yvonne rainer

8/12/2019 Yvonne Rainer

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YVONNE RAINER

b. 1934, San Francisco, California, USA

My films always were meant to confound in a certain way.

Yvonne Rainer (1)

Dancer, choreora!her, !erfor"er, fil""a#er an$ %ri&er Yvonne Rainer, %ho beanchoreora!hin in 19'1 an$ "a$e her firs& fil" in 19', is a #e fi*re in &he s&or of&he +e% Yor# avan&ar$e in &er"s of bo&h her %ri&in an$ !rac&ice.(-)Rainer !rovi$e$a co""en&ar on &he infl*ences &ha& !rece$e$ her o%n aes&he&ic obec&ives an$ar&ic*la&e$ her o%n !roec& &hro*h !rac&ice an$ e/!lica&or $isco*rse, es&ablishin her!osi&ion as a #e !laer %i&hin &he +e% Yor# avan&ar$e fro" &he earl 19'0s &hro*h&o &he "i$1990s. D*rin &his !erio$ she !ro$*ce$ &%elve fil"s, incl*$in silen& shor&%or#s for "*l&i"e$ia !erfor"ances (%hich she calls fil"e$ choreora!hic e/ercises2)(3)as %ell as fea&*res. Accor$in &o Rainer, her fascina&ion %i&h $ance an$ fil" e"ere$

si"*l&aneo*sl %hen she "ove$ on fro" ac&in a& - (!. 1). She is cer&ainl achoreora!her %ho ha$ as "an fil" reference !oin&s as choreora!hic, evi$ence$ in&he *se of !roec&ion in her s&ae %or# an$ her er*$i&e *se of cine"a&ic *o&a&ion in herfil" %or#. (4)5ha& lin#s Rainer6s $ance an$ fil" %or# is an in&ense cri&i*e of$isci!linar conven&ions an$ a !rofo*n$ in&erroa&ion of &he role of !erfor"ance.7erfor"ance is cen&ral &o all as!ec&s of Rainer6s %or#8 she herself refers &o !erfor"anceas &he s*bec& "a&&er in her fil"s (!. ) an$ 7e 7helan $escribes her %ri&ins as

rhe&orical !erfor"ances2. ()

Rainer6s !aren&s %ere "iran&s, her "o&her 7olish:e%ish (a !o&en&ial s&ae "o&her2)an$ her fa&her ;&alian (an anarchis& an$ a ho*se !ain&er2), %ho se&&le$ in San Francisco.Rainer $escribes herself as a sh chil$ %ho li#e$ &o rea$ an$ her chil$hoo$ as

$e!resse$2. (')A& aro*n$ 1 she s&ar&e$ a&&en$in socialis&anarchis& "ee&ins %i&hher bro&her %here she "a$e frien$s %i&h so"e visi&in +e% Yor#ers.A& -0 Rainer fellin&o2 ac&in school a& &he


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e/!eri"en&al fil" scene8 &ha& she %as fa"iliar %i&h &he %or# of @aa Deren an$fil""a#ers s*ch as S&an >ra#hae an$ Eenne&h Aner, b*& &he i$eas $i$n6& reall &*rn"e on &he %a &ha& :ohnG Cae6s i$eas in "*sic an$ 6'0s ar& !rac&ices ha$.2 (11)

Yvonne Rainer %as one of &he firs& $ance !rac&i&ioners &o "a#e a%holesale re&*rn &o &he Hever$a bo$6 as an al&erna&ive &o &he

H!erfor"in bo$6 %hich $is!las s#ills an$ vir&*osi&. Rainer6schoreora!hic innova&ions involve$ co"binin "ove"en&s &ha&co"!le&el $iress fro" &he f*nc&ional or !*r!osef*l %i&h &he&one of an ever$a a&&i&*$e.


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fil" are s&r*n &oe&her li#e her *ninflec&e$ $ance !hrases8 no sinle !ar& is iven "oreval*e, &he score is no& s*bservien& &o &he vis*als, &here is no cen&ral charac&er %i&h%ho" %e i$en&if. Rainer sas &he &%o i$eas &ha& fra"e #ives of $erformers are $ancean$ e"o&ional life2, (!. 1) an$ &he fil" $oes revolve aro*n$ bo&h &he on an$ offs&ae,fic&ional an$ nonfic&ional ac&ivi&ies of a ro*! of $ancer!erfor"ers. Foo&ae of $ancerehearsals, $ra"a&ic enac&"en&s, !ho&o s&ills an$ &ablea*/ vivan&s are se& aains& aso*n$ score &ha& co""en&s on an$ r*ns across &he ac&ion.

