"Duets" Film/DVD"Garbage, etc.: My Brother Seymour" 7 Short Films/DVD

2. Films by Bill Creston Since The MoMA Cineprobe ( RECENT FILMOGRAPHY 1990-2003):

5:30 A.M. TAXI REAR VIEW MIRROR, 2003, b&w, sound, S/8, 30 sec.
Captured on film in his rear view mirror while Creston is parked in his cab at dawn, a scene plays out between one man seeking the attention of another. Original voice-over dialogue.

LUNCH HOUR, 1996, b&w, sound, S/8, 5 mins.
In this narrative, a young blue-collar worker and an old derelict (played by Creston), joined briefly by a young pan-handler, meet for a few moments in the sunshine along a wall in an industrial neighborhood one weekday at lunchtime.

DUETS, 1996, color, sound, S/8, 5 mins.
Funnyl dialogue by usually one but sometimes two or three people. Creston’s jokes are flawlessly timed and poignantly felt through his dead-pan humor.

HE STOLE MY GUN, 1994, b&w, sound, S/8, 9 mins.
An elderly derelict (played by Creston) is approached by a passerby.

TAXI, TAXI, 1992, color/b&w, sound, S/8, 15 mins.
Snippets of New York City caught during Creston’s 15 years as a NYC cab driver, with scenes scripted and edited, and some actual dialogue recorded. Original soundtrack and song “Taxi-Taxi” by Bill Creston. This film was screened during the Museum of Modern Art’s “Big As Life” Series 1997-99.

GARBAGE, ETC, 1991, color, sound, S/8, 6 mins.
Four brief funny scenes. Creston acts as well as directs.

DON’T ROAST MY FRANKS, 1990, color/b&w, sound, S/8, 10 mins.
A narrative mystery set in a cabin in the woods.

3. Films by Bill Creston Shown at MoMA Solo Cineprobe (EARLY FILMOGRAPHY 1976-1989):

4. BILL CRESTON VIDEO HISTORY TAPES VIDEOGRAPHY

Bill Creston was one of the first five artists working in video (which had no name yet) in NYC. He opened Videotape Theater, the first NY video screening room, in his Chelsea loft in 1970, taking out a Village Voice ad to publicize it. And he instituted the first Video Programs at both Cooper Union and The School of Visual Arts, where he used his own equipment. From 1976-2000, he made 15 Super-8 films (see Filmographies) and is currently working in digital video. All work on the following list was originally shot on black and white 1/2” CV or 1/2” Open Reel, transferred to 3/4 or VHS, and is now available on VHS and DVD.

CRACKS. 1970. A man tries to divine the meaning of the sidewalk. Improvised voice-over by Carl Methfessel. 1970.

CRIPPLE. 1970. Uncomfortable travel on uneven crutches in an unlikely environment. Improvisation by Carl Methfessel. 12 mins.

JERSEY CITY TAPES. 1970. A wandering family. 20 mins.

VIDEO JOURNAL. 1971-1975. (The first journal ever to be made in video.) Video diary of dreams, thoughts and daily life. Approximately 20 hrs. To be shown as excerpts.

BERT LAHR. 1971. Carl Methfessel’s hysterical warm-ups to his finale imitation of Bert Lahr as The Friendly Lion. 15 mins.

THE MONKEY DREAM. 197l. Carl Methfessel relates a dream. 5 mins.

DEAD MOUSE. 1971. A dead mouse on a foot. 2 mins.

NEWSDEALER. 1972. A portrait of Mickey, the corner philosopher-newsdealer. 10 mins.

FROM GRANDMA’S HOUSE TO BAR MITZVAH 1972. Video autobiography from age six to thirteen. Scenes and narrative shot on location, ending with a video transfer of the actual 16mm film of Creston’s Bar Mitzvah. 1-hr.

KELSEY. 1972. Video portrait of artist, madman and street entrepreneur, Denham Arthur Oswald Kelsey III. Tape first shown at The Kitchen in 1973, and then at the First Video Documentary Festival at Global Village. 45 mins.

THE INDIANA TAPES. 1972. An intimate portrait of the family of a back-country Indiana preacher. 1 hr.

SELECTIONS FROM THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL. 1974. Creston brought 20 hours of 1/2” open reel videotape and a Sony Portapak with him to France, Spain and Portugal for two months, and recorded his encounters with the artists and populace. Selections include: PARIS ’74: XIFRE’S STUDIO and RITA 1974.

