Len Lye, born Leonard Charles Huia Lye (5 July 1901, Christchurch, New Zealand - 15 May 1980, Warwick, New York), was a New Zealand-born artist known primarily for his experimental films and kinetic sculpture. His films are held in archives such as the New Zealand Film Archive, British Film Institute, Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Pacific Film Archive at University of California, Berkeley. Lye's sculptures are found in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Berkeley Art Museum. Although he became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1950, much of his work went to New Zealand after his death, where it is housed at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth.

Career

As a student, Lye became convinced that motion could be part of the language of art, leading him to early (and now lost) experiments with kinetic sculpture, as well as a desire to make film. Lye was also one of the first Pākehā artists to appreciate the art of Māori, Australian Aboriginal, Pacific Island and African cultures, and this had great influence on his work. In the early 1920s Lye travelled widely in the South Pacific. He spent extended periods in Australia and Samoa, where he was expelled by the New Zealand colonial administration for living within an indigenous community.

Working his way as a coal trimmer aboard a steam ship, Lye moved to London in 1926. There he joined the Seven and Five Society, exhibited in the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition and began to make experimental films. Following his first animated film ''Tusalava'', Lye began to make films in association with the British General Post Office, for the GPO Film Unit. His 1935 film ''A Colour Box'', an advertisement for "cheaper parcel post", was the first direct film screened to a general audience. It was made by painting vibrant abstract patterns on the film itself, synchronizing them to a popular dance tune by Don Baretto and His Cuban Orchestra. A panel of animation experts convened in 2005 by the Annecy film festival put this film among the top ten most significant works in the history of animation (his later film ''Free Radicals'' was also in the top 50).

Lye also worked for the GPO Film Unit's successor, the Crown Film Unit producing wartime information films, such as ''Musical Poster Number One''. On the basis of this work, Lye was later offered work for ''The March of Time'' newsreel in New York. Leaving his family in England, Lye moved to New York in 1943.

In ''Free Radicals'' he used black film stock and scratched designs into the emulsion. The result was a dancing pattern of flashing lines and marks, as dramatic as lightning in the night sky. In 2008, this film was added to the United States National Film Registry.

Lye continued to experiment with the possibilities of direct film-making to the end of his life. In various films he used a range of dyes, stencils, air-brushes, felt tip pens, stamps, combs and surgical instruments, to create images and textures on celluloid. In ''Color Cry'', he employed the "photogram" method combined with various stencils and fabrics to create abstract patterns. It is a 16mm direct film featuring a searing soundtrack by the blues singer Sonny Terry.

As a writer, Len Lye produced a body of work exploring his theory of ''IHN'' (Individual Happiness Now). He also wrote a large number of letters and poems. He was a friend of Dylan Thomas, and of Laura Riding and Robert Graves (their Seizin Press published ''No Trouble'', a book drawn from Lye's letters to them, his mother, and others, in 1930). The NZEPC (New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre) website contains a selection of Lye's writings, which are just as surprising and experimental as his work in other media. One of his theories was that artists attempt to reproduce themselves in their works, which he exposited in an essay complete with visual examples.

right|thumb|250px|A 45m Wind Wand on the New Plymouth waterfrontLye was also an important kinetic sculptor and what he referred to as "Tangibles". He saw film and kinetic sculpture as aspects of the same "art of motion", which he theorised in a highly original way in his essays (collected in the book ''Figures of Motion'').

Many of his kinetic works can be found at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth, Taranaki including a 45-metre high ''Wind Wand'' near the sea. The ''Water Whirler'', designed by Lye but never realised in his lifetime, was installed on Wellington's waterfront in 2006. His "Tangibles" were shown at MOMA in New York in 1961 and are now found worldwide. In 1977, Len Lye returned to his homeland to oversee the first New Zealand exhibition of his work at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. Shortly before his death in 1980, Lye and his supporters established the Len Lye Foundation, to which he gave his work . The Gallery is the repository for much of this collection, employing a full-time curator to ensure its preservation and appropriate exhibition.

Lye was a maverick, never fitting any of the usual art historical labels. Although he did not become a household name, his work was familiar to many film-makers and kinetic sculptors - he was something of an "artist's artist", and his innovations have had an international influence. He is also remembered for his colourful personality, amazing clothes, and highly unorthodox lecturing style (he taught at New York University for three years).

In 2010 a retrospective of his work was held at Ikon, Birmingham UK.

Personal life

Lye was married twice. His first wife was Jane (Florence Winifred) Thompson with whom he had two children:

Bix Lye, also a sculptor, who lives and works in Williamsburg, New York

Yancy Ning Lou Lye (born 20 May 1940, Chiswick, London)

In Las Vegas in May 1948, Lye married his second wife, Annette "Ann" Zeiss (born 1910, Minnesota) on the same day he obtained a divorce from Jane. Ann was formerly married to Tommy Hindle, a British journalist.

Further information

There are two documentaries about Lye: ''Flip and Two Twisters'' and ''Doodlin''', and a DVD of Lye's talks illustrated with slides: ''Len Lye Talks about Art''.

Filmography

''Tusalava'' (1929)

''The Peanut Vendor'' (1933)

''Kaleidoscope'' (1935) in Dufaycolor

''A Colour Box'' (1935) in Dufaycolor

''Rainbow Dance'' (1936) in Gasparcolor

''The Birth of The Robot'' (1936) in Gasparcolor

''Trade Tattoo'' (1937) in Technicolor

''Full Fathom Five'' (1937)

''Colour Flight'' (1937) in Gasparcolor

'' North or Northwest? (''N or NW?'')'' (1938)

''Swinging the Lambeth Walk]'' (1939) in Dufaycolor

''Musical Poster Number One'' (1940) in Technicolor

''When the Pie Was Opened'' (1941)

''Kill or Be Killed'' (1942)

''Color Cry'' (1952)

''Rhythm'' (1957)

''Free Radicals'' (1958, revised 1979)

''Particles in Space'' (1979)

''Tal Farlow'' (completed posthumously, 1980)

References

Notes

Further reading

Auckland City Art Gallery (1980) ''Len Lye: A personal mythology'' (catalogue published in conjunction with an exhibition of his paintings, steel-motion contributions and films). ISBN 0-86463-100-6

Bouhours, Jean Michel and Horrocks, Roger (ed) (2000) ''Len Lye'', Paris, Edition Centre Pompidou. ISBN 2-84426-034-9

Curnow, Wystan and Horrocks, Roger (1984)'' Figures of Motion: Len Lye, Selected Writings''', Oxford University Press/Auckland University Press, 1984. ISBN 0-19-647996-7

Horrocks, Roger (2002) ''Len Lye: A Biography'', Auckland, Auckland Univ Press. ISBN 1-86940-247-2

Horrocks, Roger (ed) (2002) ''Happy Moments: Text and Images By Len Lye'', Auckland, The Holloway Press. ISBN 0-9582313-3-8

Kashmere, Brett (2007) "Len Lye" in ''Senses of Cinema'' (Revised text of an entry first published in ''The Encyclopedia of the Documentary Film'', 2006)

Len Lye in ''Te Ara'' online encyclopedia

Horrocks, Roger (2009) ''Art that Moves: The Work of Len Lye'', Auckland, Auckland Univ Press. ISBN 978-1-86940-422-2

Horrocks, Roger (ed) (2009) ''Body English: Text and Images By Len Lye'', Auckland, The Holloway Press. ISBN 0-9582313-9-7

External links

Biography, Work listings and more

from the ''Dictionary of New Zealand Biography''

Work by Len Lye in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Works, on New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre website

Listen to two Len Lye MP3s on thewire.co.uk

Informations on Len Lye's Wind Wand

Len Lye's work in the collection of Te Papa

"Len Lye: The Body Electric; Ikon Gallery, Burmingham, UK"

Category:New Zealand emigrants to the United States Category:Drawn-on-film animation Category:Experimental filmmakers Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:New Zealand film producers Category:New Zealand sculptors Category:People from Christchurch Category:Visual music artists Category:1901 births Category:1980 deaths

ca:Len Lye de:Len Lye fr:Len Lye it:Len Lye nl:Len Lye

name	Norman McLaren
birth date	April 11, 1914
birth place	Stirling, Scotland
death date	January 27, 1987
death place	Montreal, Canada
occupation	AnimatorFilm directorFilm producer
years active	1933 - 1987
partner	Guy Glover
imdb id	0572235
academyawards	Best Short Documentary1952 ''Neighbours''
baftaawards	Best Animated Film1968 ''Pas de Deux
awards	}}

Norman McLaren, CC, CQ (11 April 1914 – 27 January 1987) was a Scottish-born Canadian animator and film director known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). He was a pioneer in a number of areas of animation and filmmaking, including drawn on film animation, visual music, abstract film, pixilation and graphical sound.