As Rainer !*&s i&, al&ho*h a ver loa$e$ se& of circ*"s&ances beins &o e"ere2 in#ives of $erformers, o* canno& follo% &he s&or2 (!!. 4?). *& &he "elo$ra"a&ic as!ec&s of &he fil"&al# of love, $esire an$ se/*al con&ac&,scenes of e"o&ional in&i"ac, love &rianlesare co*n&ere$ b &he fil"ic &rea&"en&%hich &h%ar&s enre e/!ec&a&ions.


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&he ca"era is s&rane an$ $is&*rbin. #ives of $erformersen$s %i&h a series of &ablea*/vivan&s, reenac&in &he series of !*blishe$ !ro$*c&ion s&ills fro" a scenario of$andoras (ox2 (!. -). @ove"en& an$ s&illness e/is& for &heir o%n choreora!hic*ali&ies, in$e!en$en& of narra&ive $e"an$s. Jne infl*ence on Rainer in &hese earl fil"s&ha& has no& receive$ "*ch a&&en&ion is &he role of cine"a&ora!her >abe&&e @anol&e,recen&l arrive$ &o +e% Yor# an$ !rior &o %or#in %i&h Chan&al A#er"an. (-')@anol&e!rovi$es a lin# be&%een Rainer an$ &he innova&ive 7arisbase$ fil" $irec&or %hosea&&en&ion &o screen !erfor"ance an$ an&inarra&ive fil" "ove"en& "a#es her %or# ofrelevance.

>o&h $ance as a &!e of !erfor"ance alon %i&h a choreora!hic a!!roach &o o&her &!esof fi*ral an$ fil"ic "ove"en& fea&*re in #ives of $erformers, an$ Rainer6schoreora!hic bac#ro*n$ is !erha!s "os& evi$en& in &his, her firs& fea&*re fil". She$escribes &he scri!& for &his fil" as bein li#e choreora!hic $irec&ions, o*&linin

ro*!ins an$ rero*!ins2 (!!. 4?) an$ !oin&s &o her in&eres& in &he effec&s of"ove"en& an$ s&illness as a res*l& of her $ance $as2 (!!. 1?9). >*& Rainer hasalrea$ "a$e &he shif& &o%ar$ a "ore cine"a&ic &!e of !hsical !erfor"ance. Jn &hisa$*s&"en& Rainer %ri&esL

) was not only *ettisoning a whole lexicon of formali+ed movement and behaviour,reali+ing instinctively that certain concessions to &lifelikeness would have to be made.For the most part my speaking performers would be doing what people, or characters,so often do in &the movies sit around, eat, walk down the street, ride bicycles, look atthings etc. )f they danced in my early films, ) gave them good reason, assigning themthe occupation &dancer.(!. 93)

5hile $ancers $o $ance in #ives of $erformers, an e*ali& is es&ablishe$ be&%een &he"ove"en&s of $ra"a an$ "ove"en&s i$en&ifie$ as H$ance6. ario*s en&ries b a

!ro&aonis&2 (al$a Se&&erfiel$) in&o a roo" $*rin a s&ae !erfor"ance are c*&&oe&her an$ $ra% o*r a&&en&ion &o &he !hsical !erfor"ance &hro*h re!e&i&ion an$

varia&ion. erlin) rehearsed"for over ninemonths and every gesture was choreographed down to the blink of an eye.(-)

Ul&i"a&el &here %as an increasin shif&&o%ar$ $ialo*e in Rainer6s fil" %or#, %ha&she calle$ &he lan*aeorien&e$ s&ra&eiesof " fil"s2, ivin &he e/a"!le of 2ristinaTalking $ictures (19') %here charac&ers si&*! in be$ an$ li&erall a! for for& "in*&es2(!. ). > &he &i"e %e e& &o-ourney from(erlin/01/, +oel Carroll $eclares a revol*&ionin &he s&r*c&*rall obsesse$ A"erican avan&ar$e fil" scene, s&a&in &ha& in &his fil"

lan*ae is "ore i"!or&an& &han i"ae2 (!.10).

