complemented by new location footage and extensive period re-creations.
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#1 Hogarth
#2 Reynolds
#3 Gainsborough
#4 Blake
#5 Turner
#6 Constable
An Englishman’s Home
60 min each / color / 1987 / Fusion / VHS
Middle school through adult
An Englishman’s Home tells the stories of historic English houses and the influential families who built, rebuilt, preserved, and left them as a record of their lives. Told in the words of their current owners, often the descendants of the original builders, this series will fascinate anyone with an interest in English heritage and architecture.
- 1. Arundel Castle ENGHOME-1
There has been an Arundel Castle since before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Home of the Dukes of Norfolk since 1556, Arundel’s fortunes rose and fell along with those of the Howard family. Howards held the highest offices and also suffered the cruelest punishments: attainder, imprisonment, exile, martyrdom, and execution. The current Duke shows us the splendors of his ancestral home and tells us why his family history has such an “aura of fatal glory."
2. Goodwood House ENGHOME-2
Home of the Dukes of Richmond since 1697, Goodwood House has given its name to one of England’s most famous race meetings. The current Duke tells of the post-war motor circuit he founded; his son, Lord March, recounts details of family history. Among the many portraits and landscapes displayed in the house are works by Van Dyke, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Canoletto. Lord March sums up the spirit of the home as he states, “History happens here today."
3. Uppark ENGHOME-3
John Eyre, Administrator of England’s National Trust, tells the romantic story of this great house and its inhabitants. An elderly baronet married a young dairymaid, and when he died, she refused to change anything about the house or grounds. Thus, Uppark is today as it was in its heyday, a perfect representation of 18th-century architecture. The original portion of the house was of William and Mary design. Inside the home is a dollhouse of Palladian design, fully equipped in every detail, even to the silver tea set in the tiny dining room. French tapestries representing 4 continents and portraits by Benjamin West adorn the walls.
4. Wilton ENGHOME-4
Henry VIII gave Wilton and its lands to William Herbert, first Earl of Pembroke. The current Earl shows us the magnificent Inigo Jones apartments with paintings by Van Dyke and Rembrandt, the 19th-century cloisters designed by James Wyatt, and the grounds with their Palladian bridge built in the 18th century. The Earl recounts dramatic stories of his ancestors who made their marks on every great age and were patrons of the arts.
5. Broadlands ENGHOME-5
Famous in recent times as the home of Lord Mountbatten of the British royalty, Broadlands’ 18th century design has been cleverly and delicately modernized by its current owners, Lord Romsey and hid wife. As Lord Romsey and viewers tour the great house, he tells of the changes made since 1979. He also recounts many dramatic and romantic stories of ancestors who shaped Great Britain’s and Broadlands’ history.
Envisioning Emotional Epistemological Information
25 min / 2003 / DVD
High school through adult
Musician/artist David Byrne, founder of the highly innovative
Talking Heads art rock group in the 1970s, made this whimsical
program of five short PowerPoint presentations. Byrne takes a
bemused, ironic approach in his creation of pure images with background
music that he also composed. Limited to school classroom showings
only.
Epic of Gilgamesh ED-246
11 min / color / 1985 / FRI / 16mm
College through adult
Just when you thought your psyche was safe, the Brothers Quay have done it again. This time the culprit is a somewhat twisted adaptation of the ancient story of the Babylonian warrior Gilgamesh. In this surreal film is Gilgamesh the crazed clown who rides his red tricycle like a fiend from the Wizard of Oz? Or is he the nightmarish yet beautiful winged creature who becomes fatally trapped in the clown’s net? These questions and more await you on the other side of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Recommended for animation, film, theater design, and symbolism studies.
Erté WA-141
28 min / color / 1979 / PFI / 16mm
High school through adult
Art Deco was one of the most important design movements of the 20th century, and Romain de Tirtoff, better known as Erté, was one the artists who established its development and acceptance as a legitimate art form. Narrated by Diana Vreeland, this film presents a portrait of the gifted and prolific Erté, who worked for more than 85 years in many design fields.
The Eternal Drum ED-358
25 min / color / 1990 / NDV / VHS
Elementary school through adult
This documentary examines the social and spiritual significance of the American Indian powwow in the 20th century. Through interviews with participants and explanations of the dances, dress, music, and history of the ceremonies, viewers better understand the traditions and heritage of Native Americans. A multi-tribal perspective emerges, uniting all the cultures in the enjoyment of the powwow.
Ethnic Notions WA-323
56 min / color / 1987 / CN / VHS
HIgh school through adult
This award-winning documentary by Marlon Riggs traces the evolution of deeply rooted stereotypes that have fueled prejudice toward African-Americans for more than 150 years. Art, collector’s items, cartoons, feature films, advertisements, and popular songs are some of the sources of demeaning and dehumanizing images examined in this program. Narrator Esther Rolle and respected scholars approach this subject with great sensitivity.
