Alfred Leslie: Cool Man in a Golden Age

Synopsis

Alfred Leslie is a pivotal American artist-painter-filmmaker whose work spans the past fifty years. A celebrated contemporary of the Abstract Expressionists and a key figure in the social milieu of downtown New York from the 1950s and 60s to the present, his own canvases were amongst the most revered of his peers. In 1964 he made PULL MY DAISY with the photographer Robert Frank and in 1966 collaborated with the poet Frank O’Hara on THE LAST CLEAN SHIRT. In 1960 he edited and published the collection of texts and drawings that form the ‘one shot review’ The Hasty Papers - with contributions from Allen Ginsberg, John Ashbery and Fidel Castro amongst may others. Leslie dramatically moved away from abstraction to make giant almost hyper-real portraits, the majority of which were destroyed in the now infamous fire that ripped through his studio and its neighbouring blocks on October 17 1966. This utterly devastating event, that completely destroyed paintings, films and manuscripts, continues to inform his work today.

This DVD presents a selection of his key films alongside a new video ‘self-interview’ and a rare television documentary from 1966 featuring Frank O’Hara and Alfred Leslie as well as a new essay by Ian White. Contents: PULL MY DAISY - Alfred Leslie & Robert Frank, 1959, 29 minutes; THE LAST CLEAN SHIRT - Alfred Leslie & Frank O’Hara, 1964, 42 minutes; BIRTH OF A NATION - 1965, Alfred Leslie, 1965 - 1998, 40 minutes; A STRANGER CALLS AT MIDNIGHT, A SELF-INTERVIEW OF SORTS - Alfred Leslie, 2008, 32 minutes; USA POETRY: Frank O’Hara, Richard O. Moore/WNET, 1966, 15 minutes

Language

English

Country

United States

Year of release

2009

Year of production

2009

Subjects

Art; Media studies

Keywords

experimental film & video; modern art; Leslie, Alfred

Credits

Director

Alfred Leslie

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 0 NTSC

Price

£40.00

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

155 minutes

Year

2011

Distributor

Name

Lux

Email

info@lux.org.uk

Web

https://lux.org.uk/ External site opens in new window

Phone

020 31412960

Address

Waterlow Park Centre
Dartmouth Park Hill
London
N19 5JF

Notes

The premier UK source for arts-based moving image materials including experimental film, video art, installation art, performance art, personal documentary, essay films and animation. Incorporates collections previously held by the London Film-makers’ Co-op and London Video Arts. The 4000+ works are available for non-theatric exhibition, some may be purchased on DVD through the online shop, and a selection are streamed for free online viewing.