Rainer6s ro%in e"!hasis on lan*ae in herfil"s is co*!le$ %i&h an increasin fascina&ion %i&h &heor %hich is e/!ose$ in her fil"s

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http://sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/rainer/#26%2326http://sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/rainer/#27%2327http://sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/rainer/#26%2326http://sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/rainer/#27%2327


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fro" Film 3bout a Woman Who" (194), %hich Rainer refers &o as !re!oli&ical2, (!.-'-) on. ;n Film 3bout a Woman Who", 2ristina Talking $icturesan$-ourney from(erlin/01/, &he s&ra&eies co"!lica&in !erfor"er an$ charac&er, fac& an$ fic&ion,rehearsal an$ rehearse$, so*n$ an$ i"ae an$ &he "ani!*la&ion of cine"a&ic "ove"en&or$ers o*&line$ above in rela&ion &o #ives of $erformers, are s&ill o!era&in an$ arein&ensifie$, $evelo!in Rainer6s cri&i*e of narra&ive fil" &echni*es an$ rela&e$s!ec&a&orial !rofiles. ;n 19-, Rainer $escribes &he s!ec&a&orof"$rea"s2, %ho hasiven e*al a&&en&ion &o &he fic&ions an$ &he !ro$*c&ion of &hese fic&ions2 (!!. -11?1-). alinin a*$ience i$en&ifica&ion %i&h an absen& fe"ale !ro&aonis& an$ havin&he "ale lea$ !lae$ b &%o ac&ors, Rainer shor&circ*i&s &he "ale$o"ina&e$ !o%ers&r*c&*res &ha& &he fe"inis& fil" &heoris&s ha$ fo*n$ &o be Hb*il& in&o6 cine"a&ic lan*ae.Rainer &*rns &he "ale aKefe"ale obec& for"*la on i&s hea$ b re"ovin &he fe"ales!ec&acle an$ frac&*rin &he cen&ral, s&able "ale i$en&i&. ;n an in&ervie% a& &he &i"e TheMan Who 4nvied Women %as in $evelo!"en&, Rainer $escribes her co"!le/ rela&ion &o&heor, no&in i&s ca!aci& &o se$*ce an$ re"ar#in &ha& so"e&i"es rea$in S&e!hen=ea&h is a &*rn on2 (!. 3). Rainer6s cri&i*e of &heor as bo&h ano&her fiel$ for !lain

o*& !o%er rela&ions an$ a !erfor"ance &o be in&erroa&e$ so"eho% coe/is&s in her fil"s%i&h a "obilisa&ion of #e &heore&ical conce!&s for her o%n !*r!oses. ;n &he sa"ein&ervie% Rainer a$"i&s &o $isco"for& %i&h &he lan*ae of &heor %hich is evi$ence$ in&he fil"8 &he scene in %hich &he cen&ral "ale charac&er, :ac# Dellar, $elivers a !hiloso!hlec&*re &o his s&*$en&s is so !rolone$, &he lec&*re so i"!ossible &o follo% an$ &heca"era so $is&rac&e$ (%an$erin &hro*ho*& &he s!ace), a cri&i*e of &he H!erfor"ance6of &heor is achieve$. Rainer bo&h !resen&s an$ s*bver&s in &he sa"e aes&he&ic es&*re.(30)

Rainer6s s*bversive s&ra&eies rear$in fil" for" have !rovi$e$ &he ro*n$%or# for no&onl her !hiloso!hical an$ fe"inis& s*bec& "a&&er, b*& an everbroa$enin fiel$ of socio!oli&ical concerns bo&h lare an$ s"all8 fro" &he !oli&ics of +e% Yor# real es&a&e &o &he

clinical $e"onisin of "eno!a*se. As A$rian @ar&in %ri&es, Rainer has al%as been a&o*h, cri&ical, ever sce!&ical !oli&ical ar&is&2, (31)b*& she is also one %ho never co""i&s&he car$inal sin of losin her sense of h*"o*r. Rainer6s co""en&ar is al%ascharac&erise$ b sce!&icis" an$ iron ra&her &han cnicis" or !essi"is"8 she %an&s &o!rovo#e, no& aliena&e.

