Output details

Arrows of Time II

9-11 October 2009

Arrows of Time II, was a 80-minute live performance with film developed for the opening of the new National Greek Film Archive in October 2009, marked by a tribute exhibition to McMullen’s work in cinema and film production. First developed in 2007 and presented in an earlier form in California to a scientific community, this new Live Performance focused on art and physics for a cinema and philosophy audience. The performance centred on new research undertaken in dialogue with Professor Bernard Stiegler, founder of the Institute for Research and Innovation (IRI), formally launched in August 2008. As part of IRI, a collaboration between the Centre Pompidou, Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Art, Microsoft France, ENSCI – Les Ateliers, Institut Telecom, University of Tokyo and Goldsmiths College, Stiegler developed ‘Lignes de temps’ a software system that enables analysis, comment and annotation of films and audio/video recordings. Employing this new technology, McMullen’s live performance with film focused on the possibility of non-linear narrative time-line construction and included a McMullen script written in 2009, and music by Michael Nyman. The themes covered included: the form of the film as primary content; What is ‘Truth’ in performance, drama and technique?, What is the nature of ‘resistance’ when a medium distorts the message and what is the unconscious element?

McMullen’s research methods aimed at re-contextualisation of film included discourse and analysis with contemporary cultural figures undertaken from 2008-2009: Bernard Stiegler (France), Theo Angelopoulos (Greece) and Professor Maria Koupolos (University of Athens). McMullen was invited by Vertigo to submit a Manifesto based on the performance: Vertigo, Vol.4, No.3, Summer 2009, ‘Kino Korrespondence’, pp.38-41. The Live Performance and accompanying exhibition was funded by the Greek National Film Archive and The British Council.

Publication: 6th Avant-Garde Film Festival, Athens