Cunningham | Art Meets Film Series 2024

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Cunningham traces Merce Cunningham's artistic evolution over three decades of risk and discovery (1944-1972), from his early years as a struggling dancer in postwar New York to his emergence as one of the world's most visionary choreographers. The film weaves together Merce's philosophies and stories, creating a visceral journey into his innovative work. A breathtaking explosion of dance, music, and never-before-seen archival material, Cunningham is a timely tribute to one of the world's greatest modern dance artists.

Cunningham was selected by artist Rochelle Haley to screen in connection with her new performance commission, A Sun Dance. At the core of Haley's durational performance work is a relationship between dancer, sunlight and architecture. Conceived in relation to the architecture of the original National Gallery of Australia building, shafts of sunlight streaming through architectural forms provide changing sets for dance over the course of a day.

Deirdre Cannon (Assistant Curator, Australian Art) will introduce the film, and its connection to Haley's practice and the ideas explored in A Sun Dance. A Sun Dance is a free, ticketed performance that was presented in February 2024.

Art Meets Film is a free program of film screenings presented in partnership by the National Gallery of Australia and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.