A Surreal Magic Lantern

 

What was the magic lantern, and what impact did it have on avant-garde cinema? During our session, we’ll take a closer look at the film work of Franciszka and Stefan Themerson. We’ll explore the connections between their experiments with light and movement and methods of image-making that predate cinema.

We’ll begin by watching excerpts from the Themerson duo’s films together and viewing the objects featured in the exhibition. We’ll also learn about Pol-Dives, who organized extraordinary magic lantern shows at the “Hangar” in Paris. Teresa Żarnower encouraged Stefan Themerson to participate in these screenings, and her works will also be on view in the exhibition space. The Themersons later described these fascinating shows, which utilized glass images, in their book *On the Need to Create Visions*.

In the second part of the workshop, we’ll take part in a demonstration of an original, 19th-century magic lantern. Next, we’ll try our hand at one of the techniques for creating slides for this device: painting on glass. We’ll draw inspiration from the art of Pol-Dives and create our own compositions. Each participant will leave the workshop with a unique painting on glass.

A workshop ticket grants admission to the exhibition up to 2 hours before the event.