John Smith's influential films have been shown in cinemas and galleries around the world for more than three decades. Inspired by the Structural Materialist ideas that dominated British artists' filmmaking during his formative years, but also fascinated by the immersive power of narrative and the spoken word, Smith has developed a body of work that deftly subverts the perceived boundaries between documentary and fiction, representation and abstraction. Drawing upon the raw material of everyday life, his meticulously crafted films rework and transform reality, playfully exploring and exposing the language of cinema. 'One of the most talented filmmakers of the postwar generation, he has attracted admirers from way beyond the narrow confines of the Avant Garde. His reputation rests on a quite unique sensibility which has successfully married three traits - humour, documentary and formal ingenuity - into an indissoluble whole.' - Michael O'Pray, Art Monthly
This 3 DVD set contains a comprehensive selection of Smith's film and video works made between 1975 and 2007.
Volume 1
Associations 1975, 7 mins
The Girl Chewing Gum 1976, 12 mins
Shepherd's Delight 1980-4, 34 mins
Om 1986, 4 mins
The Black Tower 1985-7, 23 mins
Regression 1998-9, 17 mins
Volume 2
Gargantuan 1992, 1 min
Slow Glass 1988-91, 40 mins
Blight 1994-96, 14 mins
The Kiss 1999, 5 mins
The Waste Land 1999, 5 mins
Lost Sound 1998-2001, 28 mins
Worst Case Scenario 2001-3, 18 mins
Volume 3
Hotel Diaries: Frozen War, Ireland, 2001, 11 mins
Museum Piece, Germany, 2004, 12 mins
Throwing Stones, Switzerland, 2004, 11 mins
B & B, England, 2005, 6 mins
Pyramids/ Skunk, The Netherlands, 2006/7, 16 mins
Dirty Pictures, Palestine, 2007, 14 mins
Six Years Later, Ireland, 2007, 9 mins
Please note that this DVD is for individual purchase only, for institutional sales please contact LUX directly.
Extras
Accompanied by booklets containing essays by Adrian Danks, Nicky Hamlyn and Ian Christie.