SFMOMA | Exhibitions | Warren Sonbert

Friendly Witnesses: The Worlds of Warren Sonbert



	October 26, 2000 - December 17, 2000 Warren Sonbert, an independent filmmaker renowned for his avant-garde, diarist style, began producing films in 1966. Originally inspired by American artists in Andy Warhol's circle, he eventually perfected a unique brand of montage informed by art and industry, news reportage and other contemporary issues. The first major retrospective of Sonbert's work since his death in 1995, this series of film screenings presents a wide selection of newly restored works by Sonbert in tandem with films by some of his influences, including Gerard Malanga, Stan Brakhage and Alfred Hitchcock. All screenings will be held Sundays in the Phyllis Wattis Theater. The Worlds of Warren Sonbert by Jon Gartenberg, guest curator

Warren Sonbert
Whiplash
1997
Courtesy of Ascension Serrano
The estate of Warren Sonbert

		FRIENDLY WITNESSES: THE WORLDS OF WARREN SONBERT Screening Schedule: October 26‚December 17, 2000 Thursday, October 26, 7 p.m. - Premiere Program 1 Transformations of Style: From Mise-en-Scène to Montage Warren Sonbert, The Tenth Legion, 1967, 30 min. Warren Sonbert, The Tuxedo Theatre, 1968, silent, 21 min. Sunday, October 29, 1 p.m. Program 1 Transformations of Style: From Mise-en-Scène to Montage Warren Sonbert, The Tenth Legion, 1967, 30 min. Warren Sonbert, The Tuxedo Theatre, 1968, silent, 21 min. Sunday, October 29, 2‚ 4 p.m. Themes and Variations: Warren Sonbert¼s Approach to Narrative Moderator: Benjamin Weil, SFMOMA Curator of Media Arts Panelists: Jon Gartenberg, guest curator; Steve Anker, Director, San Francisco Cinematheque; Alan Bernheimer, poet; Paul Hertelendy, music critic; and Will Shank, participant in Sonbert films and former SFMOMA Chief Conservator. Sunday, October 29, 4:30 p.m. Program 2 Intimate Couplings Warren Sonbert, The Bad and The Beautiful, 1967, 34 min. Warren Sonbert, Ted and Jessica, 1967, 4 min. [fragment] Warren Sonbert, Honor and Obey, 1988, silent, 21 min.

	Warren Sonbert in the 1960s Courtesy of Ascension Serrano The estate of Warren Sonbert

Sunday, November 5, 1 p.m.
Program 3
Early Influences: Andy Warhol and Gerard Malanga
Warren Sonbert , Where Did Our Love Go, 1966, 15 min.
Warren Sonbert , Hall of Mirrors, 1966, 7 min.
Gerard Malanga, In Search of the Miraculous, 1967, 30 min.
Andy Warhol, Vinyl, 1965, b&w, 66 min.

Sunday, November 12, 1 p.m.
Program 5
Gregory Markopoulos as Mentor, Stan Brakhage
as Hero
Warren Sonbert, Rude Awakening, 1976, silent, 36 min.
Stan Brakhage, The Riddle of Lumen, 1972, silent, 17 min.
Stan Brakhage, Mothlight, 1963, silent, 4 min.
Gregory Markopoulos, Twice a Man, 1963, 49 min.

Sunday, November 19, 1 p.m.
Program 4
Sonbert's Queer Aesthetic
Warren Sonbert and Wendy Appel, Amphetamine, 1966,
b&w, 10 min.
Warren Sonbert , Noblesse Oblige, 1981, silent, 25 min.
Warren Sonbert , Whiplash, 1995/1997, 20 min.

Sunday, November 26, 1 p.m.
Program 6
Filmed Images as Found Footage: Stanzas of Music
Warren Sonbert, Carriage Trade, 1972, silent, 61 min.
Warren Sonbert, Short Fuse, 1992, 37 min.

