Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Francisco Torres]

In today's money hungry climate it is very good for a college to find
reasons to get rid of tenured staff. Especially if they have many years of
service (less pension to pay).  When such fiscal considerations get
combined with the current mentally unstable climate there will be many more
such incidents. I guess Carolee Schneemann's work will be banned soon,
too.  If this trend continues I doubt there will be any universities left
in about 20 years, maybe sooner. Only technical colleges will remain.

2018-04-02 10:56 GMT-04:00 Evan Greene :

> I have talked with Saul about the situation as it’s unfolded the past few
> days and months. It’s too complicated to explain in full here and not
> really the forum for it but all the stories that have been reported so far
> haven’t been the full truth. The Globe article being the furthest from it
> and an example of lazy journalism where the one woman quoted from Massart
> had personal axe to grind and paints an unfair picture of him and the
> situation. Saul is 74 and regardless of the events that did occur was gonna
> retire in the next few years anyway but chose to leave at the end semester.
> How any competent film teacher could think showing Notes After Long Silence
> to a class of senior film students be considered sexual harassment is
> honestly ridiculous. If you really want to support Saul tho watch his
> films. Show them. Rent them. Talk about them. Most of his films are
> available for free on his Vimeo page and their in distribution at Canyon
> Cinema, Filmmakers Coop, Lux, and Lightcone. Also for those in the New
> England area come to the final Massart Film society screenings and hear him
> publicly share his cinematic wisdom. There’s a great line up this month:
>
> April 4th - Jennifer Saparzadeh
> April 11th - Bruce Posner
> April 18th - To Be Announced
> April 25th - Adam Paradis
>
> Also check out the one and only book written about Saul by Marjorie Keller:
>
> http://saullevine.com/section/439716-THE-BOOK-OF-SAUL.html
>
>
>
> On Monday, April 2, 2018, Scott MacDonald  wrote:
>
>> *If Notes After Long Silence needs a warning, it's certainly not because
>> of sexual content. *
>>
>> *Big Stick is rather stroboscopic--and so I could imagine a warning about
>> visually-instigated epilepsy. *
>>
>> *But these are just aggressive, in-your-face, films, not unusual for the
>> time when they were made. *
>>
>> *Being made uncomfortable by a film is not being harmed.*
>>
>> *Scott*
>>
>> On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 10:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:
>>
>>> Hi, Scott.  Cryptic!  I’m sure the situation is more complicated than we
>>> know, and am here only sharing information as I find it.  The only counter
>>> narrative I’ve discovered so far is the one published in the Boston Globe:
>>>
>>> > Kim Keown, a former MassArt student who said she first saw the film
>>> years ago with no warning about its graphic content, said cautionary notice
>>> is the critical issue.
>>> >
>>> > “Saul has bullied and abused other faculty and staff at MassArt for
>>> years,” said Keown, who now works as a studio manager in the school’s film
>>> area. “I have nothing against the film or this kind of artwork being made
>>> or shown, but with [no] warning [it] can make one uncomfortable and unsafe.
>>> I was his student; and I did not speak out. If I had, back then, I would
>>> have been ridiculed.”
>>>
>>>
>>> See https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/03/31/massart-profess
>>> or-says-school-ousted-him-after-student-complaints/rY0bKt12T
>>> 1DrhJZ8ocYKJP/story.html
>>>
>>> I see two issues that are entangled: 1., Title IX and due process, which
>>> is worthy of serious exploration, and according to Saul’s report is at
>>> issue here.  And 2. changing standards for “good” vs. “bad” provocation,
>>> which you gloss with "things that seemed passionate and committed to one
>>> generation now seeming outrageous to another.”
>>>
>>> I’m equally interested in how both matters play out in this case.  But
>>> my emotions are all on Saul’s side.  Admittedly, I’m using the latter to
>>> understand the former.  For now, that seems ok, but I’ll certainly try to
>>> be cautious until I learn more.
>>>
>>> j
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> > On Apr 1, 2018, at 10:01 PM, Scott MacDonald 
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > PS John,
>>> >
>>> > I'm hearing (and of course this would have to be the case) that the
>>> situation with Saul and MassArt is more complicated than I'd originally
>>> understood--and I suspect that there's an element here of things that
>>> seemed passionate and committed to one generation now seeming outrageous to
>>> another.
>>> >
>>> > Like, I expect, most everyone who teaches film these days, this feels
>>> like a strange and uncomfortable time (trigger warnings, etc.). It's easy
>>> for anyone to jump to conclusions.
>>> >
>>> > I don't know anything about Saul's resources, but hopefully retirement
>>> will be good 

Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Evan Greene]

I have talked with Saul about the situation as it’s unfolded the past few
days and months. It’s too complicated to explain in full here and not
really the forum for it but all the stories that have been reported so far
haven’t been the full truth. The Globe article being the furthest from it
and an example of lazy journalism where the one woman quoted from Massart
had personal axe to grind and paints an unfair picture of him and the
situation. Saul is 74 and regardless of the events that did occur was gonna
retire in the next few years anyway but chose to leave at the end semester.
How any competent film teacher could think showing Notes After Long Silence
to a class of senior film students be considered sexual harassment is
honestly ridiculous. If you really want to support Saul tho watch his
films. Show them. Rent them. Talk about them. Most of his films are
available for free on his Vimeo page and their in distribution at Canyon
Cinema, Filmmakers Coop, Lux, and Lightcone. Also for those in the New
England area come to the final Massart Film society screenings and hear him
publicly share his cinematic wisdom. There’s a great line up this month:

April 4th - Jennifer Saparzadeh
April 11th - Bruce Posner
April 18th - To Be Announced
April 25th - Adam Paradis

Also check out the one and only book written about Saul by Marjorie Keller:

http://saullevine.com/section/439716-THE-BOOK-OF-SAUL.html



On Monday, April 2, 2018, Scott MacDonald  wrote:

> *If Notes After Long Silence needs a warning, it's certainly not because
> of sexual content. *
>
> *Big Stick is rather stroboscopic--and so I could imagine a warning about
> visually-instigated epilepsy. *
>
> *But these are just aggressive, in-your-face, films, not unusual for the
> time when they were made. *
>
> *Being made uncomfortable by a film is not being harmed.*
>
> *Scott*
>
> On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 10:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:
>
>> Hi, Scott.  Cryptic!  I’m sure the situation is more complicated than we
>> know, and am here only sharing information as I find it.  The only counter
>> narrative I’ve discovered so far is the one published in the Boston Globe:
>>
>> > Kim Keown, a former MassArt student who said she first saw the film
>> years ago with no warning about its graphic content, said cautionary notice
>> is the critical issue.
>> >
>> > “Saul has bullied and abused other faculty and staff at MassArt for
>> years,” said Keown, who now works as a studio manager in the school’s film
>> area. “I have nothing against the film or this kind of artwork being made
>> or shown, but with [no] warning [it] can make one uncomfortable and unsafe.
>> I was his student; and I did not speak out. If I had, back then, I would
>> have been ridiculed.”
>>
>>
>> See https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/03/31/massart-profess
>> or-says-school-ousted-him-after-student-complaints/rY0bK
>> t12T1DrhJZ8ocYKJP/story.html
>>
>> I see two issues that are entangled: 1., Title IX and due process, which
>> is worthy of serious exploration, and according to Saul’s report is at
>> issue here.  And 2. changing standards for “good” vs. “bad” provocation,
>> which you gloss with "things that seemed passionate and committed to one
>> generation now seeming outrageous to another.”
>>
>> I’m equally interested in how both matters play out in this case.  But my
>> emotions are all on Saul’s side.  Admittedly, I’m using the latter to
>> understand the former.  For now, that seems ok, but I’ll certainly try to
>> be cautious until I learn more.
>>
>> j
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Apr 1, 2018, at 10:01 PM, Scott MacDonald 
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > PS John,
>> >
>> > I'm hearing (and of course this would have to be the case) that the
>> situation with Saul and MassArt is more complicated than I'd originally
>> understood--and I suspect that there's an element here of things that
>> seemed passionate and committed to one generation now seeming outrageous to
>> another.
>> >
>> > Like, I expect, most everyone who teaches film these days, this feels
>> like a strange and uncomfortable time (trigger warnings, etc.). It's easy
>> for anyone to jump to conclusions.
>> >
>> > I don't know anything about Saul's resources, but hopefully retirement
>> will be good to him, even if it's been reached in a painful and stressful
>> way.
>> >
>> > Scott
>> >
>> > On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 6:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:
>> > Surprised that I haven’t read anything here on the recent news that
>> Saul Levine "was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design
>> after administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film
>> Notes After Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.”
>> >
>> > Here are a few resources:
>> >
>> > Saul’s original post detailing his decision to “[retire] from MassArt,”
>> as he says, and his reasons: https://www.facebook.com/story
>> .php?story_fbid=10215932754649479=1165322620
>> >
>> > The 

Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Scott MacDonald]

*If Notes After Long Silence needs a warning, it's certainly not because of
sexual content. *

*Big Stick is rather stroboscopic--and so I could imagine a warning about
visually-instigated epilepsy. *

*But these are just aggressive, in-your-face, films, not unusual for the
time when they were made. *

*Being made uncomfortable by a film is not being harmed.*

*Scott*

On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 10:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:

> Hi, Scott.  Cryptic!  I’m sure the situation is more complicated than we
> know, and am here only sharing information as I find it.  The only counter
> narrative I’ve discovered so far is the one published in the Boston Globe:
>
> > Kim Keown, a former MassArt student who said she first saw the film
> years ago with no warning about its graphic content, said cautionary notice
> is the critical issue.
> >
> > “Saul has bullied and abused other faculty and staff at MassArt for
> years,” said Keown, who now works as a studio manager in the school’s film
> area. “I have nothing against the film or this kind of artwork being made
> or shown, but with [no] warning [it] can make one uncomfortable and unsafe.
> I was his student; and I did not speak out. If I had, back then, I would
> have been ridiculed.”
>
>
> See https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/03/31/massart-
> professor-says-school-ousted-him-after-student-complaints/
> rY0bKt12T1DrhJZ8ocYKJP/story.html
>
> I see two issues that are entangled: 1., Title IX and due process, which
> is worthy of serious exploration, and according to Saul’s report is at
> issue here.  And 2. changing standards for “good” vs. “bad” provocation,
> which you gloss with "things that seemed passionate and committed to one
> generation now seeming outrageous to another.”
>
> I’m equally interested in how both matters play out in this case.  But my
> emotions are all on Saul’s side.  Admittedly, I’m using the latter to
> understand the former.  For now, that seems ok, but I’ll certainly try to
> be cautious until I learn more.
>
> j
>
>
>
> > On Apr 1, 2018, at 10:01 PM, Scott MacDonald 
> wrote:
> >
> > PS John,
> >
> > I'm hearing (and of course this would have to be the case) that the
> situation with Saul and MassArt is more complicated than I'd originally
> understood--and I suspect that there's an element here of things that
> seemed passionate and committed to one generation now seeming outrageous to
> another.
> >
> > Like, I expect, most everyone who teaches film these days, this feels
> like a strange and uncomfortable time (trigger warnings, etc.). It's easy
> for anyone to jump to conclusions.
> >
> > I don't know anything about Saul's resources, but hopefully retirement
> will be good to him, even if it's been reached in a painful and stressful
> way.
> >
> > Scott
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 6:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:
> > Surprised that I haven’t read anything here on the recent news that Saul
> Levine "was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after
> administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes
> After Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.”
> >
> > Here are a few resources:
> >
> > Saul’s original post detailing his decision to “[retire] from MassArt,”
> as he says, and his reasons: https://www.facebook.com/
> story.php?story_fbid=10215932754649479=1165322620
> >
> > The Artforum article: https://www.artforum.com/news/
> filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844
> >
> > Indiewire article: http://www.indiewire.com/2018/
> 03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/
> >
> > Saul’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saullevine
> >
> > Films mentioned in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long
> Silence" https://vimeo.com/73242778 and “The Big Stick / An Old Reel”
> https://vimeo.com/89886468
> >
> > j/PrM
> >
> > *
> >
> > john muse
> > visual media scholar
> > haverford college
> > he/him/his
> > http://www.finleymuse.com
> > http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
> > http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse
> >
> > *
> >
> >
> >
> > ___
> > FrameWorks mailing list
> > FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
> > https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
> >
> > ___
> > FrameWorks mailing list
> > FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
> > https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>
> j/PrM
>
> *
>
> john muse
> visual media scholar
> haverford college
> he/him/his
> http://www.finleymuse.com
> http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
> http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse
>
> *
>
>
>
> ___
> FrameWorks mailing list
> 

Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Jana Debus]

Dear fellow frameworkers,

I am heartbroken for Saul Levine. Nobody, least an open hearted and minded, 
generous professor like Saul should ever be treated and hurt this way. 

I find the battering of an accomplished artist and senior professor months 
before his retirement after a successful teaching career of four decades 
extremely disturbing. Saul Levine is being injured as an artist, as a teacher 
and as a person. The core of any art school are the artists, is it not? It is 
unacceptable that this core is being attacked by parasites who feed of the 
artists genius, and harm him in the process. (the students chose MassArt, they 
chose Saul Levine as their professor, they had the rare opportunity to study 
directly with an exceptional artist, an artist who sacrifices a part of himself 
to teach new generations of artists). This concerns all of us. Saul says "there 
is a need to fight back". That's exactly what needs to be done.  MassArt should 
not get away with treating its professors in this fashion. Nor should any other 
institution. This problem is not a MassArt problem alone, its a problem of "a 
bad moment" = a bad cultural moment, and a problem of problematic
  Title IX policy interpretations. 

How can we protect, support and  help heal???


Jana


 


Sent from +1 (415) 202 31 93


> On Apr 1, 2018, at 6:55 PM, Alan Sondheim  wrote:
> 
> 
> god knows what they'd do with the Blue Tape Kathy Acker and I made - and it's 
> been freely shown publicly all over the place.
> 
> this is disgusting. infantilism just about sums it up.
> 
>> On Sun, 1 Apr 2018, Michael Betancourt wrote:
>> 
>> It seems that these days the real crime is making art. Creating work that 
>> challenges assumptions, perhaps even works against biases is something that 
>> will always "harm" the narrow minded by forcing them to consider positions 
>> which make them uncomfortable. This situation sounds a lot like what 
>> happened here.
>> 
>> Michael Betancourt
>> Savannah, GA
>> 
>> 
>>> On Apr 1, 2018, at 6:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:
>>> Surprised that I haven?t read anything here on the recent news that Saul 
>>> Levine "was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after 
>>> administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes 
>>> After Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.?
>>> Here are a few resources:
>>> Saul?s original post detailing his decision to ?[retire] from MassArt,? as 
>>> he says, and his reasons: 
>>> https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215932754649479=1165322620
>>> The Artforum article: 
>>> https://www.artforum.com/news/filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844
>>> Indiewire article: 
>>> http://www.indiewire.com/2018/03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/
>>> Saul?s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saullevine Films mentioned 
>>> in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long Silence" 
>>> https://vimeo.com/73242778 and ?The Big Stick / An Old Reel? 
>>> https://vimeo.com/89886468
>>> j/PrM
>>> *
>>> john muse
>>> visual media scholar
>>> haverford college
>>> he/him/his
>>> http://www.finleymuse.com
>>> http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
>>> http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse
>>> *
>>> ___
>>> FrameWorks mailing list
>>> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
>>> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>> ___
>> FrameWorks mailing list
>> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
>> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
> 
> New CD:- LIMIT:
> http://www.publiceyesore.com/catalog.php?pg=3=138
> email archive http://sondheim.rupamsunyata.org/
> web http://www.alansondheim.org / cell 718-813-3285
> current text http://www.alansondheim.org/vg.txt
> ___
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Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[John Muse]

Hi, Scott.  Cryptic!  I’m sure the situation is more complicated than we know, 
and am here only sharing information as I find it.  The only counter narrative 
I’ve discovered so far is the one published in the Boston Globe:

> Kim Keown, a former MassArt student who said she first saw the film years ago 
> with no warning about its graphic content, said cautionary notice is the 
> critical issue.
> 
> “Saul has bullied and abused other faculty and staff at MassArt for years,” 
> said Keown, who now works as a studio manager in the school’s film area. “I 
> have nothing against the film or this kind of artwork being made or shown, 
> but with [no] warning [it] can make one uncomfortable and unsafe. I was his 
> student; and I did not speak out. If I had, back then, I would have been 
> ridiculed.”


See 
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/03/31/massart-professor-says-school-ousted-him-after-student-complaints/rY0bKt12T1DrhJZ8ocYKJP/story.html

I see two issues that are entangled: 1., Title IX and due process, which is 
worthy of serious exploration, and according to Saul’s report is at issue here. 
 And 2. changing standards for “good” vs. “bad” provocation, which you gloss 
with "things that seemed passionate and committed to one generation now seeming 
outrageous to another.”

I’m equally interested in how both matters play out in this case.  But my 
emotions are all on Saul’s side.  Admittedly, I’m using the latter to 
understand the former.  For now, that seems ok, but I’ll certainly try to be 
cautious until I learn more.  

j



> On Apr 1, 2018, at 10:01 PM, Scott MacDonald  wrote:
> 
> PS John,
> 
> I'm hearing (and of course this would have to be the case) that the situation 
> with Saul and MassArt is more complicated than I'd originally understood--and 
> I suspect that there's an element here of things that seemed passionate and 
> committed to one generation now seeming outrageous to another.
> 
> Like, I expect, most everyone who teaches film these days, this feels like a 
> strange and uncomfortable time (trigger warnings, etc.). It's easy for anyone 
> to jump to conclusions. 
> 
> I don't know anything about Saul's resources, but hopefully retirement will 
> be good to him, even if it's been reached in a painful and stressful way. 
> 
> Scott
> 
> On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 6:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:
> Surprised that I haven’t read anything here on the recent news that Saul 
> Levine "was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after 
> administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes 
> After Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.”
> 
> Here are a few resources:
> 
> Saul’s original post detailing his decision to “[retire] from MassArt,” as he 
> says, and his reasons: 
> https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215932754649479=1165322620
> 
> The Artforum article: 
> https://www.artforum.com/news/filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844
> 
> Indiewire article: 
> http://www.indiewire.com/2018/03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/
> 
> Saul’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saullevine
> 
> Films mentioned in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long Silence" 
> https://vimeo.com/73242778 and “The Big Stick / An Old Reel” 
> https://vimeo.com/89886468
> 
> j/PrM
> 
> *
> 
> john muse
> visual media scholar
> haverford college
> he/him/his
> http://www.finleymuse.com
> http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
> http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse
> 
> *
> 
> 
> 
> ___
> FrameWorks mailing list
> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
> 
> ___
> FrameWorks mailing list
> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks

j/PrM

*

john muse
visual media scholar
haverford college
he/him/his
http://www.finleymuse.com
http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse

*



___
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Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Scott MacDonald]

*PS John,*

*I'm hearing (and of course this would have to be the case) that the
situation with Saul and MassArt is more complicated than I'd originally
understood--and I suspect that there's an element here of things that
seemed passionate and committed to one generation now seeming outrageous to
another.*

*Like, I expect, most everyone who teaches film these days, this feels like
a strange and uncomfortable time (trigger warnings, etc.). It's easy for
anyone to jump to conclusions. *

*I don't know anything about Saul's resources, but hopefully retirement
will be good to him, even if it's been reached in a painful and stressful
way. *

*Scott*

On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 6:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:

> Surprised that I haven’t read anything here on the recent news that Saul
> Levine "was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after
> administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes
> After Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.”
>
> Here are a few resources:
>
> Saul’s original post detailing his decision to “[retire] from MassArt,” as
> he says, and his reasons: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=
> 10215932754649479=1165322620
>
> The Artforum article: https://www.artforum.com/news/
> filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844
>
> Indiewire article: http://www.indiewire.com/2018/
> 03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/
>
> Saul’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saullevine
>
> Films mentioned in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long
> Silence" https://vimeo.com/73242778 and “The Big Stick / An Old Reel”
> https://vimeo.com/89886468
>
> j/PrM
>
> *
>
> john muse
> visual media scholar
> haverford college
> he/him/his
> http://www.finleymuse.com
> http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
> http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse
>
> *
>
>
>
> ___
> FrameWorks mailing list
> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>
___
FrameWorks mailing list
FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks

Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Alan Sondheim]

god knows what they'd do with the Blue Tape Kathy Acker and I made - and 
it's been freely shown publicly all over the place.


this is disgusting. infantilism just about sums it up.

