In 1916 the Italian Futurist artist Arnaldo Ginna filmed, edited and generally oversaw the creation of Vita Futurista (Futurist Life), the only officially “Futurist” film ever made. Created by a committee of futurists, including sculptor, painter and writer Giacomo Balla, playwright and poet Remo Chiti, writer Bruno Corra (also the brother of Ginna, and the co-creator of Ginna’s hand painted completely abstract films of 1909), founder of Futurism, poet, and declaimer F.T. Marinetti, poet and Author Emilio Settimelli, painter and Ginna’s film assistant Lucia Venna and Paolo Ungari, Vita Futurista directly took up several of the ideas proposed by “The Futurist Cinema” manefesto, which delacred that film was the “expressive medium most adapted to the complete sensibility of the Futurist artist.”

On the occasion of Performa 09’s celebration of Futurism, Performa, SFMOMA and Portland Green Cultural Projects had invited an incredible group of contemporary film and video artists to create their own versions of the original segments in Vita Futurista, re-imagining this film in relation to our future.

chameckilerner’s Conversation with Boxing Gloves between Chamecki and Lerner was inspired by “Discussion with Boxing Gloves Between Marinetti and Ungari”.

New York-based Brazilians Rosane Chameki and Andrea Lerner, aka chameckilerner, have been presenting critically acclaimed dance performances for over 15 years. Known for choreography that is at once cerbral and intricately physical, the two are interested in exploring the ever-changing relationships between people and questioning the concepts like power, eroticism, bewilderment, tenderness and violence. Their 2007 award winning short film Flying Lesson has screened around the world and marked their transition from stage to screen. As with Flying Lesson, for Futurist Life Redux , chamenkilerner again collaborated with Phil Harder who has directed more than 200 music videos, numerous short films and commercialprojects. His credits include music videos for Prince, Pulp, Low and Liz Phair as well as numerous awards for films.

Commissioned by Performa, SFMOMA and Portland Green Cultural Projects

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