Sunday, December 3, 1 p.m.
Program 7
Cases in Point: Sonbert's Creative Interaction with Experimental Filmmakers Abigail Child, Nathanial Dorsky, and Jeff Scher
Warren Sonbert, Friendly Witness, 1989, 22 min.
Nathaniel Dorsky, Hours for Jerome, Part 2, 1966-82, silent, 25 min.
Jeff Scher, Reasons to Be Glad, 1980, 4 min.
Abigail Child, Mercy, 1989, 10 min.
Jeff Scher, Postcards from Warren, 1999, 1 min.
Jeff Scher, Warren, 1991, 3 min.

Sunday, December 10, 1 p.m.
Program 8
Sonbert and Hitchcock: Narrative from a Woman's Point of View
Warren Sonbert, A Woman's Touch, 1983, silent, 22 min.
Alfred Hitchcock, Marnie, 1964, 35 mm, 129 min.

Sunday, December 17, 1 p.m.
Program 4
Sonbert's Queer Aesthetic
Warren Sonbert and Wendy Appel, Amphetamine, 1966,
b&w, 10 min.
Warren Sonbert , Noblesse Oblige, 1981, silent, 25 min.
Warren Sonbert , Whiplash, 1995/1997, 20 min.

Sunday, December 17, 3:30 p.m.
Program 8
Sonbert and Hitchcock: Narrative from a Woman's Point of View
Warren Sonbert, A Woman's Touch, 1983, silent, 22 min.
Alfred Hitchcock, Marnie, 1964, 35 mm, 129 min.

Sunday, November 5, 3:30 p.m.
Program 4
Sonbert's Queer Aesthetic
Warren Sonbert and Wendy Appel, Amphetamine, 1966,
b&w, 10 min.
Warren Sonbert , Noblesse Oblige, 1981, silent, 25 min.
Warren Sonbert , Whiplash, 1995/1997, 20 min.

Sunday, November 12, 3:30 p.m.
Program 3
Early Influences: Andy Warhol and Gerard Malanga
Warren Sonbert , Where Did Our Love Go, 1966, 15 min.
Warren Sonbert , Hall of Mirrors, 1966, 7 min.
Gerard Malanga, In Search of the Miraculous, 1967, 30 min.
Andy Warhol, Vinyl, 1965, b&w, 66 min.

Sunday, November 19, 3:30 p.m.
Program 2
Intimate Couplings
Warren Sonbert, The Bad and The Beautiful, 1967, 34 min.
Warren Sonbert, Ted and Jessica, 1967, 4 min. [fragment]
Warren Sonbert, Honor and Obey, 1988, silent, 21 min.

Sunday, November 26, 3:30 p.m.
Program 5
Gregory Markopoulos as Mentor, Stan Brakhage
as Hero
Warren Sonbert, Rude Awakening, 1976, silent, 36 min.
Stan Brakhage, The Riddle of Lumen, 1972, silent, 17 min.
Stan Brakhage, Mothlight, 1963, silent, 4 min.
Gregory Markopoulos, Twice a Man, 1963, 49 min.

Sunday, December 3, 3:30 p.m.
Program 6
Filmed Images as Found Footage: Stanzas of Music
Warren Sonbert, Carriage Trade, 1972, silent, 61 min.
Warren Sonbert, Short Fuse, 1992, 37 min.

Sunday, December 10, 3:30 p.m.
Program 7
Cases in Point: Sonbert's Creative Interaction with Experimental Filmmakers Abigail Child, Nathanial Dorsky, and Jeff Scher
Warren Sonbert, Friendly Witness, 1989, 22 min.
Nathaniel Dorsky, Hours for Jerome, Part 2, 1966-82, silent, 25 min.
Jeff Scher, Reasons to Be Glad, 1980, 4 min.
Abigail Child, Mercy, 1989, 10 min.
Jeff Scher, Postcards from Warren, 1999, 1 min.
Jeff Scher, Warren, 1991, 3 min.

All works are 16mm film, color, and sound unless otherwise noted. Schedule is subject to change. Call 415 357-4130 for final details. Film programs are free with museum admission.