Filmoteka Muzeum

The film Numbers was based on the motif of a long screening of a trivial and meaningless “spectacle”, typical of structural cinema. Numbers last for 30 minutes and embrace nothing but “ready” fragments of film stock with a countdown to the start of the “film proper”. By presenting for half an hour numbers introducing film narration, Kwiek made an ironic reference to the habits and desires of the viewers, waiting for a film that actually never begins. According to the artist’s intention, the film was to provoke and “enrage” the viewers by shaking them out of their mental schemes and passive consumption of cinematographic meanings. Naturally enough, a monotonous screening of this sort urges the viewer to draw attention to their very selves, their own position, perception, etc.

Quoted from: Ł. Ronduda, Warsztat Formy Filmowej. Realizacje filmowe z lat 1970-1977, Artpapier.com, wrzesień 2004.

Year: 1973
Duration: 7'52"
Language: no language
Source: 35 mm

© Paweł Kwiek, courtesy Arton Foundation

Acquisition date: Dec 1, 2011
Acquisition: deposit
Ownership form: deposit