Len LYE

(1901-1980)
Nationality: New Zealander

Born in 1901, Len Lye is arguably New Zealand’s most celebrated expatriate artist. His reputation stands primarily on his achievements as a film-maker and kinetic sculptor.

Living in London in the 1930s, Lye became well known for his pioneering work in ‘direct’ or camera-less filmmaking. To produce abstract animation Lye painted and scratched the film itself, and used innovative techniques of colour processing. Lye emigrated to the United States in 1944, settling in New York where he continued his work in film and began producing kinetic sculptures.

In 1977, Lye returned to his homeland for the first New Zealand exhibition of his work at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth. Shortly before Lye's death in 1980 he entrusted his work to the newly constituted Len Lye Foundation. He encouraged the foundation to build his work to the scale he envisioned. New Plymouth’s Wind Wand and Wellington’s Water Whirler are two examples of this work.

The Len Lye collection and archive are housed and cared for by the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery through a trust deed with the Len Lye Foundation.

13 MOVIES IN DISTRIBUTION

TAL FARLOW
1980 / b&w / sound / single screen / 1' 30 / 25 €
distribution: 16mm
PARTICLES IN SPACE
1979 / b&w / sound / single screen / 4' 00 / 30 € or 32 €
distribution: 16mm
FREE RADICALS
1957-1979 / b&w / sound / single screen / 5' 00 / 28 €
distribution: 16mm or Digital file on server
RHYTHM
1957 / 16mm / b&w / sound / single screen / 1' 09 / 25 €
distribution: 16mm
COLOR CRY
1952 / color / sound / single screen / 3' 00 / 25 €
distribution: 16mm
MUSICAL POSTER
1940 / color / sound / single screen / 4' 00 / 25 €
distribution: 16mm
COLOUR FLIGHT
1938 / color / sound / single screen / 4' 00 / 25 €
distribution: 16mm
N. OR N.W.
1937 / b&w / sound / single screen / 7' 00 / 33 €
distribution: 16mm
TRADE TATTOO
1937 / color / sound / single screen / 5' 00 / 27 €
distribution: 16mm or DCP on server or Digital file on server
THE BIRTH OF THE ROBOT
1936 / color / sound / single screen / 7' 00 / 33 €
distribution: 16mm
RAINBOW DANCE
1936 / color / sound / single screen / 5' 00 / 27 €
distribution: 16mm
KALEIDOSCOPE
1935 / 35mm / color / sound / single screen / 4' 00 / 25 €
distribution: 16mm
TUSALAVA
1929 / 35mm / b&w / silent / single screen / 11' 00 / 47 €
distribution: 16mm