;n a 199 ar&icle, Rainer *es&ions &he role of an ar&is&ic !rac&ice c*& off fro"con&e"!oraneo*s social reali&, !oin&in &o &he !os&"o$ern $ance ac&ivi& of &he 6'0san$ 60s &ha& she %as so involve$ in as ar&is& an$ s!o#es!erson. ;n &his !a!er, shes!ea#s o*& aains& ar&"a#in as a*&ono"o*s an$ self!er!e&*a&in e/ercises2 (!.103). A ear la&er Rainer releases $rivilege(%inner of &he Dra"a&ic Fil""a#er6s


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Racial an$ econo"ic iss*es ave Rainer ane% foc*s &ha& e"ere$ fro" &he cri&i*eof fe"inis"6s %hi&e "i$$leclass !rofile.7rior &o "a#in $rivilege, Rainer also%or#e$ on a conference %i&h >NrNniceRena*$, %exism, 5olonialism, andMisrepresentation, (3-)%hich alsoi"!ac&e$ *!on &he !oli&ical concerns inher fil"s. Sco&& @acDonal$6s observa&ion&ha& Rainer6s fil"s are a*&obiora!hical in&he %a &he char& her &ho*h&s an$

!reocc*!a&ions see"s !ar&ic*larl relevan& &o &his s&ae of her career. (!!. -4?9).

;n $rivilege, even "ore &han in The Man Who 4nvied Women, Rainer6s charac&ers haveaine$ a for"al consis&enc &ha& s*!!or&s &he "ore $e"an$in &he"es, b*& an anarchica!!roach &o fil" for" re"ainsL &he fil" is sho& in a varie& of for"a&s8 a sinle"onolo*e is assine$ &o n*"ero*s ac&ors8 &he scri!& fea&*res %ha& Rainer &er"s her

!laiaris& !rac&ices2 (!. -3-) of *o&in o&her %ri&ins an$ fil" foo&ae8 ac&ors a!!earin flashbac#s %i&h no a&&e"!& &o al&er &heir ae8 $oc*"en&ars&le in&ervie%s %i&h ol$frien$s are co"bine$ %i&h caref*ll scri!&e$, fic&ional in&ervie%s8 an$ &he %ra!!ar& isincl*$e$ a& &he en$ of &he fil". Jne sho& &ha& Rainer sinles o*& is a close*! of &hera!is& acc*sin &he vic&i" of !rovo#in his ac&ions, b*& his "o*&h $oes no& "ove8 &he!ers*asive close*! is co*!le$ %i&h *nreliable $ialo*e an$ a severin of s*bec& an$voice (!. -40). ariations(-00-), a "on&ae $ealin %i&h Rainer6s career *sin real an$si"*la&e$ in&ervie%s an$ rehearsal foo&ae.


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Fil"ora!h

As $irec&or%ri&erL

>olleyball(Foo& Fil") (19') shor&

8and Movie(19') shor&

'hode )sland 'ed(19') shor&

Trio Film(19') shor&

Line(19'9) shor&

Lives of Performers(19-?also !erfor"er, e$i&or

Film 3bout a Woman Who"(194) also !erfor"er, narra&or, e$i&or

Kristina Talking Pictures(19'? also !erfor"er, e$i&or

-ourney from (erlin/01/(190) also !erfor"er, e$i&or

The Man Who 4nvied Women(19) also !erfor"er, e$i&or

Privilege(1991) also !erfor"er, e$i&or

MR!ER an" mur"er(199') also !erfor"er, e$i&or

3fter Many a %ummer 7ies the %wan 8ybrid(-00-) shor&, also !ro$*cer, e$i&or

>ibliora!h

Articles# $ooks an" scri%ts $& Rainer'

6+o6 &o S!ec&acleO2, Tulane 7rama 'eview, P10, 19'

A Q*asi S*rve of So"e H@ini"alis&6 a&&oc# (e$.), Minimal

3rt, 5ritical 3nthology, +e% Yor#, B.7. D*&&on, 19'

