Len Lye (1901-1980)

Today was pretty mundane; I spent hours reading journal articles, and realising half way through that they weren't as relevant as I hoped. I started reading about Kinetic artists and Modern Light Art in one of Frank Popper's books and came across Len Lye.

The experimental film maker concentrated on translating corporeal experiences visually. He came up with the idea of using film when he was a student. He says," One of my art teachers put me onto trying to find my own art theory. After many morning walks...an idea hit me that seemed like a complete revelation. It was to compose motion, just as musicians compose sound. [ The idea ] was to lead me far, far away from wanting to excel in...traditional art." so he started painting, etching and stenciling directly onto the celluloid and created "direct forms of motion" (as demonstrated in Free Radicals)

I'd like to say, "I wish there were artists doing stuff like this now, or, I wish that this was taken in, developed and used as a major influence" but there probably are and it probably is and I just don't know about it. As I said to my friend today, 'whenever I see something like this I think to myself, 'why don't I already know about this? why have I been a closed ball and not known about this all along?' and he replied, 'well, if the world was like that, then living would be a bit rubbish wouldn't it'. Yes, he's right. So thank you Len Lye for opening my brain and making it think in new ways and encouraging me to embark on a pathway that will no doubt illuminate my days.

Swinging the Lambeth Walk (1939)






Free Radicals (1958)