Altered To Suit

Altered To Suit

Lawrence Weiner
1979, 23 min, b&w, sound, 16 mm film on video

Description

"The mise-en-scene, the whole story, takes place in one location, the artist's studio. A delicate psychological allegory on 'a day in the life of' anchors the displacement of (filmic) reality and the alienation of the (players) self. Devices such as incongruity between the image and the soundtrack, odd camera angles, and plays on objective focus are integral and explicit components of the narrative. Altered to Suit diverges from preceding films in that the dialogue is not solely related to the work; rather the work serves as a central frame of reference from which the story unfolds. This is also the first time that narrative dominates the structure of the film. It is shot in black and white with very sensual, very seductive photography." — Alice Weiner

This film was preserved through the Avant-Garde Masters program funded by The Film Foundation and administered by the National Film Preservation Foundation.

Produced by Moved Pictures, New York City. Cinematography: Michael Oblowitz. Music: Peter Gordon (Performed by Peter Gordon and David Van Tieghem). Beethoven's Holy, Holy, Holy: Kirsten Vibeke Thueson. Editors: Kathryn Bigelow, Gerrit Hilhorst. Production/Script Consultant: Kathryn Bigelow. Lighting Consultant/Titles: Gerrit Hilhorst. Gaffer: Alice Z. Weiner. Players: Teta Gorgoni, Rosemary Hochschild, Britta Le Va, Michael H. Shamberg, Kirsten Vibeke Thueson. First Screening: Mudd Club, New York City, April 23, 1979.

Exhibition & Distribution Conditions

This is a video transfer of a work initially shot on film. This is best shown as a projection, to reflect the original medium.
Projection Installation Checklist & Guidelines