Mark Lewis's Cinematic Paintings at the 2009 Venice Biennale
Mark Lewis has produced approximately forty short films that emphasize action, narration, and star presence rather than detailed settings. His filmmaking techniques feature camera movements like those in Spadina: Reverse Dolly, Zoom, Nude (2006), axis rotation as seen in Harper Road (2003), and split-screen effects in Prater Hauptallee (2008). Lewis envisions a 'part cinema' that merges mainstream and avant-garde elements. His earlier pieces delve into meta-narrative, such as A Sense of the End (1996), and pastiche, exemplified by After (1999). In contrast, later works like The Pitch (1998) highlight visual observation. Urban landscapes, such as Algonquin Park (2002), convey a 'post-utopian' essence. His recent films, including Cinema Museum (2008) and Backstory (2009), reflect on cinematic history. The Canadian Pavilion exhibition is curated by Barbara Fischer.
Key facts
- Mark Lewis's films invert representational hierarchies, prioritizing action over setting.
- His filmography catalogs cinematic techniques: camera movements, axis rotation, image reversal, color shift, split-screen, rear projection.
- Lewis proposes a 'part cinema' as a third way between mainstream and avant-garde cinema.
- Later works shift toward pictorial observation with fixed, silent shots lasting a few minutes.
- Subjects include urban and natural landscapes with a 'post-utopian' atmosphere.
- Golden Rod (2006) uses a simultaneous dolly-back and zoom-forward over 2 minutes 30 seconds.
- Recent longer works (35–40 minutes) document cinema history, including Cinema Museum (2008) and Backstory (2009).
- The exhibition at the Canadian Pavilion is curated by Barbara Fischer with a catalogue co-published by Justina M. Barnicke Gallery and Vancouver Art Gallery.
Entities
Artists
- Mark Lewis
- Jeff Wall
- Orson Welles
- John Cage
- Barbara Fischer
- Anna
- Hansard family
Institutions
- Canadian Pavilion
- Justina M. Barnicke Gallery
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Biennale de Venise
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Spadina
- Harper Road
- Cheapside
- Washington Boulevard
- Prater Hauptallee
- Algonquin Park
- North Circular
- Heygate Estate
- Hollywood
Sources
- artpress —