On October 28 the Ukrainian Institute in cooperation with the Ukrainian Pavillion at the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia will organise a screening of the documentary “The Melt Goes On Forever. The Art and Times of David Hammons” by Judd Tully and Harold Crooks.

It will be the Italian premiere of the film taking place in Venice as part of the interdisciplinary series of events “Fallen Between the Cracks. Unknown Art Histories”. 

The film is a striking portrait of a celebrated African-American artist David Hammons who has steadfastly remained an outlier in the art world but whose work offers an essential commentary on race in the US. The film chronicles his career from Watts rebellion era ’60s L.A. to global art world prominence today. The event will be held with participation of the acclaimed film writer Harold Crooks and executive producer Lisa Cortés from New York. 

When?

Friday, 28 October, 18:00 (CEST time)

Where?

Teatro Piccolo Arsenale 

CAMPO DELLA TANA, 2169/F 

30122 VENEZIA 

The event is free. The screening is followed by a Q&A session with the participation of co-director Harold Crooks and executive producer Lisa Cortés. 

Directors of the film note: “Our chronicle of David Hammons’ art and times – created through the participation of eminent artists, curators, gallerists and collectors and a diverse team of creatives – is a portrait of one of the country’s most important living artists. In a 60-year career foregrounding critical societal issues, Hammons’ feat has been to emerge atop the art world without forsaking his defiantly insurgent, category-defying practice”.

About the filmmakers:

Harold Crooks is a recipient of a Prix Gémeaux and a Genie Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Genie Award, a Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo, a Leo Award for Best Screenwriter [Documentary] of the Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Foundation of B.C., a National Documentary Film Award (Best Writing) at Hot Docs 1996, and a Writers Guild of Canada Top Ten Awards finalist.

Jud Tully began his career in journalism as a cub reporter with the ’70s underground paper The Berkeley Barb where he covered the politically charged trials of the Soledad Brothers, George Jackson and Angela Davis in San Francisco and Marin County. For over two decades, he was Editor-at-Large of Art & Auction magazine. His journalism and art criticism has appeared in Flash Art, ARTnews, the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and The Art Newspaper, as well as his blog juddtully.net.

Read more about the programme here.