José Antonio Sistiaga
Encyclopedia
José Antonio Sistiaga is
a Basque
artist
and experimental filmmaker
best known
for his feature-length hand-painted "direct" film, ... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... (1968–70).
The artist began painting his abstract magnum opus
in 1968. It took 17 months of 10-12 hour days to complete. The silent, 75-minute ... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... was first exhibited at Madrid in 1970. Subsequent screenings took place in London, Paris, Barcelona and New York City.
Each of the approximately 108,000 frames in ... era erera is completely unique, and appears onscreen for only 1/24th of a second. No optical printing techniques or special photographic effects were employed in its production.
... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... is the first feature-length example of "direct" cameraless filmmaking, a painstaking technique dating back to the early 1900s. Other well-known artists in the genre include Len Lye
, Harry Smith
, Norman McLaren
(whose work Sistiaga cites as a direct influence) and Stan Brakhage
.
and Omnimax
theaters. A new work in the same format, Han (sobre el sol) ("Han (About the Sun)") was begun in 1992.
Two additional 35mm films using a different technique, Paisaje inquietante Nocturno ("Disturbing Nocturnal Landscape") and En un jardin imaginado ("In an Imaginary Garden"), were completed in 1991.
a Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
artist
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
and experimental filmmaker
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
best known
for his feature-length hand-painted "direct" film, ... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... (1968–70).
Early films
Sistiaga exhibited his first film in 1968 at the Bilboa Short Film Festival. Titled ... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... (a nonsense phrase coined by Sistiaga's friend Rafa Ruiz Balerdi), it won a prize for best experimental film. This 10-minute short, hand-painted in a fairly conventional cartoon style, was later renamed De la Luna a Euskadi ("From the Moon to the Basque").The artist began painting his abstract magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
in 1968. It took 17 months of 10-12 hour days to complete. The silent, 75-minute ... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... was first exhibited at Madrid in 1970. Subsequent screenings took place in London, Paris, Barcelona and New York City.
Each of the approximately 108,000 frames in ... era erera is completely unique, and appears onscreen for only 1/24th of a second. No optical printing techniques or special photographic effects were employed in its production.
... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... is the first feature-length example of "direct" cameraless filmmaking, a painstaking technique dating back to the early 1900s. Other well-known artists in the genre include Len Lye
Len Lye
Len Lye, born Leonard Charles Huia Lye , was a Christchurch, New Zealand-born artist known primarily for his experimental films and kinetic sculpture. His films are held in archives such as the New Zealand Film Archive, British Film Institute, Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Pacific...
, Harry Smith
Harry Everett Smith
Harry Everett Smith was an American archivist, ethnomusicologist, student of anthropology, record collector, experimental filmmaker, artist, bohemian and mystic...
, Norman McLaren
Norman McLaren
Norman McLaren, CC, CQ was a Scottish-born Canadian animator and film director known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada...
(whose work Sistiaga cites as a direct influence) and Stan Brakhage
Stan Brakhage
James Stanley Brakhage , better known as Stan Brakhage, was an American non-narrative filmmaker who is considered to be one of the most important figures in 20th century experimental film....
.
Later hand-painted films
In 1988-89, Sistiaga painted Impresiones en la alta atmósfera ("Impressions from the Upper Atmosphere") in 70mm 15-perf horizontal format, intended for exhibition in giant-screen IMAXIMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
and Omnimax
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theaters. A new work in the same format, Han (sobre el sol) ("Han (About the Sun)") was begun in 1992.
Two additional 35mm films using a different technique, Paisaje inquietante Nocturno ("Disturbing Nocturnal Landscape") and En un jardin imaginado ("In an Imaginary Garden"), were completed in 1991.
Filmography
- ... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... (retitled De la Luna a Euskadi) (1968) (35mm, silent, 8 minutes)
- ... era erera baleibu izik subua aruaren ... (1968–70) (35mm, silent, 75 minutes)
- Ana (1970) (16mm, sound, 7 minutes)
- Laztanak (1970) (16mm, 85 minutes)
- Encuentros 1972, Pamplona (1972) (16mm, silent)
- Impresiones en la alta atmósfera (1988–89) (70mm 15-perf, sound, 7 minutes)
- Paisaje inquietante Nocturno (1991) (35mm, sound, 14 minutes)
- En un jardin imaginado (1991) (35mm, sound, 14 minutes)
- Han (sobre el sol) (1992; in progress) (70mm 15-perf, sound, 7 minutes)