Conspirators of Pleasure

  • December 16, 2017 / 18:00
  • December 20, 2017 / 19:00

Director: Jan Švankmajer
Cast: Petr Meissel, Gabriela Wilhelmová, Barbora Hrzánová, Anna Wetlinská
Czechia, Switzerland, UK, 1996, 85', color
Czech with Turkish subtitles
 
A bizarre black comedy, a psychological, erotic yet fascinating film with practically no dialogue, naturally with resourceful use of music, a manual on self-abuse, observations from de Sade and Freud, and something of a "recipe book of great ideas” – this is the essence of Jan Švankmajer’s Conspirators of Pleasure. Pure Švankmajer extravagance. Artistically, the film is extremely inventive and contains a wealth of possible and also apparently impossible devices; it is also an image of human solitude, the desire for the most perfect pleasure – and, indeed, the endeavour to communicate which, however, comes to nothing. Jan Švankmajer demonstrates that he is able to work equally well with a cast as with animation techniques. What certainly lingers on is the fascination with pleasure and all the possible ways to achieve it.

Daisies

Daisies

Escape from the ‘Liberty’ Cinema

Escape from the ‘Liberty’ Cinema

The Garden

The Garden

Conspirators of Pleasure

Conspirators of Pleasure

Afterlife

Afterlife

Free Fall

Free Fall

Goat

Goat

Five October

Five October

I, Olga

I, Olga

Communion

Communion

Little Harbour

Little Harbour

On Body and Soul

On Body and Soul

Photon

Photon

I Copy Therefore I Am

I Copy Therefore I Am

Suggesting alternative models for new social and economic systems, SUPERFLEX works appear before us as energy systems, beverages, sculptures, copies, hypnosis sessions, infrastructure, paintings, plant nurseries, contracts, or specifically designed public spaces.

Good News from the Skies

Good News from the Skies

Inspired by the exhibition And Now the Good News, which focusing on the relationship between mass media and art, we prepared horoscope readings based on the chapters of the exhibition. Using the popular astrological language inspired by the effects of the movements of celestial bodies on people, these readings with references to the works in the exhibition make fictional future predictions inspired by the horoscope columns that we read in the newspapers with the desire to receive good news about our day. 

The Ottoman Way of Serving Coffee

The Ottoman Way of Serving Coffee

Coffee was served with much splendor at the harems of the Ottoman palace and mansions. First, sweets (usually jam) was served on silverware, followed by coffee serving. The coffee jug would be placed in a sitil (brazier), which had three chains on its sides for carrying, had cinders in the middle, and was made of tombac, silver or brass. The sitil had a satin or silk cover embroidered with silver thread, tinsel, sequin or even pearls and diamonds.