Overview of book of days, 1988, directed by meredith monk, with gerd wameling, toby newman, robert een, at turner classic movies. Monk combined dance, physical gestures, motion pictures, video, dialogue, her own music and vocalizations, as well as props and sets, to create multimedia theatrical spectacles. One day during summer of 1984, as i was sweeping the floor of my house in the country, the image of a young girl in black and white and a medieval street in the jewish community also in black and white came to. The festival will open with a screening of monk s feature film book of days 1988.
Jun 17, 2010 meredith monk book of days robert een voice, cello ching gonzalez voice andrea goodman voice wayne hankin voice, gro. The idea for book of days came to monk one afternoon in the summer of 1984, when she was overcome by a blackandwhite vision of a young jewish girl in a medieval street. Meredith monk s film book of days 1988 is a fulllength feature that follows the lives of medieval villagers beset by the plague. Shop for vinyl, cds and more from meredith monk at the discogs marketplace. Its a shame meredith monk never directed any other films. Monk was in her fascinating, indeed haunting film book of days from 1988 that was. Meredith monk is a multidisciplinary artista composer, singer, directorchoreographer, and creator of new opera, musictheater works, films, and installations. Monk has also made several experimental films, and book of days is indeed one of them. One day during summer of 1984, as i was sweeping the floor of my house in the country, the image of a young girl in black and white and a medieval street in. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. One day during summer of 1984, as i was sweeping the floor of my house in the country, the image of a young girl in black and white and a medieval street in the jewish community also in black and white came to me, as monk recounts in the liner notes of the ecmrecording.
Like most of meredith monk s performance works, book of days weaves together characters, music, movement, time and space. The following day meredith monk s silent short films as well as the films 16 millimeter earrings 1966 1979 and ellis island 1981 which focuses on migration, will be presented, creating a link. Directed by meredith monk, camera by meredith monk, edited by meredith monk and tony janetti. Drawing parallels between the black death and monks observation of the aids crisis in new york contemporary to the making of the film, book of days dramatises archetypes in search of and in support of humanity. The following day meredith monk s silent short films as well as the films 16 millimeter earrings 1966 1979 and ellis island 1981 which focuses on migration, will be presented, creating a link to contemporary sociopolitical questions. Ellis island and book of days monday, november 6, 2017 at 7. Book of days is a production of tatgelasseur productions, inc. Like most of meredith monks performance works, book of days weaves together characters, music, movement, time and space. Her other recordings include book of days 1990, facing north 1992, atlas 1993, volcano songs 1997 and mercy 2002. In fact book of days is for me a desert island disc as the saying goes. Her films, installations and drawings have been shown in museums and galleries including exit art, frederieke taylor gallery, in two whitney biennials, and at the walker art center.
Memory game is both a look back at a pivotal point in meredith monk s storied career, and a richly layered portrait of how vocal music, under the guidance of an indefatigable master, can play with our expectations in poignant and compelling ways. Monk has made sixteen recordings, including her 1996 compact disc, monk and the abbess. November 20, 1942, new york, ny us composer, performer and director. As a filmmaker, monk has created several awardwinning films including ellis island 1981 and her first feature, book of days 1988, which have screened at numerous film festivals worldwide and on pbs. Drawing parallels between the black death and monk s observation of the aids crisis in new york contemporary to the making of the film, book of days dramatises archetypes in search of and in support of humanity.
Personally i would have liked more of meredith monk s music in the film but its absence doesnt make book of days any less affecting. A 1910 home movie of humboldt and his wife on the beach in asbury park. Shown in the obie award winning piece of the same title by ping chong. The first time i encountered the music of meredith monk was in her fascinating, indeed haunting film book of days from 1988 that was shown on pbs. She is also an accomplished filmmaker who has made a series of awardwinning films including ellis island 1981 and her first feature, book of days 1988. Due to the current health crisis any purchases made through the meredith monk house foundation store will not be shipped until after april 30th. Monk tells this account in the liner notes of the ecmrecording. A free screening of two meredith monk films, ellis island 1985 and book of days 1988. It deals with a community of jews and christians in the middle ages in time of plague, where the young daughter of a jewish family has visions of 20thcentury technology and society, drawing them on. Book of days is the seventh album by meredith monk, released in 1990 through ecm new series. It deals with a community of jews and christians in the middle ages in time of plague, where the young daughter of a jewish family has visions of 20thcentury technology and society, drawing them on walls. Read meredith monk s bio and find out more about meredith monk s songs, albums, and chart history. Meredith monks book of days the voice is a language. Thus do we get book of days 1988, a marriage of music and moving images that covers such broad yet related topics as nuclear holocaust, aids, eschatological wonder and trepidation, and the cyclical nature of time.
The idea for book of days came to monk one afternoon in the summer. Thus do we get book of days 1988, a marriage of music and moving images that covers such broad yet related topics as nuclear holocaust. Book of days 1988 conceived and directed by meredith monk cinematography by jerry pantzer art direction and costume design by yoshio yabara music by meredith monk produced by catherine tatge and dominique lasseur. Ellis island 1981, book of days 1988, and interview the house foundation for the arts, 2 hr. Meredith monks film book of days 1988 is a fulllength feature that follows the lives of medieval villagers beset by the plague. At big ears, the tennessee theatre will host a rare 35mm screening meredith monks 1988 experimental feature film book of days, which monk describes as a. Two treasures from the 1980s, meredith monks rarely seen films ellis island and book of days, are now available on dvd. The film is a rare gem and i urge anybody interested in monk to seek it out. One day during summer of 1984, as i was sweeping the floor of my house in the country, the image of a young girl in black and white and a medieval street in the jewish community also in black and white came to me. Book of days extract a movie from meredith monk, 1988 audio.
In 1964, she graduated from sarah lawrence college and in 1968 she founded the house, a company dedicated to an interdisciplinary approach to performance. Monk, meredith social networks and archival context. This same figure would become the locus for much of the films traumatic crossfire, amid which the girl has visions of her own, only for her they are of a grave and violent. Book of days is the seventh album by meredith monk, released in. Meredith monk ellis island, book of days entertainment. Apr 21, 2010 meredith monk s film book of days 1988 is a fulllength feature that follows the lives of medieval villagers beset by the plague. What emerges is a suite of songs that flows with a. Book of days meredith monk, 1988 grandfather, i keep having a dream.
Meredith monk is primarily known for her vocal innovations, including a wide range of extended techniques, which she first developed in her solo performances before forming her own ensemble. Archeology of an artist, was held at the new york public library for the performing arts at lincoln center in 1996. Ellis island 1981, and book of days 1988, which developed from a single idea. In this remarkably moving film, monk skillfully draws parallels between a time of plague and fear of apocalypse, and our time of aids and fear of nuclear annihilation. Time yugoslavian hala strana fielding last visible dog 2004. Archeology of an artist, was held at the new york public library for the.