Vision Festival 27 Films: "JANZ IN THE MOMENT" directed by Joanna Kiernan

JANZ IN THE MOMENT

Joanna Kiernan

2020, 72 min

JANZ IN THE MOMENT is a feature documentary about the artist Robert Janz (1932-2021). Throughout his life Robert Janz was committed to exploring the nature of change, transience and the ephemeral, his most extreme projects being water drawings that evaporate. “Janz in the Moment” begins in his eightieth year, when he starts interacting with the graffiti art that was exploding in New York at the time. The film follows him as he moves around lower Manhattan creating images of mountains, wild animals, and half human beings that evoke the most enduring aspects of life, even as they are erased by the ceaseless processes of the city. Delving into Janz’s history we see an artist who has exhibited at world-class museums and galleries, yet who has repeatedly turned away from a conventional career path to follow his commitment to spontaneity, directness and interaction. “Janz in the Moment” is an exploration of his themes of flux, change and continuity, becoming a poem to city life and to creativity itself.

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Every year, the Vision Festival presents topical films, and this year we are partnering with The Clemente and Roulette Intermedium to present two days of films. Vision Festival Films selections are curated for their artful showcasing of FreeJazz legends and stories, highlighting important social justice issues and representation of the multicultural multi-arts jazz culture that utilizes improvisation to express a larger, more positive dream of inclusion and freedom. Past favorite featured films include Milford Graves: Full Mantis, The Sun Rises in the East, Sun Ra: Space is the Place and Inside Out In The Open.

On Saturday, June 10 at 6:30, we will present Janz in the Moment (about the visual artist Robert Janz) at The Clemente. On June 12 at Roulette Intermedium at 6:30, we will show Affamée (a film about this year's Vision Festival Lifetime Achievement Recipient Joëlle Léandre) and In Modern Time (about saxophonist Sonny Simmons). The latter film will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker and In Modern Time director Robert Brewster.

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About The Vision Festival

Founded in 1996, the Vision Festival is New York City's longest continuously running jazz festival. Now in its 27th year, this festival of music, dance, poetry, and visual art is heralded as “one of New York’s most essential art events” (New York Times). Performances feature legendary and emerging stars representing the free jazz, experimental, and avant-garde communities and include Lifetime Achievement honorees like Amina Claudine Myers, Andrew Cyrille, Dave Burrell, Peter Brötzmann, and Milford Graves. This year, we honor Joëlle Léandre.

artsforart.org/vision

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Vaccination and masks are strongly recommended but are not required for the Vision Festival.

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Refund Policy: No refunds - ticket exchanges for other nights during the festival are accepted.

If this isn’t an option, Arts for Art will note the money you spent on tickets as a tax-exempt donation.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

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