Work /0:/?1@, +e% Yor#, +e% Yor# Universi& 7ress, 194

>einnin %i&h So"e A$ver&ise"en&s for Cri&icis"s of @self, Jr Dra%in &he Do Yo*@a 5an& &o Use &o >i&e @e 5i&h, an$


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So"e R*"ina&ions Aro*n$ Cine"a&ic Anec$o&es &o &he Je$i!al +e&(&les) %hile 7lain%i&h $e Ia*rae$i!*s @*lve, or =e @a >e JffScreen, b*&O2 The )ndependent, vol. 9, n.3, A!ril 19'

anes, Terpsichore in %neakers $ostModern 7ance, >os&on, =o*h&on @ifflin,190

Sall >anes, Iives of 7erfor"ersL Anne&&e @ichelson Disc*sses Ac&in in-ourneys from(erlin2, Millennium Film -ournal, P, 9, Fall 190?5in&er 191

Sall >anes, Breenwich >illage /0:@, D*rha", D*#e Universi& 7ress, 1993

Sall >anes, Writing 7ancing in the 3ge of $ostmodernism, 5esleen Universi& 7ress,+e% Bnlan$, 1994

IiK >aer an$ 5illo*hb Shar!, l*"en&hal, Jn Ar& an$ Ar&is&sL Yvonne Rainer2, $rofile4L, Fall 194

Ea&e >ris an$ Fiona @acDonal$.


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Anna C. Chave, @ini"alis" an$ >iora!h2, The 3rt (ulletin, vol. -, n. 1, @arch -00-

Ann Dal,


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:ona&han Rosenba*", As!ec&s of &he Avan&ar$eL


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re!e&i&ion, an$ e"!loe$ narra&ive an$ verbal noises (incl*$in %ails, r*n&s, "*"bles,s*ea#s, an$ shrie#s, e&c.) %i&hin &he bo$ of her $ances.

Re!e&i&ion an$ so*n$ %ere e"!loe$ in her firs& choreora!he$ !iece, Three %atie%poons(19'1), a solo !erfor"e$ b Rainer. She "a$e s*ea#in noises &hro*ho*& &he!iece an$ sai$,


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Rainer has choreora!he$ "ore &han 40 concer& %or#s.

A fe% of her o&her %or#s incl*$eL

Three %eascapes(19'1) a solo of Rainer6s consi$ere$ &o be ra$ical beca*se &he

finale fea&*re$ Rainer screa"in %il$l an$ &hrashin aro*n$ &he s!ace.G

Terrain(19'-) %as Rainer6s firs& evenin len&h %or#. ;& ha$ several sec&ions,incl*$in &%o


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e/!eri"en&al %ri&in in Robin @orans an&holo %isterhood )s $owerfulan$ &he fier!ole"ics of alerie Solanas %56M Manifestoan$ Sh*la"i&h Fires&ones 7ialectics of %ex

Rea$in fe"inis& %ri&in an$ &heor allo%e$ Rainer &o e/a"ine her o%n e/!erience as a%o"an, an$ she %as able &o &hin# of herself as a !ar&ici!an& in c*l&*re an$ socie&. Ii&&le$i$ Rainer realiKe &ha& her !rior choreora!h %as a $irec& challene of &he T&ra$i&ionalT

$ance an$ *l&i"a&el fe"inis& in na&*re.


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>er#ele (af&er a %ee#) an$ $eci$e$ &o "ove o*& of ho"e (%i&h financial hel! fro" her!aren&s). ;& %as &he beinnin of a lon search for ans%ers abo*& herself an$ abo*& &he%orl$. Cri&ical &o &his search %as her fall in&o &he ar& %orl$, an$ her b*reoninse/*ali&, bo&h con$*c&e$ in a %a ver !ar&ic*lar &o 190s A"erica, b*& also &o a ver!ar&ic*lar !ar& of 190s A"erica. +ever&heless, if her life an$ "ilie* %ere bohe"ian an$avan&ar$e, &his sho*l$ no& a& all be &ho*h& &o "ean &ha&, co"!are$ %i&h

Hconven&ional6 A"erica, ar& or se/*ali& %ere necessaril ver Henlih&ene$6 or Hfree6.