URINALS. 1974. An zany narrative in which a urinals-attendant (played by Carl Methfessel) hires a repairman (Don Green) for his mechanical guitar-player (the balladeer, Cecil Gregory). The scene is set in front of Creston’s widely publicized 1964 oil painting, “Urinals,” an 8' x 12' painting of the urinals in the guards’ men’s room of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he worked at the time. Also features Elliot Barowitz, Eric Hauben, Barbara Stuhlmann and Gunther Stuhlmann. 12 mins.

S.E.G. 1974. A humorous experiment with a first-generation video Special Effects Generator, and the news story of an altercation between elderly roommates. 7 mins.

THE EXECUTION. 1975. Bill Creston’s prophetic tape about the sudden death of a character, played by the late Carl Methfessel. Experimental saxaphone sound track by Carl Methfessel. 5 mins.

BILL CRESTON RESUME

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & SCREENINGS

2011: “Filmabend mit Musik“, Galerie Glass, Berlin, August.
“Video Night“, The Media Loft, NYC, June.

2009: “Sequenced Images“, Center for Book Arts, NYC, May.

2007: “Video Night“, The Media Loft, NYC, March..

2006: “Open Screening“, Millenium, NYC, June.

2004 “NYFA Film Grant Winners Festival Tour,” Abrons Art Center, NYC, March

2003 “NYFA Film Grant Winners Festival Tour,“ Anthology Film Archives, NYC Dec.
“International Works On Paper,” CVB Space, NYC, Sept.
“NYFA Film Grant Winners Festival Tour,” Center For Photography, Woodstock, NY, Aug.
“International Paper Exhibition,” Monique Goldstrom Gallery, NYC, Aug.

2002 “Photography and Video from NYC,” William Whipple Gallery, Walker, MN, Nov.
“Photography and Video, 2002,” Monique Goldstrom Gallery, NYC. Oct.
“New Drawings,” Westbeth Gallery, NYC, May.

2001 “Holiday Show,” Westbeth Gallery, NYC, Nov 01-Jan 02.
“Food,” Art In General, NYC. Nov.

2000: “ Holiday Show,” Westbeth Gallery, NYC, Dec.
“Big As Life/An American History of 8mm Films,” Film “Garbage” Museum of Modern Art, NYC, April
“An Evening of Films by Bill Creston” Courtyard Community Room, NYC, Jan.

1999: “Holiday Show,” Westbeth Gallery, NYC, Dec.
“Video Barbecue,” Westbeth Courtyard, NYC, July
“Five Artists In Videotape,” Art Nation (Florence Lynch Gallery), NYC, Jan.

1998: “Big As Life/An American History of 8mm Films,” Film “Taxi, Taxi” at Museum of Modern Art, NYC. May.

1997: “Family Trauma,” The Knitting Factory Video Lounge, NYC, August.

1996: “Super-8 Films By Bill Creston” Artpool/Belazs Bela Studio, (Guest) Budapest, Hungary. Nov.
“Super-8 Films By Bill Creston,” filmGalerie, (Guest) Regensburg, Germany. Nov.
”Super-8 Films By Bill Creston,” Arpool, (Guest) Budapest, Hungary. Nov.
“Super-8 Films By Bill Creston“ Super-8 Lebt Festival,” Austrian Film CoOp, Spittleburg Theater, (Guest) Vienna, Austria. Nov.
“Bruxelles International Film & Video Festival,” (Guest) Belgium, Nov.
“Super-Super-8” Festival, San Diego, CA. Sept.
“Family Trauma,” The Knitting Factory/ Art In General, N.Y.C. Aug.
“Open Screening,” Artists Space, NYC, June.

1995: “Anti-100 Years Super-8 Festival,” Anthology Film Archives, N.Y.C., Dec.
“Old & New Masters of Super-8,” Anthology Film Archives, NYC 1989, 90, 91, 92, 94, 96
“Brooklyn Waterfront Annual Spring Video Festival,” April-May
“Who’s Who In Mail Art,” Ministry Order 11-10-90, Madrid, Spain. March.
“Imagine,” Cynthia Gallery, Mesa, AZ. Spring.

1990-94: “Video From The Media Loft,” Anthology Film Archives, NYC. June, 94
“Atelier Super-8 De Tours,” Universite Francois Rabelais, Tours, France, March, 93
“Retrospective of Films By Bill Creston,” 450 Broadway Gallery, NYC, March 8-24, 93
“Recontres Du 8-em Type, Fondettes, France, Nov., 93
“Articulated Speculation,” Channel 30, Monmouth County, NJ, Aug. & Oct., 93
“Association: Le Vrais Folies Bergeres, Camares, France, Dec., 92
“Videospace: An Interview With Bill Creston by Kevin Lindenmuth,” Cable Access, April, 91
“Brussels International Festival of Super-8 (Guest of the Fest),” Belgium, 1990
“B&W 1/2” Open Reel Video History Programs I & II,” DCTV, NYC, 1989 & 90
“No TV,” Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY. Screening & Cable Show, Spring, 90
“Three Films & An Interview With Bill Creston,” “Young, Gifted & Broke” Cable Show, NYC, 90

