DORMITORIUM by THE QUAY BROTHERS

during IFF ERA NEW HORIZONS

by Olaf Brzeski

International Film Festival ERA NEW HORIZONS
and
BWA Wrocław
present

Dormitorium
The Quay Brothers

Set Design: Olaf Brzeski
Curator: Katarzyna Roj
Producer: Marta Kubik

Opening: Saturday 24 July, 9 pm
Exhibition ends 28 August

Meeting with the Quay Brothers: Monday 26 July, 10 pm
Surrealist Night: Saturday 31 July, midnight


Dormitorium is a collection of 19 chests containing decors from the animated films by the famous Quay Brothers, including sets from “Street of Crocodiles” based on Bruno Schulz’s text (and considered by Terry Gilliam one of the ten best animated films of all time), “The Epic of Gilgamesh, or This Unnameable Little Broom”, and “The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer”. Olaf Brzeski prepared the set design – inspired by the original meaning of the Latin word “dormitorium” (common bedroom), he designed a huge stand (crypt?) which hides the chests. To get to them, viewers are forced to make some effort and use specially prepared props – a sliding pulpit and a hassock.

This is what Piotr Dumała wrote about the Quays: “Their decors are the true heroes, objects have personalities and tell their own stories. The Brothers simply let them speak, secretly watching the mystery unfold, the mystery they set in motion – or rather discovered – themselves. We are close to the magic again, back to the primitive, animistic rituals, when the stone, the tree, water, animals and almost every natural object, every place, event and time of day – was the emanation of a deity”.
(Extract from “The Curious Case of the Quay Brothers”, in “Thirteenth Month. The Cinema of the Quay Brothers”, edited by K. Mikurda, A. Prodeus, Kraków-Warszawa 2010)

During the exhibition: film screenings, book presentations, meetings with exhibition authors, the Surrealist Night featuring short films by Walerian Borowczyk, Jan Lenica, Stefan and Franciszka Themerson, Roman Pogański, with a discussion and two book launches – “Dzieje Grzechu. Surrealism in Polish Cinema” edited by Kuba Mikurda and Kamila Wielebska, and “Thirteenth Month. The Cinema of the Quay Brothers” edited by Kuba Mikurda and Adriana Prodeus, published by Korporacja Ha!art with MFF Era New Horizons.

2010-07-20

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