A new film series at the Nasher Sculpture Center will use experimental film to explore the concept of synesthesia – one sense impression stimulating another sense or body part. The series is dubbed “Ultra-Seeing,” and it kicks off Sunday with a showing of 1920s and 1930s Avant Garde films. 

The idea for the series came from Frank Dufour, a professor in the school of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communications at UT-Dallas. He developed it with the French nonprofit group, Light Cone, and the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in Houston.

The goal  is to promote experimental film and delve into the concept of synesthesia with pieces that push the envelope as they explore the intermingling of sights, sounds, and sensations.

The monthly series continues through May.

The filmmakers will be present at some of the screenings, and in some cases, Dufour will feature work from both local filmmakers and French filmmakers. Two of the local artists featured will be Michael Morris and Peter Bo Rappmund, according to Dufour. Morris is an educator and director based in Dallas, and Rappmund is a world renowned producer, director, and cinematographer who is also based in Dallas.

People interested in attending the series are encouraged to RSVP. Those who RSVP will be admitted for free both to the showing, and the sculpture center.

Ultra-Seeing Film Schedule:

Sunday, September 11 / 2 pm: Avant-Garde from the 1920s and 30s

RHYTHMUS 21 by Hans RICHTER (Germany) 1921-1923 / 16 mm / b&w / silent / 3′ 19

SYMPHONIE DIAGONALE by Viking EGGELING (Germany) 1923-1924 / 16 mm / b&w / silent / 6′ 40

LICHTSPIEL OPUS I by Walther RUTTMANN (Germany) 1921 / 16mm / color / sound / 11′

ANÉMIC CINÉMA by Marcel DUCHAMP (France) 1925-1926 / 16 mm / b&w / sound / 7′ 05

DISQUE 957 by Germaine DULAC (France) 1928 / 16 mm or DVD / b&w / silent / 6′

KREISE by Oskar FISCHINGER (Germany) 1933-1934 / 16 mm / color / sound / 2′

RHYTHM IN LIGHT by Mary Ellen BUTE (USA) 1934 / video / b&w / sound / 5′

KOMPOSITION IN BLAU by Oskar FISCHINGER (Germany) 1935 / 16 mm / color / sound / 4′

COLOUR BOX by Len LYE (UK) 1935 / 16mm / color / sound / 4′

ALLEGRETTO by Oskar FISCHINGER (Germany) 1936-1943 / 16 mm / color / sound / 2′ 30

TARANTELLA by BUTE Mary Ellen & NEMETH Ted (USA) 1940 / video / color / sound / 4′ 51

Sunday, October 9 / 2 pm: Michèle and Patrick Bokanowski

L’ANGE (RESTORED VERSION) by Patrick BOKANOWSKI (France) 1982 / DCP or 35 mm / color /sound / 70′

With filmmaker Patrick Bokanoswki and Michele Bokanowski in attendance.

Sunday, November 13 / 2 pm: Structural Film

AXIOMATIC GRANULARITY by Paul SHARITS (USA) 1973 / 16 mm / color / sound / 20′

DRESDEN DYNAMO by Lis RHODES (UK) 1974 / 16 mm / color / sound / 5′

In confrontation with films by local artists.

Sunday, December 11 / 2 pm: Musical Paradigm

CONTRATHEMIS : COMPOSITION II by Dwinnell GRANT (USA) 1941 / 16 mm / color / silent / 3′

COLOR SEQUENCE by Dwinnell GRANT (USA) 1943 / 16 mm / color / silent / 2′ 30

RYTHMES 76 by Jean-Michel BOUHOURS (France) 1977 / 16 mm / color / silent / 18′

R by Yann BEAUVAIS (France) 1975-1991 / 16 mm / b&w / silent / 3′

BERLIN HORSE by Malcolm LE GRICE (UK) 1970 / 16 mm / color / sound / 9′

In confrontation with films by local artists.

Sunday, January 8 / 2 pm: Music!

JAZZ OF LIGHTS by Ian HUGO (USA) 1954 / 16 mm / color / sound / 16′

TURN, TURN, TURN by Jud YALKUT (USA) 1965-1966 / 16 mm / color / sound / 10′

GIRAGLIA by Thierry VINCENS (France) 1968 / video / color / sound / 5′ 30

MAIN LINE by Michel BULTEAU (France) 1971 / 16 mm / b&w / sound / 12′
In confrontation with films by local artists.

Sunday, February 12 / 2 pm: Entendre ce que l’on voit

WORD MOVIE / FLUX FILM 29 by Paul SHARITS (USA) 1966 / 16 mm / color / sound / 4′

BLACK AND LIGHT by Pierre ROVERE (Canada/France) 1974 / 16 mm / b&w / sound / 7′ 48

10 DRAWINGS by Steve FARRER (UK) 1976 / 16 mm / b&w / sound / 20′

NIGHT TRAIN by Guy SHERWIN (UK) 1979 / 16 mm / b&w / sound / 2′

MY MOVIE MELODIES by Jun’ichi OKUYAMA (Japan) 1980 / 16 mm / b&w / sound / 7′

CHLADNI SCHEME by P. MILLER (USA) 2009 / 16 mm / b&w / sound / 11′

Sunday, March 12 / 2 pm: Performance

TRENTO SYMPHONIA by FLATFORM (Italy) 2012-2014 / video / color / sound / 19′ 25

ENGRAM OF RETURNING by Daïchi SAÏTO (Canada) 2015 / 35 mm / color / sound / 18′ 30

Sunday, April 30 / 2 pm: Synesthesia

FILM EXERCISE N°2-3 by James & John WHITNEY (USA) 1944 / 16 mm / color / sound / 4′

ARNULF RAINER by Peter KUBELKA (Austria) 1958-1960 / 16 mm or 35 mm / b&w / sound / 6′ 30

CHROMOPHONIE by Alexandre VITKINE (France) 1967 / 16 mm / color / sound / 7′

MATRIX III by John WHITNEY (USA) 1972 / 16 mm / color / sound / 11′

ALL OVER by Emmanuel LEFRANT (France) 2001 / 16 mm or Beta SP / color / sound / 7′

Sunday, May 21 / 2 pm: The Mandala Pattern

COLOURS by collectif NOMINOË (France) Installation for four projectors 16mm / four 16mm loops /panoramic

sound (four speakers)

ALLURES by Jordan BELSON (USA) 1961 / 16 mm / color / sound / 7′

LAPIS by James WHITNEY (USA) 1963-1966 / 16 mm or digital file / color / sound / 10′