The Etruscans WA-94
16 min / color / 1972 / VEDO / 16mm
High school through adult
The daily life, institutions, and customs of the ancient Etruscans, the pre-Roman settlers in Italy, are documented through imaginative filming. Sequences showing tomb paintings, sculptures, and other works-many of them discovered in tombs-alternate with scenes of the architectural remains of this gifted and innovative civilization.
The Etruscans ED-420
29 min / color / 1975 / FFH / VHS
High school through adult
This program examines the chief Etruscan sites in Tarquinia and Cerveteri showing the natural landscape in which the Etruscans lived. As well, we are led to their houses of the dead where they were buried with some of the most hauntingly beautiful statuary and frescoes of any period and any place.
Etruscan Arts WA-573
23 min / 1997 / LUC / VHS
High school through adult
This program travels to the windswept hills of Tuscany, Italy to explore the lost tombs of the Etruscans. Within them, we find a treasury of artifacts from this pre-Roman society whose culture dates back to 800 B.C. The tombs were sculpted to resemble Etruscan houses with furniture carved from stone, decorative friezes and paintings, elegant pottery, exquisite silver and gold jewelry, and bronze objects.
Eugène Delacroix: The Restless Eye WA-259
65 min / color / 1980 / FI / VHS
College through adult
Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) was the last of the great public painters of France and one of the first modernists. The artist’s journal, treasured today for both its style and content, is the inspiration of this program. The viewer is introduced to the places and people Delacroix knew and is given rare glimpses of his childhood drawings along with a fresh look at his masterpieces. The film discusses the artist in the context of the romanticism and revolution of 19th-century France, and contrasts his style and ideas with those of his contemporary Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres.
Europe after the Rain
Varied times / color / 1978 / RC / VHS
College through adult
This 3-part series examines Dada, Surrealism, and Futurist art not simply as modern movements, but also as a history of ideas-emphasizing the desire to unify political and psychological values with artistic creativity. Beginning with the birth of Dada in Zurich against the background of World War I, the series continues with Surrealism’s subsequent attempts to systemize the research techniques and anarchic energy that Dada had unleashed. The series culminates with an examination of Futurism, the art of the avant-garde in Italy from 1909 to 1944. Inspired by the new machine age with its vision of skyscrapers, electrified cities, and speeding motor cars, Futurist artists depicted a world of pure energy that became one of the liveliest art movements of the 20th century.
1. Dada and Surrealism, Part 1 (44 min) EUR-1
This program follows the different forms the Dada movement assumed in Berlin, New York, and Paris in the 1920s. Under the leadership of André Breton, Surrealist writers and artists sought to expand on the Dada themes and establish a new balance between conscious and unconscious impulses.
2. Dada and Surrealism, Part 2 (44 min) EUR-2
Through contemporary newsreels, dramatization, and detailed accounts of their paintings, this program summarizes the work of Duchamp, Tzara, Arp, Ernst, Schwitters, Breton, Dali, and Magritte. Using the artists’ own words, it describes how Dada and Surrealism attempted to transform the world and how they were transformed by it.
3. Vita Futurista: Italian Futurism 1909-1944 (52 min) EUR-3
Renegade and poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, the inventor of Futurism, attracted all manner of artists to his movement. Boccioni, Balla, Carrà, and Severini-all were eager to attack the conventions of a rigid society and its art establishment. Filmed mainly at the exhibition of Futurist art at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice, this program includes dramatic re-creations, rare archival film, and a host of artworks.
An Evening with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre PE-29
140 min / color / 1986 / FI / VHS
High school through adult
This dynamic video program includes interviews with the late Alvin Ailey, one of America’s most celebrated choreographers, as well as complete performances of several of the American Dance Theatre’s best-known pieces, including Cry. In the late 1950s Ailey’s company burst onto the dance scene with extraordinary versatility and athletic power, and has continued to be hailed for its emotional depth, sensitive commentaries on the black condition, and consistently high-quality choreography and performance. An excellent program for performing arts, social studies, or African-American studies.
Everyday Art WA-511
50 min / color / 1994 / CG / VHS
Middle school through adult
This video is a contemporary portrait of folkloric traditions in Cuba, focusing on the everyday life of musicians and dancers. Shot in homes, as well as on the streets and stages, the video captures the connections between African and Latino culture, religion, daily life, and art. Among the artists featured are pianist Chuncho Valdez, dancer Librada Wuesada, salsa king Isaac Delgado, Los Van Van founder Juan Formel, and Raices Profundas and Los Munquitos de Matanzas, two of the most important folkloric groups in Cuba today.
The Experimental Avant Garde Film EX-1
4 films; 30 min total; 1 cassette / 1921-1960 / NYFA / VHS
College through adult
This is a compilation of original and pioneering 20th century experimental films. All in black & white.
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Ghosts Before Breakfast (1928) Hans Richter’s absurdist film in which objects revolt and have a life of their own such as the famous image of derby hats flying through Paris. The edgy, dada/surrealist film breaks many conventions.
Rhythmus 21 (1921) Hans Richter’s “pure cinema”, abstract study using non-representational shapes.