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Rainer acco*n&s for &he &ransfor"a&ion b e/!lainin &ha&, iven her ne% !reocc*!a&ion%i&h e"o&ion, $ance %as no& as s!ecific, "eanin%ise, as lan*ae2 (390). *i$e$ b&he *ns!o#en &ho*h& &ha& feelins are fac&s,2 she bean &he slo% !rocess of *n$oin"*ch of &he in&ellec&*al a!!ara&*s %i&h %hich she ha$ *s&ifie$ her !revio*s %or#. Rainerreconise$ &ha& "*ch of %ha& !asse$ as e/!eri"en&al an$ avan&ar$e reall %as anin$efini&e !os&!one"en&, &ha& is, an evasion, s!ecificall of "ovin an$ bein "ove$,&ha& is, of e"o&ionL

While we aspired to the lofty and cerebral plane of a Huotidian materiality, ourunconscious life unraveled with an intensity and melodrama that inverselymatched their absence in the boxes, beams, *ogging, and standing still of ouraustere sculptural and choreographic creations.(391)

Rainer6s life co"es across as a cons&an& al&erna&ion of a$vance an$ $ela, of r*nnin an$s&an$in s&ill, of e/&re"e fas&for%ar$ an$ even "ore e/&re"e slo%"o, avoi$ance of"ove"en&, absence of "ove"en&, b*& &hen &he "os& br*&al !assae &o &he ac&, even &o&he ac& of aban$onin all care for o&hers, for &he %orl$, an$ for herself. 5here $oes all&his leave her no%M A& &he ver beinnin of her "e"oir, Rainer s!ea#s of her ho!e &ha&&he boo# %ill offer a $N&en&e2 be&%een &he absol*&is& !rono*nce"en&s of her o*&h an$&he "ore "eas*re$ !erce!&ions2 of her i""inen& ol$ ae2 (/v). Aain, %e see &hecon&ras& be&%een a grand *etIan$ "eas*re$ s&e!s. *& $on6& e/!ec& her no% &o se&&le in &o a co"for&able ol$ ae or&a#e *! #ni&&in.


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8ackstor&

>orn in San Francisco in 1934, Yvonne Rainer ha$ an *nconven&ional an$ con&ra$ic&or*!brinin. =er !aren&s ? a 7olish:e%ish "o&her (Ta !o&en&ial s&ae "o&herT) an$ an;&alian fa&her (Tan anarchis& an$ a ho*se !ain&erT) ? "inle$ %i&h ar&is&ic bohe"ians an$!oli&ical ra$icals, b*& for several ears she an$ her bro&her %ere raise$ a%a in a

$isci!linarian chil$rens ho"e. Conf*se$, in&ense, a$ven&*ro*s an$ of&en $e!resse$,o*n Rainer fell in&o &he ar& %orl$, %here she "e& her f*&*re h*sban$ Al =el$, anabs&rac& e/!ressionis& !ain&er. She "ove$ &o +e% Yor# in 19', in !ar& &o be %i&h hi".

;ni&iall she s&*$ie$ ac&in, b*& &he S&anislavs#i "e&ho$ &hen in vo*e $i$ no& s*i& her.She &*rne$ &o $ance, &rainin %i&h @ar&ha raha", @erce C*nninha" an$ ballerina @iaSlavens#a. A &*rnin !oin& %as Anna =al!rins e/!eri"en&al s*""er school in Californiain 19'0, %here she firs& "e& ro%n. >ac# in +e% Yor#, Rainer an$ >ro%n beca"efo*n$in "e"bers of &he enor"o*sl infl*en&ial :*$son Dance


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anone else. She also al&ere$ i& herself several &i"es (i& %as $ance$ vario*sl as a &rio, asolo an$ in relas) ? an i$ea &ha& she f*r&here$ in %or#s &ha& %ere inheren&l "*&able,s*ch as Con&in*o*s 7roec& ? Al&ere$ Dail, %hich acc*"*la&e$ bi&s of "a&erial as &he%ere !erfor"e$, $e!en$in on &he !erfor"ers &he"selves.

5i&h her fil" %or#, o* co*l$ sa &ha& Rainer shif&e$ her a&&en&ion fro" obec& (%ha& &he

vie%er sees) &o s*bec& (%ha& &he vie%er rea$s).


