Context

Lensable Belief
Marc Siegel 

Video

The video is available in English.

Departing from Siegels research on gossip in queer culture, this talk looks at the role of belief in the artistic production of the American underground film scene of the 1960s. What gossip knows depends on who you believe. Gossip’s knowledge always rests in the hands of the trusted others who pass it on. Its circulation fosters a sociality based on the desire to believe what others believe. Siegel’s lecture gives insights in how such a system of secular belief drives the performances, films and writings of key underground film figures like Jack Smith, Mario Montez and Andy Warhol? 

Artists

Participating artists

Marc Siegel

Marc Siegel is professor of Film Studies at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. His research focuses mainly on issues of queer studies and experimental film. Siegel is a member of the Academy of the Arts of the World in Cologne, on the advisory board of the section Forum Expanded of the Berlinale and one of the co-founders of the Berlin artist collective CHEAP as well as artistic director of ZOOM — Labor Ludwig Schönherr. He has curated numerous film series and programs for film and performance festivals as well as museums and galleries, including the Berlin Biennale; the Berlinale; Tate Modern, London; CCCB, Barcelona; Bunkier Sztuki, Krakow; and the Goethe-Institut, Calcutta. His publications include the co-edited volumes, Serge Daney and Queer Cinephilia (meson press, 2022); Film Culture 80: The Legend of Barbara Rubin (Spector Books, 2018); Synchronizing the Arts (Fink, 2013); and Outside. The Politics of Queer Spaces (b_​books, 2005). His book A Gossip of Images is forthcoming from Duke University Press.

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