His awards included an Oscar for the Best Documentary in 1952 for ''Neighbours'', a Silver Bear for best short documentary at the 1956 Berlin International Film Festival ''Rythmetic'' and a 1969 BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film for ''Pas de deux''.

Early life

McLaren was born in Stirling, Scotland and studied set design at the Glasgow School of Art. His early experiments with film and animation included actually scratching and painting the film stock itself, as he did not have ready access to a camera. His earliest extant film, ''Seven Till Five'' (1933), a "day in the life of an art school" was influenced by Eisenstein and displays a strongly formalist attitude.

McLaren's next film, ''Camera Makes Whoopee'' (1935), was a more elaborate take on the themes explored in ''Seven Till Five'', inspired by his acquisition of a Ciné-Kodak camera, which enabled him to execute a number of 'trick' shots. McLaren used pixilation effects, superimpositions and animation not only to display the staging of an art school ball, but also to tap into the aesthetic sensations supposedly produced by this event.

His two early films won prizes at the Scottish Amateur Film Festival, where fellow Scot and future NFB founder John Grierson was a judge.

Professional career

Grierson, who was at that time head of the General Post Office film unit, saw another of his movies at an amateur film festival and took interest. He hired Mclaren for the GPO as soon as he completed his studies.

After making four films for the GPO in London, including ''Love on the Wing'', McLaren moved to New York City in 1939, just as World War II was about to begin in Europe. He worked as a freelancer until 1941.

At the invitation of Grierson, he moved to Canada in 1941 to work for the National Film Board, to open an animation studio and to train Canadian animators. During his work for the NFB, McLaren created his most famous film, ''Neighbours'' (1952), which has won various awards around the world, including the Canadian Film Award and the Academy Award. Besides the brilliant combination of visuals and sound, the film has a very strong social message against violence and war. In his early period in Canada, McLaren spent considerable time developing the animation department of the board. Among his pupils are numbered James McKay of Toronto and George Dunning who designed the animation for the Beatles' film Yellow Submarine.

In addition to film, McLaren worked with UNESCO in the 1950s and 1960s on programs to teach film and animation techniques in China and India. His five part "Animated Motion" shorts, produced in the late 1970s, are an excellent example of instruction on the basics of film animation.

Personal life

His longtime companion was NFB director Guy Glover, whom he met at the ballet in London in 1937. The two were together until McLaren’s death.

Awards and achievements

McLaren is remembered for his experiments with image and sound as he developed a number of groundbreaking techniques for combining and synchronizing animation with music.

The National Film Board honoured McLaren's genius by naming its Montreal head office building the Norman McLaren Building. The Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, which is home to the NFB, has also honoured McLaren by naming a borough district after him.

;Lifetime achievement awards In 1968 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and promoted to Companion in 1973. In 1982, he was the first anglophone to receive the Prix Albert-Tessier, given to persons for an outstanding career in Québec cinema.

;2006 retrospective In 2006, the Film Board marked the 65th anniversary of NFB animation with an international retrospective of McLaren's restored classics and a new DVD box set of his complete works.

;2009 In 2009, McLaren's works were added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme, listing the most significant documentary heritage collections in the world, joining such works as the Gutenberg Bible and ''The Wizard of Oz''.

