Robert Beavers heads to Seoul to discuss his films screening at MMCA

Beavers's poetic 16mm films to be screened from July 25 to 30 at MMCA Seoul

A still image from "Among the Eucalyptuses" by Robert Beavers (Courtesy of Robert Beavers, MMCA)

Robert Beavers, a master of lyrical filmmaking known for his poetic use of light and rhythm, will meet Seoul audiences for the first time at a talk held on July 29 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.

At the meeting, the avant-garde filmmaker will share insights into his experiences and filmmaking process, as well as his works screening July 25-30 at the state museum.

The 15 short films to be played at MMCA Film and Video show Beavers’ distinctive cinematic language through his exploration of ancient cities, everyday environments and nature with 16mm cameras.

“I was fascinated by the 16mm Bolex camera and placed hand-cut filters in the camera’s aperture or controlled the space in front of the lens by using a compendium with mattes in ‘Early Monthly Segments’ (1968-70) and later films. The event inside the camera showed one discovery after another,” writes Beavers on his website.

Robert Beavers ⓒ Adam Bartos

The talk will accommodate up to 120 people and requires pre-registration via the museum’s website starting from Monday at 6 p.m.

Born in 1949 in Brookline, Massachusetts, Beavers moved to Europe in 1967 to work exclusively with 16mm film, which continues today, after making his first 16mm film in New York in 1966. The movie “The Sparrow Dream,” scheduled to be screened on July 26, is among his recent works, according to the museum.