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TIo&s of !eo!le a& &ha& &i"e %ere $oin !rocess$riven, &as#orien&e$ $ance %i&h na&*ral"ove"en&. A lo& of i& loo#e$ $oe$. @s Rainer %as s*ch a rive&in !resence, an$ heri$eas %ere so in&ense an$ $aKKlin, &ha& her !ersonali& co*l$n& hel! "anifes&in i&self,rih& belo% an$ even above &he cool, for"alis& s*rface.T

o)n Rock1ell# Ne1 York Times 56672

TRainerO is a hbri$, bo&h aes&he&e an$ ac&ivis&.T

Ann !al 4)ronicle of ig)er E"ucation 56652

TJne of &he "os& iconoclas&ic choreora!hers of her enera&ion.T

u"it) Mackrell# Guar"ian 56962

!o sa&

T


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Yvonne Rainer 8lasts Marina A$ramoviH an" MO4A LA

Rainer receive$ &he follo%in le&&er fro" so"eone %ho a&&en$e$ &he Abra"oviW a*$i&ion

for a %or# &o be !erfor"e$ a& &he @*se*" of Con&e"!orar Ar& in Ios Aneles6 alaL

%o, ) spent an hour today at the 3bromovic JsicK audition at M!53. The deal is that theartistsdancers she will hire will spend @L? hours under the dining tables of the donorgala with their heads protruding from the tables. They will be sitting on la+y susansunder the table and slowly rotating and making eye contact with the donorsdiners. !fcourse we were warned that we will not be able to leave to pee, etc. That the dinersmay try to feed us, give us drinks, fondle us under the table, etc but will be warned notto. Whatever happens, we are to remain in performance mode and unaffected. What thefuckN 3nd the chosen performers are expected to be there all day friday and saturday.The hours probably total /O or more and the pay is P/O= Lplus a M!53 one yearmembership?. ) am utterly appalled. This should be illegal. There is another audition

for another role where the performers lie naked on tables with fake skeletons on them.%ince ) cannot stomach being a turning, severed head while people get drunk in front ofme, ) am seriously considering taking a naked role and performing an intervention atthe gala celebration where ) use my body as a surface to communicate the fact that )worked x number of hours for P/O=. ) swear ) need to do something"to speak for mycommunity of artists who are being taken advantage of by ma*or museums. sick shit.Bod, we need a revolution.


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celebrity artist in the hopes of somehow breaking into the show bi+ themselves. 3nd atsubminimal wages for the performers, the event is economic exploitation as well,verging on criminality.G

This grotesHue spectacle promises to be truly embarrassing. We the undersigned wish toexpress our dismay that an institution that we have supported can stoop to such

degrading methods of fund raising. 5an other institutions be far behindN Must we rename M!53 M!7F'G or the Museum of 7egenerate Fund 'aisingN

%incerely,

9vonne 'ainer

7ouglas 5rimp

taisha paggett


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5o%,2 Abra"ovic &ol$ ARerlin as in +e% Yor#.2

Rainer %as born in San Francisco in 1934. She &raine$ as a "o$ern $ancer in +e% Yor#fro" 19 an$ bean &o choreora!h her o%n %or# in 19'0. She %as one of &hefo*n$ers of &he :*$son Dance roa$%a in 19'9, in Scan$inavia, Ion$on, er"an, an$ ;&al be&%een 19'4 an$19-, an$ a& &he Fes&ival D6A*&o"ne in 7aris in 19-. ;n 19' she bean &o in&era&eshor& fil"s in&o her live !erfor"ances, an$ b 19 she ha$ "a$e a co"!le&e &ransi&ion&o fil""a#in.

;n 19- she co"!le&e$ a firs& fea&*relen&h fil", I;BS JF 7BRFJR@BRS. ;n all she hasco"!le&e$ seven fea&*resL F;I@ A>JU< A 5J@A+ 5=J...(194), ER;S


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Fil" ;ns&i&*&e an$ %inner of &he S!ecial Achieve"en& A%ar$ fro" &he Ios Aneles Fil"Cri&ics6 Associa&ion),

yvonne rainer

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