Manon De Boer (BE) | Attica

SYNOPSIS

Manon de Boer’s film Attica is based on the composition of the same title by American musician Frederic Rzewski, as well as Coming Together, with which the film starts. The film aims to give a visual and auditive echo to the political subject of Rzweski’s composition. On these works Rzweski wrote: ‘Coming Together was written in November and December of 1971 in response to a historical event. In September of that year inmates of the state prison at Attica, New York revolted and took control of a part of the institution. Foremost among their demands was the recognition of their right "to be treated as human beings.’ After several days of fruitless negotiations, Governor Nelson Rockefeller ordered state police to retake the prison by force, on the grounds that the lives of the guards whom the prisoners had taken as hostages were in danger. In the ensuing violence fortythree persons, including several of the hostages, were killed and many more wounded. One of the dead was Sam Melville, a prisoner who had played a significant role in organizing the rebellion.” [...] Abstract from a text by Frederic Rzewski.

ARTIST’S BIOGRAPHY

Manon De Boer was born in 1966 in Kodaicanal, India. Currently she lives and works in Brussels.
She studied at the Akademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Rotterdam between 1985-1990, and at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam between 1990-1992. In 2008 she had a solo show at Frankfurter Kunstverein, at Witte de With in Rotterdam and at Jan Mot, Brussels.
Her latest work is included in the 5th Berlin Biennial 2008.

FILMOGRAPHY

• Two Times 4'33", 2008, 11'00", 35 mm film, colour, sound
• Attica, 2008, 9'55", 16 mm film, b&w, mono sound
• Resonating Surfaces, 2005, 39'00", 16 mm film transferred to DVD, colour, Dolby surround sound
• Sylvia Kristel – Paris, 2003, 40'00". Super 8 transferred to DVD, colour, stereo sound
• Switch, 1998, 12'00", audio CD
• Laurien, March 1996 – Laurien, September 2001 – Laurien, October 2007, 1996-2007, 2'30"
• (x3), looped, Super 8 film transferred to 16 mm film and video, b&w, silent
• Robert, June 1996 – Robert, September 2007, 1996-2007, 2'30" (x2), looped Super 8 film
• transferred to 16 mm film and video, b&w, silent