Art & Architecture Take the Big Screen at Paseo Nuevo Cinemas in Santa Barbara

UCSB Arts & Lectures Presents Two Days of Nine Inspiring Films

Art manifests in various different manners, especially so in architecture, as presented by the breakthrough films portraying the bold visions of renowned architects like Eileen Gray and RM Schindler.

In celebrating art, architecture, and endless possibility, UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Architecture on Film, a two-day series of nine inspiring films curated by Bruce Heavin and Caitlin O’Hara and on view at Paseo Nuevo Cinemas in Santa Barbara April 26-27.

“Though Arts & Lectures has presented the Art / Architecture on Film festival for years, this is the first time we’ve brought it back since the pandemic,” said O’Hara, director of Public Lectures & Special Initiatives at Arts & Lectures. “These films will showcase a range of visions, determination, and inspiration,” she continued.

E.1027: Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea

This film follows the narrative of celebrated Irish designer Eileen Gray as she builds a house on the Côte d’Azur for herself and names it E.1027. The name is a cryptic marriage of her initials with those of her fellow builder, Jean Badovici. Upon discovering the house, architect and painter Le Corbusier became engrossed with it and later covered the walls with murals and published photos of them.

Le Corbusier built his famous Le Cabanon directly behind E.1027, dominating the narrative of the site to this day in the spirit of rebellion. The movie is a cinematic journey into the mind of Eileen Gray, exploring the endless bounds of a woman’s creative expression and a man’s attempt to control it.

It runs for 89 minutes and is screening on Saturday, April 26, 11 a.m.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/e1027

Return to Reason

This series of four films directed by Man Ray between 1923 and 1929 — Le Retour à la raison, Emak-Bakia, L’Étoile de mer, and Les Mystères du Château du Dé — capture the essence of early European avant-garde cinema. He explored the functions of montage and unique cinema techniques such as salt and thumbtacks directly applied to the camera lens. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of one of the films from the series, the Jim Jarmusch and Carter Logan combo are presenting a newly recorded drone rock soundtrack to back the film.

The film collection runs for 70 minutes and is screening on Saturday, April 26, 1 p.m.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/return-to-reason

Anselm

This film illustrates the portrait of innovative painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer, as imagined by visionary filmmaker Wim Wenders. Over two years, Wenders follows Kiefer’s path from his beginnings in Germany to current home in France, reconciling the stages of his life in understanding his unique and successful career.

It is a cinematic experience of the artist’s work, exploring themes of human existence, the cyclical nature of history, all through the lens of literature, poetry, philosophy, and art.

This film runs for 94 minutes and is screening on Saturday, April 26, 3:30 p.m.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/anselm

Image from ‘This Is Not a House’, which is part of the Art | Architecture on film series from UCSB Arts & Lectures April 26-27 | Photo: Courtesy

The House / This Is Not a House

This film is not only a unique opportunity to see a screening following extraordinary architects, but also a chance to hear directly from featured guest speaker, the filmmaker Morgan Neville.

Exploring the pivotal moment in the careers of Thom Mayne and Robin Donaldson, the architects return to the Crawford House in Montecito. This house is not only a strikingly unique structure, but also one of the world’s most widely studied pieces of residential architecture.

This free screening of The House takes the audience on an exploration of the creative process, investigating the intersection of art and architecture, and providing insight into the genius of the renowned architects in pursuit of this structure.

This Is Not a House focuses on the construction of Hill House, another unique residence. The home is designed by Robin Donaldson of Donaldson+Partners, and was designed in conjunction with homeowners Bruce Heavin and Lynda Weinman for a meticulous six-year process.

The screening of This Is Not a House will be followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Morgan Neville, homeowner Bruce Heavin, and architect Robin Donaldson, moderated by UCSB AD&A Museum Curator Silvia Perea.

The first film runs for 46 minutes and the latter runs for 30 minutes on Saturday, April 26, 5:30 p.m.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/the-housethis-is-not-a-house/

Street Heroines

This award-winning documentary celebrates the courage and creativity of women who are integral to the graffiti and street art movement, who often go unrecognized. The interview-driven narrative follows the narratives of three emerging Latina artists from New York City, Mexico City, and São Paulo, respectively, as they navigate a male-dominated subculture and establish their artistic prowess in the urban jungle.

The film runs for 71 minutes and is screening on Sunday, April 27, 11 a.m.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/street-heroines

Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV

This film pays tribute to the life and times of Nam June Paik, a significant character in the American avant-garde scene of the 20th century. He is often referred to as the father of video art, having coined the phrase “electronic superhighway,” and is arguably the most famous Korean artist in modern history.

His creative evolution is elucidated through the documentary, produced by Steven Yeun (Minari, Nope).

The film runs for 109 minutes and is screening on Sunday, April 27, 1 p.m.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/nam-june-paik

A Desert of Pure Feeling

This film navigates the life and career of legendary California-native artist Robert Irwin, whose installations have dramatically reshaped the production and reception of art, influencing generations of artists.

It follows Irwin from his early experiments in Los Angeles to his dazzling installation in Texas, shedding light on his radical career investigating the human sensory experience in an increasingly mechanized world.

The film runs for 93 minutes and is screening on Sunday, April 27, 3:30 p.m.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/robert-irwin

Schindler Space Architect

Delving into the life and work of revolutionary architect RM Schindler, this film traces his journey from turn-of-the-century Vienna influences to his collaboration with legendary Frank Lloyd Wright. It is narrated by Academy Award winner Meryl Streep and features insider interviews with some of the world’s most renowned architects, between Frank Gehry, Thom Mayne, and Steven Holl.

The documentary offers rare insight into Schindler’s profound impact in architecture and reveals the struggles of his creative genius. The screening will be accompanied by featured guest filmmaker Valentina Ganeva.

The film runs for 90 minutes and is screening on Sunday, April 27, 5:30 p.m.

artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/schindler-space-architect/

The House / This Is Not a House is a free screening and all other films are $10 each. Tickets for the series can be purchased individually or the entire series is $50. Seating for all films is general admission/unassigned. See artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/subscribe-save/art-architecture-on-film/ for details.