F-EST: Kenneth Anger

As part of F-EST 2004, 291 Gallery presents an informal evening of films by renowned author of the scandalous best-selling book Hollywood Babylon, Kenneth Anger. A unique filmmaker and an artist of exceptional imagination, Kenneth Anger will be shown in the relaxed environment of 291 gallery on a cinema-size projection screen. The mythology that has grown around him has many sources, from his involvement with the occult, astrology and the pop world of Jagger, Marianne Faithful and Jimmy Page, to the announcement of his own death in the pages of the Village Voice, and the destruction, loss, and banning of his films. At the heart of all this mythology is a filmmaker of prodigious talent, whose skill and imagination create films of great visual force, influencing filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, David Lynch and RW Fassbinder.

Kustom Kar Kommandos (1965) Duration: 3mins

Kenneth Anger gives his take on the California teenager’s obsession with the customised car, Kustom Kar Kommandos is an elegant hymn to the hot rod as contemporary fetish-object.

Invocation of my demon brother (1969) Duration: 10mins

Described by Anger as ‘the shadowing forth of Our Lord Lucifer as the Powers of Darkness gather at Midnight Mass’, Invocation of my demon brother is a homage to Aleister Crowley, reworking footage originally shot for Lucifer Rising, which was Anger’s last completed film.

Lucifer Rising (1970-80) Duration: 27mins

The most elemental and in many ways the purest of his films, Lucifer Rising is dominated by figures in awesome landscapes through which Anger captures ‘angels and marvels of the natural world’.

Other films to be shown include: Fireworks (1947), Puce Moment (1949), Inauguration of the pleasure dome (1954), Rabbit’s Moon (1950) Eaux D’Artifice (1953) and Scorpio Rising (1963); a critique of American culture which demonstrates Anger’s ironic use of soundtrack, including music by Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and The Crystals.

Modern Art (7 Vyner Street, E2 9DG) will be showing new editioned film stills of Invocation of my demon brother (1969) by Kenneth Anger as part of

F-EST. Thursday - Sunday 11am-6pm