Segundo de Chomón
The Impassive Alchemist and His Fantasy Cinema.
This exhibition pays a tribute to experimental and independent cinema, yet not addressing it as an alternative to mainstream cinema. The idea is to redefine it from practices running against the grain, uncovering a whole world of film from approaches more akin to painting, music or essay. We all know who the Lumière Brothers were, but very few of us have heard of Segundo de Chomón (Teruel, 1871 - Paris, 1929), a Spaniard who was one of the first directors of silent movies.
A pioneer of Spanish cinema, his vast imagination was focused entirely on developing the new medium. He founded Macaya y Carro, Spain’s first production company, as well as a colouring and lettering workshop where he experimented with early scientific films. In Spain he was the creator of the "Zarzuela" genre in cinema. A film director, an expert in lighting and photography and also in effects and processing, a pioneer of fantasy and animation cinema, Chomón was one of the most important —and exciting— players in the first 30 years in the history of film. The exhibition shows some of his films accompanied by music composed expressly for the screenings by Juan Prieto (Akasha) and Roberto Lorenzo (Rob Loren).
The exhibition is taking place within the programme Visiónica 2011.
Curated by: Roberto Lorenzo
Films:
Le plongeur fantastique, La maison ensorcelée, Le spectre rouge, El hotel eléctrico, Voyage sur Jupiter, Une excursión incoherente y Le troubadour by Segundo de Chomón
Cinematógrafo 1900 by Juan Gabriel Tharrats
Also on show the work by Roberto Lorenzo Las palomas de Chomón [Les Colombes de Chomón] (2010-2011), a visual tribute to Segundo de chomón filmed at the gardens of the Louvre with the soundtrack by Roberto Lorenzo
Acknowledgements: Juanma Prieto Taladriz and Gonzalo Montón, Director of Magazine Cabiria
In collaboration with: