2000 BC: The Bruce Conner Story Part II

by Bruce Conner (Photographer)

Bruce Conner (1933-2008) first came to prominence in the late 1950s as a leader of the assemblage movement in California. Conner had close ties with poets of the San Francisco Renaissance (particularly Michael McClure) as well as with artists such as Wallace Berman, George Herms, Jess and Jay DeFeo. Conner's use of nylon stockings in his assemblages quickly won him notoriety, and saw his work included in Peter Selz's classic 1961 "Art of Assemblage" show at MoMA. Around this time, Conner also turned to film-making, and produced in swift succession a number of short films that helped to pioneer the rapid edit and the use of pop music among independent film-makers. Conner's innovative editing techniques and decidedly dark vision of American culture laid the foundation for later Hollywood directors such as Dennis Hopper (a friend and collaborator of Conner's, who frequently acknowledged his influence) and David Lynch. A long overdue and significant addition to the understanding of twentieth-century American art and cinema, "2000 BC: The Bruce Conner Story Part II" represents the most comprehensive book to date on Conner's work from the 1950s to the present. The authors elucidate Conner's work in film, assemblage, drawing, printmaking, collage, and photograms, as well as his more ephemeral gestures, actions, protests and "escapes" from the art world. This beautifully designed clothbound monograph is a landmark publication for anyone interested in contemporary art, film, culture and the Beat era.

Genres: Art, Visual Art, Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published November 2, 1999

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The catalogue to Bruce Conner's great retrospective that took place maybe five or six years ago. Two exhibitions that stay in my mind over the years is the Charles Ray retro at MOCA and this one. It's almost like a favorite melody in one's head - and you can't lose the images.

Bruce is also one of the great filmmakers - a true giant in a lot of fields. The opening sequence in David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" is either a steal or a loving tribute to Bruce's work in film. A master that is no longer here.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruce Conner was one of those mythic heroes whose minds you wish you could crawl inside. The retrospective which originated at the Walker Art Center was an indefatigable feat which must have pleased Bruce enormously.

I was surprised to see that the Bruce Conner Look-Alike Contest and Bake Sale from 1975 was mentioned in one of the catalog essays, and disappointed when the winner (not Bruce Conner) could not attend the gala opening in Minneapolis.

This book will no doubt long stand as one of the important documents about one of the too under-appreciated artists of the 20th century.

[.. .. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shit fire, best 20$ I’ve ever spent at a used book store. If you can find it pick it up!

[Terence · Rating 3 out of 5]

The collages/assemblages and the ink drawings are stand outs.