1985-89 : “Solo Cineprobe Retrospective,” The Museum of Modern Art, NYC, May, 89
“Film Screening,” Films Charas, NYC, Summer, 89
“Film Probe Series,” The Gas Station, NYC, June & July, 1989
“Ann Arbor 8mm Film Festival, Ann Arbor, MI, Spring, 89
“Athens Festival of Super-8,” Athens, GA, Nov. 1989 & 90
“Taller de Cine la Red,” Encuentro, Revista de Cine y Video,” Puerto Rico, Fall, 89
“ Super-8 Films By Bill Creston,” The Gas Station, NYC, Feb. 89
“Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Super-8,” Caracas, Venezuela, Sept 84-89
“The ‘60’s Then & Now,” Grace Harkin Gallery,” Oct. 88
“Video Screening,” DCTV. NYC, Spring, 88
“International Forum For Super-8,” Exit Art, NYC, May, 1988
“The Mediated Journal Video Screening,” The Kitchen Center For Video & Music, NYC, Apr., 88
“Video Laughing,” The Kitchen, NYC, Fall, 1985

1980-84 : “Co-Ops of The ‘50’s: Then & Now,” Pleiades Gallery, NYC, Fall, 84
“Solo Retrospective of Super-8 by Bill Creston,” DCTV, Dec. 84
“Women, Artists, Filmmakers Series,” A.I.R. Gallery, NYC, April, 83
“Ann Arbor Super-8 Festival,” Ann Arbor, MI, Spring, 83
“Caracas Super-8 Festival,” Caracas, Vednezua, 1982
“Toronto Super-8 Festival,” Ontario, Canada, Fall, 82
“Dada & Surrealist Films,” Santa Barbara Film Festival, 1982
“Film Festival,” St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD, 1980

1970-79 : “Miscellaneous Works,” The Bruce Museum, Greenwich, Conn., 1979
“ Super-8 Films By Bill Creston,” The New York Avant-Garde Festival, Cambridge, MA, 1978
“Tenth Street Days: Co-Ops of the ‘50’s” Commemorative Travelling Exhibition, 1978
“New Films By Bill Creston,” Pleiades Gallery, NYC, Dec. 1977
“Films,” PS 1, Long Island City, NYC, Sept. 1977
“Bill Creston,” Vendome Trading Corp Window Installation, NYC, 1974
“The First Annual Documentary Video Festival,” Global Village, NYC, Jan. 1973
“Three Videomakers,” Video Free America, San Francisco, CA, , 1973
“(Solo) Five Separate Eveningss in Videotape,” The Kitchen:Mercer Arts Cent., NYC, Jan 4-28, 72
“(Solo) Five Pieces in Videotape,” Loft Showcase Video Theater, NYC, Nov., 1970

1960-69: “Ten Downtown #1: Exhibition & Panel Discussion,” Colgate Univ., Hamilton, NY, Oct 68
“Ten Downtown (Number One),” NYC, April, 1968
“Construction Site,” (Original Conceptual Street Sculpture), NYC, Feb., 1968
“Go To 15th St,” (Original Conceptual Street Sculpture), NYC, Feb., 1967
“Bill Creston,” Dorsky Gallery, NYC, April, 1965
“Bill Creston,” Area Gallery, NYC, April, 1964]
“Bill Creston,” Camino Gallery, NYC, 1964
“Bill Creston,” Kraushaar Gallery, NYC, 1960

1957-59: “Bill Creston,” Allan Stone Gallery, NYC, 1958
“Bill Creston” Group & Solo Shows, Brata Gallery (Founding Member) Tenth St., NYC, 1957-60
“Bill Creston,” National Gallery of Design, NYC, 1957

MAJOR TEACHING EXPERIENCE

HUNTER COLLEGE, CUNY. Adjunct Asst. Prof. Of Art (Received highest student evaluation report in history of school), 1978-1985
COOPER UNION, NYC. Film Screenings & Lecture Series, 1977
STEPHENS COLLEGE, Columbia, Missouri: Visiting Artist, Video & Avant-Garde Media, Fall, 1976
COOPER UNION, NYC. Originated first Film & Video Dep; taught first video. Beginning & Adv. Video; Beg. & Adv. Filmmaking, 1971-75
LA SALA VINCON, Barcelona, Conducted the first Video workshop in Spain, 1974
CUNY, LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, “Communications:” (Film, Video, Photo, Audio, Slides, Performance & Presentation), 1972-73
SVA: THE SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS, NYC. Originated first Video Dept. Taught first video at SVA. Beginning & Adv. Video, 1970-72

