Marielle Nitoslawska's documentary 'Breaking The Frame' profiles Carolee Schneemann's pioneering art and life

Marielle Nitoslawska directed and shot 'Breaking The Frame,' a documentary portrait of artist Carolee Schneemann. The film runs about 100 minutes and was screened at Anthology Film Archives in New York. Nitoslawska's approach initially features her own commentary and hand-held camera work, but later shifts to emphasize Schneemann's voice. Schneemann discusses her early life, including a visit to the Philadelphia Museum at age 11 and growing up in rural Pennsylvania as a doctor's daughter. Her art spans feminist, ecological, political, and diaristic themes, with notable works like 'Meat Joy' (1964) and 'Interior Scroll' (1974). She also created 'Hand/Heart for Ana Mendieta' (1986) and 'ABC – We Print Anything – In the Cards' (1977). The documentary touches on her relationships with composer James Tenney and artists Anthony McCall and Bruce McPherson, as well as her cats and a house in the Hudson Valley. Schneemann's career bridges late 1950s Happenings and 1960s process, performance, and conceptual art. The film's structure is somewhat a-chronological, reflecting her artistic revisiting and collaging of earlier efforts.