H20 (1929) Ralph Steiner’s impression of rippling water.
The Existentialist (c. 1960) Leon Prochnik’s clever comment on non-conformity. A man walks through New York City while the city moves in reverse
Exploring the World
Varied times / color / 1991 / CTC / VHS
Middle school through adult
Produced entirely on location throughout the world, this monumental series offers a unique opportunity to view the world through the eyes of hosts Jake and Mieke DeBoer. Each program presents a contemporary look at the magnificent cities and countries of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. By exploring the most significant cultural and historical sights of each destination, the visit becomes a memorable experience for all viewers.
- 1. Hong Kong (15 min) EXW-1
This fast-paced program gives viewers a glimpse at one of the most remarkable places in the world. The city of Hong Kong, which became a part of China in 1997, is home to nearly six million people and is the world’s third largest trading center. Tour the city, from the harbor’s floating village to the midtown shopping district, and experience the traditional customs, along with the contemporary life of this great city.
2. Taiwan: Taipei (15 min) EXW-2
Taipei, the fastest growing city in Asia, is the administrative, commercial, manufacturing, and cultural center of Taiwan. Explore the Chinese opera, temples, museums, monuments, the market shrine, and a microscopic view of China at the display, “Window on China,” during this program.
3. Denmark (25 min) EXW-3
This program begins with a royal tour of Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, where rulers have traditionally supported the arts, from architecture to designs for fine silver and porcelain. In the southern part of the country, we visit Jutland, which is mainly farmland, and discover how blue cheese is made. The city of Billund is the home of Legoland, an educational theme park where models of countries are built from the toy bricks. Bornholm, an island off the coast, is our last stop. There an artists’ community thrives, creating pottery and glass art inspired by the scenic surroundings.
4. Germany (30 min) EXW-4
Nestled in the heart of Bavaria lies the city of Nurnberg. Built around 1050 and almost totally destroyed during World War II, this city has been rebuilt but still maintains its medieval character. It is now a major toy center and is renowned for its handmade marionettes. Another Bavarian city is Bayreuth, home of composers Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner, where an annual festival honors their music. Viewers also visit the Steingraeber & Sohne Factory and see grand pianos being built.
5. The Netherlands (25 min) EXW-5
Venture into Holland and discover the traditions behind the country’s famous wooden shoes and a historic look at Holland’s “golden age.” In the cities of Voendam, Edam, and Enkhuizen, viewers see displays of cheesemaking techniques and the folk costumes of yesteryear.
6. Norway (30 min) EXW-6
Oslo, Norway’s capital, represents the history, culture, and art of this beautiful country. Its National Gallery holds more than 40,000 works of art and features Norweigan artists such as Edvard Munch. Folk traditions abound in the crafts sold in the market, and parks are filled with public art. Bergen, the capital during the Middle Ages, stands as the gateway to the fjords, where viewers cruise down the glacial waters.
7. Spain (27 min) EXW-7
Three of southern Spain’s most interesting and beautiful cities are visited in this program. Over 3,000 years of rich cultural heritage and the remnants of sixth-century Moorish civilization remain today in Granada, the first of the cities toured. In this beautiful city is the fourteenth-century citadel of Alhambra, with its amazing gardens and fountains. The second city is Cordoba, famous for its elegant squares and its mosque built in A.D. 785. There art students are busily working to rebuild an ancient church devastated by fire. Seville, the cultural, art, and financial center of southern Spain, is the last city seen.
8. Sweden (30 min) EXW-8
In this program, viewers tour the “floating city” of Stockholm, Sweden’s thirteenth-century capital built on 14 islands. In the province of Smaland, stroll through charming villages and witness Scandinavian artisans working in traditional crafts.
9. Zimbabwe (25 min) EXW-9
Deep within the country of Zimbabwe, Africa, thunders one of the natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls. Spectacular aerial footage offers a bird’s-eye view of the mesmerizing power and majesty of this phenomenon. Also visited are the Victoria Falls Hotel, a landmark since 1904 and the Falls Crafts Village, where local crafts people display their art and perform traditional dances.
Expressions: The Human Face in Art WA-334
21 min / color / 1990 / VM / VHS
High school through adult
Why do artists create images of the human face? What makes the face so intriguing? These questions are discussed by 6 contemporary Virginia artists who use the face as a primary in their work. The artists include Nancy Freeman (Annandale), Elizabeth King (Richmond), Lisa Janes (Richmond), Joseph Seipel (Richmond), Thelma Twery (Lynchburg), and Holly Wright (Charlottesville).
Expressing the Inexpressible: Shirin Neshat VA-2
42 min
Shirin Neshat's identity has given her inspiration to question
gender issues, western versus non-western culture, Iranian culture,
and many other issues that she has faced throughout her life.
Through an interview with her about her many installations, "Turbulent",
"Soliloquy", "Rapture", "Fervor",
and "Shadow Under the Web" Neshat talks about her thoughts
on how she identifies herself and how she uses film and sound
to illustrate it.
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