Laurence Kardish on Cinema, Curation, and the State of Film Art
In a conversation with Artribune, Laurence Kardish, who served as MoMA New York's film curator until 2012, reminisces about his extensive 44-year journey in which he curated over 1,000 exhibitions. He highlights the difficulties faced in organizing monographic exhibitions featuring figures like Luis Buñuel and John Cassavetes, as well as showcases on African cinema and the history of Soviet film. Kardish believes that a successful curator must remain knowledgeable and attuned to cultural shifts. He expresses a desire to collaborate with Tacita Dean and Sean Baker. He identifies two cinematic trends: the dominance of superhero films and the flourishing of independent cinema from festivals such as Sundance. He regards Cannes as the premier film festival and underscores the enduring significance of art, citing Giotto's frescoes. The interview, conducted by Margherita Bordino, took place during Kardish's trip to Italy for the Biennale opening.
Key facts
- Laurence Kardish was curator of film at MoMA New York until 2012.
- He organized over 1,000 exhibitions and retrospectives in 44 years.
- Retrospectives he is most satisfied with include Buñuel, Cassavetes, Fassbinder, Rossellini, Ray, Varda, and Clarke.
- He organized the first African film exhibition in America, a history of Soviet cinema, and a survey of Weimar propaganda cinema (1919–1933).
- Kardish names Tacita Dean and Sean Baker as contemporary artists he would like to work with.
- He identifies two directions in American cinema: superhero blockbusters and independent film supported by festivals like Sundance and South by Southwest.
- He believes Italy cannot bring audiences back to cinemas due to a lack of venues.
- Kardish considers Cannes the most important film festival in the world.
- He views the 57th Venice Biennale's theme 'Viva Arte Viva' as a tautology, not a provocation.
- The interview was conducted by Margherita Bordino at the 57th Venice Biennale.
Entities
Artists
- Laurence Kardish
- Luis Buñuel
- John Cassavetes
- Rainer Werner Fassbinder
- Roberto Rossellini
- Satyajit Ray
- Agnes Varda
- Shirley Clarke
- Tacita Dean
- Sean Baker
- Federico Fellini
- Vincente Minnelli
- Billy Wilder
- Giotto
- Margherita Bordino
Institutions
- MoMA New York
- Artribune
- Sundance Film Festival
- South by Southwest
- Cannes Film Festival
- Venice Biennale
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Italy
- Venice
- Padua
- France
- Mediterranean Sea
- Germany