Awards for McLaren's films

;Academy Awards (USA)

(1953) Oscar - Best Documentary, Short Subjects for ''Neighbours'' (1952)

;Annie Awards (USA)

(1975) Annie Award: Winsor McCay Award

;BAFTA Awards (England) (1969) BAFTA Film Award Best Animated Film for ''Pas de Deux'' (1968)

;Berlin International Film Festival (1951) Silver Medal (Culture Films and Documentaries) award for ''Begone Dull Care'' (1956) Silver Bear (Short Film) award for ''Rythmetic''

;Canadian Film Awards (Canada)

(1949) Special Award for ''Dots''

(1950) Special Award for ''Begone Dull Care''

(1952) Special Award for ''Around is Around''

(1952) Special Award for ''Now is the Time''

(1952) Special Award for ''After the Storm''

(1953) Special Award for ''A Phantasy''

(1953) Special Award for ''Neighbours''

(1958) Arts and Experimental for ''A Chairy Tale''

*Shared with Claude Jutra

(1962) Arts and Experimental for ''Lines Horizontal''

(1965) Arts and Experimental for ''Canon''

*Shared with Grant Munro

(1968) Special Award for ''Pas de Deux''

;Cannes Film Festival

(1955) Short Film Palme d'Or for ''Blinkity Blank''

;Columbus International Film and Video Festival (USA)

(1984) Honorable Mention for ''Narcissus''

;Dance on Camera Festival (USA)

(1984) Gold Star Award for ''Narcissus''

;Festival international de cinéma de court métrage (France)

(1985) Special Mention for ''Narcissus''

;Festival international du film romantique

(1985) First Prize - Madame de Stael Prize, (France, May 1985) for ''Narcissus''

;Genie Awards (Canada)

(1984) Special Achievement Genie

;Golden Sheaf Awards / Short Film and Video Festival (Canada)

(1984) Golden Sheaf Award - Best Experimental Film for ''Narcissus'', Short Film and Video Festival (Canada, October–November 1984)

;International Film Festival (India)

(1984) Golden Peacock for the Best Short Film of the Festival for ''Narcissus''

;Itinerant - American Film and Video Festival (USA)

(1984) Honorable Mention - Visual Essays for ''Narcissus''

Award nominations

;Academy Awards (USA)

1953 Academy Award Best Short Subject, One-reel for ''Neighbours'' (1952)

1958 Academy Award Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects for ''A Chairy Tale'' (1957)

1964 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for ''Christmas Cracker'' (1963) (as co-director)

;BAFTA Awards (UK)

1960 BAFTA Film Award Best Animated Film for ''Short and Suite'' (Shared with Evelyn Lambart)

See also

''McLaren's Negatives''

René Jodoin

Motion graphics

References

Bibliography

Raphaël Bassan, "Norman McLaren : le silence de Prométhée", in Les Cahiers de Paris expérimental, no 17 (in French) (2004)*

Olivier Cotte (2007) ''Secrets of Oscar-winning animation: Behind the scenes of 13 classic short animations.'' (Making of '"Neighbours"'') Focal Press. ISBN 978-0240520704

Alfio Bastiancich, "Norman McLaren: Précurseur des Nouvelles Images", Dreamland èditeur, Paris (1997) (in French) ISN 2-910027-07-4

External links

Watch the NFB Playlist, ''Norman McLaren: Hands-on Animation''

Profile of Norman McLaren at NFB.ca

Canadian Film Encyclopedia

Order of Canada Citation

Official UK Myspace for 'Norman McLaren: The Master's Edition'

Norman McLaren on screenonline

Category:1914 births Category:1987 deaths Category:Alumni of the Glasgow School of Art Category:Anglophone Quebec people Category:BAFTA winners (people) Category:Canadian animators Category:Canadian experimental filmmakers Category:Canadian film directors Category:Cinema pioneers Category:Companions of the Order of Canada Category:Directors of Best Documentary Short Subject Academy Award winners Category:Drawn-on-film animation Category:Genie Award winning people Category:Graphical sound Category:International Animated Film Association Category:Knights of the National Order of Quebec Category:LGBT artists from Canada Category:LGBT directors Category:People from Montreal Category:People from Stirling Category:Quebec film directors Category:Scottish communists Category:Scottish emigrants to Canada Category:Scottish film directors Category:Stop motion animators Category:Visual music artists

es:Norman McLaren fr:Norman McLaren it:Norman McLaren ja:ノーマン・マクラレン pt:Norman McLaren ru:Макларен, Норман fi:Norman McLaren