In conjunction with the Menil Collection’s exhibition Photography and the Surreal Imagination, Aurora Picture Show and the Menil present an outdoor screening of films inspired by Surrealism. Taking a cue from the Surrealist “exquisite corpse” game of chance combinations, the program presents an eclectic selection of historic and contemporary short films that explore unusual and playful use of everyday objects, animation, abstraction, and camera trickery. The program includes work by Ilaria Di Carlo, Germaine Dulac, Marcel Duchamp, Allison Janae Hamilton, Lawrence Jordan, Joan Logue, Virginia Lee Montgomery, Oscar Muñoz, Allison Schulnik, and Steina and Woody Vasulka, and is curated by Mary Magsamen of Aurora Picture Show. The runtime is approximately 70 minutes.
The screening will take place on the front lawn of the main building at 1533 Sul Ross Street, between Mandell and Mulberry Streets. Please bring your own picnic blankets or lawn chairs; seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are required to abide by the Menil Collection’s COVID-19 safety protocols by maintaining social distance (at least 6 feet between each household) and wearing a face mask that covers your nose and mouth unless eating or drinking. All other Menil green space policies apply. Further information regarding accessibility and parking can be found here. Please note that in the event of inclement weather, the program will be held on Saturday, October 24.
Plan ahead and visit the Menil Collection’s exhibition Photography and the Surreal Imagination, curated by Natalie Dupêcher, before the screening by reserving your free timed entry at menil.org/welcomeback. This exhibition presents the wide reach of the surreal imagination in modern and contemporary photography. Anchored in historical Surrealism, it explores photography’s central tension between documentation and invention, a generative force for artists connected to that movement and beyond. It closes on November 29, 2020.
