Has anyone interviewed Tatsu Aoki about his film programming or written a history of the former Chicago-based group 'Innocent Eyes & Lenses' (Jikken Eiga)? From the mid-1980's to (at least) early-90's, they organized 'The Annual Japanese Experimental Film Show', which toured throughout the U.S. presenting work on 16mm & Super 8. You can find mention of a few of their programs online through S.F. Cinematheque and elsewhere. The Internet Archive also offers a few recorded introductions from different programs.
I have an issue of the ‘Experimental Film Coalition Newsletter' from 1985 which includes a detailed article profiling the second annual event co-curated by filmmaker Nobuhiro Kawanaka who also traveled to various U.S. cities with the program over a period of two months. I can send pictures of the text to anyone interested; I’m not certain if it’s available online. sebastian On Thursday, August 27, 2026, Adam Hyman <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Esperanza, > > Happy to share, and we do need to get in touch with Image Forum, the TOP > Museum, and others. > > These particular notes were for an American tour arranged by the American > Federation of Arts, so I don’t know if they would have them, but I imagine > that Donald Richie’s papers, wherever they might be, could be a source. I > need to investigate that tomorrow. > > We are also looking for researchers who are working on topics around > experimental and expanded cinema, video art, media art in Japan in the > 1960s-80s. We are already in touch with the folks at CCJ and a few > others. Richie also made a few experimental films in the 1960s according > to this, but I haven’t seen them yet. > > https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10371397.2013.827306 > > > > I can write more to you off list. Open to leads from anyone else as well. > > > > Best regards,’ > Adam > > > > *From: *Frameworks <[email protected]> on behalf of > Esperanza Collado <[email protected]> > *Reply-To: *Experimental Film Discussion List <[email protected] > > > *Date: *Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 8:46 PM > *To: *Experimental Film Discussion List <[email protected]> > *Subject: *Re: [Frameworks] Looking for program notes fro Japanese > Experimental Film tour of early 1980s > > > > Hi Adam, > > > > I just saw your mail in the Frameworks list, and it caught my attention > because this summer I have been dealing with some documents from the 1980s > regarding the work of some specific Japanese experimental filmmakers, but I > just checked them and none of them relates to the American programme you’re > looking for, unfortunately. I have been doing research this summer in Image > Forum, and I think maybe they can help you. Do you have their contact? Also > the TOP Museum in Tokyo may be of help. > > > > I would love to know more about your research if you can share more. > > > > Best wishes, > > > > El jue, 27 ago 2026 a las 4:05, Adam Hyman (<[email protected]>) > escribió: > > Hi all, > > For research, we’re looking for a scan or PDF of the program > notes/brochure that accompanied a tour of Japanese Experimental Film > organized by the American Federation of Arts, curated by Donald Ritchie, > around 1981-82 (maybe 1980). Anyone have a copy? > > > > I have contacted the American Federation of Arts. They directed me to > their deposit of archival materials at the Smithsonian Archives of American > Art at > > https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/american-federation-arts-records-5411 > > but there are no materials from the 1970s or 80s in that deposit. > > > > Thank you. > > > > Adam > > > > ----- > > Adam Hyman > > Executive Director > > Los Angeles Filmforum > > www.lafilmforum.org > > [email protected] > > 323-377-7238 > > > > > > -- > Frameworks mailing list > [email protected] > https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org > > > > > -- > > Esperanza Collado > > www.esperanzacollado.net > > -- Frameworks mailing list [email protected] > https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >
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