John Smith

The Black Tower

18/4 – 18/5, 2014

(scroll down for English)

Lulu se enorgullece en presentar la película The Black Tower (1985-87) del cineasta experimental John Smith. Comprometiéndose con el legado del cine estructural y manteniéndose dentro de los confines de la narrativa convencional, esta película de 24 minutos retrata la arquitectura paranoica y el progresivo quiebre psicológico de un invisible protagonista que lucha para detener y superar los delirios de persecución desencadenados por un torre negra omnipresente. Lulu ha decidido presentar este filme en la Ciudad de México porque percibe la posible resonancia entre el progresivo estado de paranoia del protagonista y la estructura urbana y la arquitectura cancerígena de la Ciudad de México. A pesar de su graciosa oscuridad, esta obra tan peculiar ofrece un vistazo provocador a las patologías generadas por el tránsito del espacio privado al espacio público por y en el hipertrofiado crecimiento de la gran mayoría de las ciudades contemporáneas.   

La noche de la inauguración estará acompañada por un panel de discusión acerca de The Black Tower que se llevará a cabo el 18 de abril a las 8:30 pm. La discusión estará moderada por Chris Sharp curador y co-fundador de Lulu y el panel estará conformado por la escritora y editora independiente Gabriela Jauregui, la curadora y escritora Aline Hernández y Allegra Cordero di Montezemolo curadora.  

Después del panel habrá una fiesta para celebrar el primer aniversario de Lulu.

John Smith nació en Walthamstow, al Este de Londres en 1952 y estudió cine en el Royal College of Art. Inicialmente inspirado por el arte conceptual y las ideas del estructuralismo materialista que fueron el canon dominante durante su etapa de formación pero también fascinado por poder de la narrativa y la palabra hablada, ha desarrollado un extenso cuerpo de trabajo que definitivamente subvierte las fronteras entre documental y ficción, representación y abstracción. Frecuentemente enraizados en la vida cotidiana, los filmes de Smith retrabajan y transforman la realidad, explorando lúdicamente y exponiendo el lenguaje cinematográfico.

Desde 1972 John Smith ha realizado más de 50 filmes, videos e instalaciones que se han mostrado en cines, galerías de arte y en televisión a nivel internacional y ha sido premiado con los mayores premios en varios festivales de cine. Entre algunas de sus exhibiciones individuales están Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin (2013), Kestnergesellschaft, Hanover (2012), Uppsala Art Museum, Sweden (2011), Sala Diaz Gallery, Texas (2010) and Pearl Gallery, London (2002). Entre sus exhibiciones colectivas más importantes están ‘Constellations’, Tate Liverpool (2013-14), ‘Image Counter Image’, Haus der Kunst, Munich (2012), ‘Has The Film Already Started?’, Tate Britain (2011-12), Berlin Biennial (2010), ‘The Talent Show’, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and MoMA PS1, New York (2010), Venice Biennale (2007), ‘A Century of Artists’ Film in Britain’, Tate Britain (2004), ‘Live in Your Head: Concept and Experiment in Britain 1965-75’, Whitechapel Gallery, London (2000) and ‘The British Art Show’, UK touring exhibition (1984). John Smith en los últimos años ha sido parte de retrospectivas en festivales de cine en Oberhausen, Tampere, St. Petersburg, La Rochelle, Ciudad de México, Uppsala, Cork, Regensburg, Karlstad, Winterthur, Bristol, Hull y Glasgow.           

John Smith vive y trabaja en Londres. Actualmente enseña en University of East London donde es profesor de Bellas Artes. En 2011 recibió el premio Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Artists y en 2013 fue galardonado con el premio Film London´sJarman Award.  Su trabajo pertenece a numerosas colecciones entre ellas Arts Council England, Tate Gallery, Ella Fontanals-Cisneros, Kunstmuseum Magdeburg, Ferens Art Galley and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Es representado por Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin.

* * *

Lulu is proud to present the film The Black Tower (1985-87) by the experimental English filmmaker John Smith. Engaging the legacy of structural film while remaining within the confines of a conventional narrative, this 24-minute film portrays the architectural paranoia and gradual breakdown of an unseen protagonist as he struggles to apprehend and overcome the visionary persecution of a black tower. Lulu has decided to present this film in Mexico City by virtue of what it perceives to be the potent resonance between the protagonist’s progressive state of paranoia and Mexico City’s ad-hoc urban structure and oncogenic architecture. For all its droll darkness, this singular work offers a provocative glimpse into the pathologies generated by the transition from private to public space in and by the hypertrophic growth of large contemporary cities.

The evening of the opening will be accompanied by a panel discussion on The Black Tower on April 18 at 8:30 pm. The discussion will be led by Chris Sharp, curator and co-founder of Lulu, with Gabriela Jauregui, writer and independent editor, Aline Hernández, writer and curator, and Allegra Cordero di Montezemolo, curator and film specialist.  

The discussion will be followed by a party to celebrate the one year anniversary of Lulu. 

John Smith was born in Walthamstow, East London in 1952 and studied film at the Royal College of Art. Initially inspired by conceptual art and the structural materialist ideas that dominated British artists’ filmmaking during his formative years, but also fascinated by the immersive power of narrative and the spoken word, he has developed an extensive body of work that deftly subverts the perceived boundaries between documentary and fiction, representation and abstraction. Often rooted in everyday life, Smith’s meticulously crafted films rework and transform reality, playfully exploring and exposing the language of cinema.

Since 1972 John Smith has made over fifty film, video and installation works that have been shown in cinemas, art galleries and on television around the world and awarded major prizes at many international film festivals. His solo exhibitions include Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin (2013), Kestnergesellschaft, Hanover (2012), Uppsala Art Museum, Sweden (2011), Sala Diaz Gallery, Texas (2010), Pearl Gallery, London (2002).  Major group shows include ‘Constellations’, Tate Liverpool (2013-14), ‘Image Counter Image’, Haus der Kunst, Munich (2012), ‘Has The Film Already Started?’, Tate Britain (2011-12), Berlin Biennial (2010), ‘The Talent Show’, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and MoMA PS1, New York (2010), Venice Biennale (2007), ‘A Century of Artists’ Film in Britain’, Tate Britain (2004), ‘Live in Your Head: Concept and Experiment in Britain 1965-75’, Whitechapel Gallery, London (2000) and ‘The British Art Show’, UK touring exhibition (1984). John Smith regularly presents his work in person and in recent years it has been profiled through retrospectives at film festivals in Oberhausen, Tampere, St. Petersburg, La Rochelle, Mexico City, Uppsala, Cork, Regensburg, Karlstad, Winterthur, Bristol, Hull and Glasgow.

John Smith lives and works in London. He teaches part-time at the University of East London where he is Professor of Fine Art. In 2011 he received a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Artists and in 2013 he was the winner of Film London’s Jarman Award. His work is held in numerous collections including Arts Council England, Tate Gallery, Ella Fontanals-Cisneros, Kunstmuseum Magdeburg, Ferens Art Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. He is represented by Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin.

We are grateful for the support of Gabriela Jauregui, Allegra Cordero di Montezemolo, Aline Hernández, Tanya Leighton Gallery and John Smith.

All photos by Martin Soto.