OTHER TEACHING EXPERIENCE
INNER CITY ROUND-TABLE FOR YOUTH, Federal Project Director & Instr. of Film & Video, NYC, 1977
SUNY, OLD WESTBURY, Visiting Artist, Film & Video, 1976
THE SOUTH BRONX EDUC. CENTER, NYC., FEDERAL PROJECT ART COORDINATOR, 1968-70
THE FIEDEL SCHOOL, Glen Cove, NY, Video Instructor, 1968-71PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Co-Director, eMediaLoft.com and eMediaLoft.org, NYC, (Originally “The Media Loft) 1992-Present
Bill Creston Total Super-8 Sound Studio, NYC, 1980-92
WCTV/COMMERCIALS FOR CABLE, NYC, 1985-92
“Nineteen For Frankie,” Head Scriptwriter, 1984-87 (Completion)

GRANTS
NYFA New York Foundation for the Arts Film Grant, 2003
Amiga Computer Video Imaging Residency Grant, Experimental TV Center, Owego, NY, 1991;
Film Bureau, NYC. 1989, 90 & 91
NYSCA New York State Council on the Arts Video Facility Subsidy Grant at Margolis/Brown Adaptors, Bklyn, NY, 1990
Medal of Honor, Brussels Ministry of Culture, Brussels, Belgium, 1990; Artists Space/Artists Grant, NYC, 1986, 89 & 90
Electronic Arts Grant, Experimental TV Center, Owego, NY, 1989
C.A.P.S. GRANT (Video), New York State Council On The Arts, 1984
Global Village Documentary Festival Award, NYC, 1980
DISTRIBUTORS AND CABLE SHOWS
Video Distribution: The Kitchen Video Distribution Program NYC
M/W/F Video Club, NYC
eMediaLoft.org, NYC
Film Distribution: The Filmmakers’s CoOp, NYC
Canyon Cinema, San Francisco
e MediaLoft.org, NYC
Cable TV: “No TV & Video” Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY; CPN-12, Rochester, NY
“Night Light,” Raindance Video Foundation, Channels C&D, NYC
“Young Gifted & Broke,” NYC; Channel 30, Monmouth, NJ
“TV From the University of Bridgeport,” WUBC, Bridgeport, CT

ARTICLES, REVIEWS, PUBLICATIONS
“Dictionary of The Avant-Garde, “ Ed. Richard Kostelanetz, Paperback 2003, Hardbound, 2001
“Big As Life: Small Gauge Cinema,” Museum of Modern Art, NYC, 1998-99
“Old & New Masters of Super 8” Catalogs For Festivals in the years 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996
“Bill Creston, From Painter to Filmmaker” Spleen Film Magazine, Toronto, Canada, 1985
“Masters of Small-Gauge Cinema,” Manohla Dargis, The Village Voice, NYC, 1989
“Circle-8 Catalog,” Brodsky & Treadway, Boston, MA, May, 1988
“Canyon Cinema Catalog,” Canyon Cinema, S. F., CA, 1988-on;
“Filmmakers’ Co-Op Catalog,” Filmmakers ‘ Co-Op , NYC, 1987-on
“City,” San Francisco, Aug. 1, 1973
“Changes,” Article by Shalom Gorewitz, Summer, 1973
“Art In America,” “Symptoms of the ‘70’s,” article by Jay Jacobs, Jan. 1970
“The Art Gallery Magazine,” “Street Sculpture,” April, 1969
“Art News, “ “Ten Downtown,” May, 1968
“Arts Magazine,” “Ten Downtown, April, 1968
John Canaday, Embattled Critic: Views on Modern Art,” Farrar, Straus & Co., NY, 1963
“Art News,” March, 1960
“N.Y. Herald Tribune,” Feb. 28, 1960
“Arts Magazine,” March, 1960

A Selection of Other URL links Containing Images or Information about Bill Creston
http://www.nyfa.org/nyfa_artists_detail.asp?pid=4910
http://www.brickhaus.com/amoore/MWFdoc13.html
http://www.canyoncinema.com/C/Creston.html
http://vax.wcsu.edu/~MCCARNEY/fva/BCreston_work.html
http://www.nyfvc.org/newsletters/apr98.html
http://www.arcgallery.org/archive.html
http://www.filmthreat.com/News.asp?Id=36
http://www.robertatkins.net/beta/witness/artists/moves/muntadas.html
http://www.spaceproject.net/film_art_frameset.html