Event

Martha Colburn

"The uniqueness of Martha Colburn, to me, is the explosive energy and craft with which she brings up-to-date, and pushes further, the film form of found-image-collage established by Stan Vanderbeek and Dick Preston in the Sixties," says Jonas Mekas, the "godfather" of American avant-garde cinema. He adds, "she has invented her own techniques and language that permits her to fuse the grotesque images of our popular civilization as produced by our image industries, to make film songs of universal sadness of our times. Bordering on the outrageous, crackling frame energy, Martha Colburn films are naked testimonials of our times, and of her generations."

Fusing pop culture and political images with fantastical and painterly aesthetic this self-taught animator is known for her collage-style animation. Drawing on imagery from her vast collection of found footage, advertising from old magazines, pornography, puzzles, and her own artwork, Colburn utilizes an unregistered camera technique which give her films an urgent, chaotic sensibility. Equal parts horrific and beautiful, Colburn's works present an honest reflection on the cultural ephemera that surrounds our daily lives.