On Sun, 1 Apr 2018, Michael Betancourt wrote:

It seems that these days the real crime is making art. Creating work 
that challenges assumptions, perhaps even works against biases is 
something that will always "harm" the narrow minded by forcing them to 
consider positions which make them uncomfortable. This situation sounds 
a lot like what happened here.


Michael Betancourt
Savannah, GA



On Apr 1, 2018, at 6:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:

Surprised that I haven?t read anything here on the recent news that Saul Levine 
"was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after 
administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes After 
Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.?

Here are a few resources:

Saul?s original post detailing his decision to ?[retire] from MassArt,? as he says, 
and his reasons: 
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215932754649479=1165322620

The Artforum article: 
https://www.artforum.com/news/filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844

Indiewire article: 
http://www.indiewire.com/2018/03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/

Saul?s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saullevine 


Films mentioned in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long Silence" 
https://vimeo.com/73242778 and ?The Big Stick / An Old Reel? https://vimeo.com/89886468

j/PrM

*

john muse
visual media scholar
haverford college
he/him/his
http://www.finleymuse.com
http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse

*



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Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Michael Betancourt]

It seems that these days the real crime is making art. Creating work that 
challenges assumptions, perhaps even works against biases is something that 
will always "harm" the  narrow minded by forcing them to consider positions 
which make them uncomfortable. This situation sounds a lot like what happened 
here. 

Michael Betancourt
Savannah, GA


> On Apr 1, 2018, at 6:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:
> 
> Surprised that I haven’t read anything here on the recent news that Saul 
> Levine "was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after 
> administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes 
> After Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.”
> 
> Here are a few resources:
> 
> Saul’s original post detailing his decision to “[retire] from MassArt,” as he 
> says, and his reasons: 
> https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215932754649479=1165322620
> 
> The Artforum article: 
> https://www.artforum.com/news/filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844
> 
> Indiewire article: 
> http://www.indiewire.com/2018/03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/
> 
> Saul’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saullevine 
> 
> Films mentioned in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long Silence" 
> https://vimeo.com/73242778 and “The Big Stick / An Old Reel” 
> https://vimeo.com/89886468
> 
> j/PrM
> 
> *
> 
> john muse
> visual media scholar
> haverford college
> he/him/his
> http://www.finleymuse.com
> http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
> http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse
> 
> *
> 
> 
> 
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Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Fred Camper]

John,

Thanks very much; I did not know about this. I first met Saul over 50 
years ago, having started as film society in Cambridge that showed 
experimental film; he was already an accomplished artist.


From the /Artforum /article linked to:

Last Thursday, MassArt released a “Campus Climate Update” to students 
and staff that stressed the school's committment to ensuring a “healthy 
living and learning environment.” This campus-wide letter came shortly 
after Nicholas Nixon retired, following allegations of sexual harassment 
made against him.


/My comment:/

I cannot imagine supporting the sexual harassment of an individual, 
though Nixon is a photographer of such long-standing repute that one 
would hope that he was offered the chance to make some kind of “I will 
not do it again” promise in return for being encouraged to stay. But it 
seems evident Levine could not harass by simply showing a film. More 
importantly, is not the act of trying to create the very best, and most 
original, art often dangerous, sometimes including risks to the “health” 
of the artist? Does not the best art often break barriers, challenge, 
feel threatening, perhaps even “unhealthy,” whatever that may mean, to 
some viewers? I remember Stan Brakhage's fear of some danger to himself, 
as he was making his wholly “abstract” (a word he hated) /Romans /and 
/Arabics/, from the fact that he felt he was exploring some of the same 
mental “strata” that Mark Rothko had explored in his paintings before 
committing suicide. Especially in my own first years of viewing 
avant-garde film, many of my deepest experiences were of films that I 
found genuinely terrifying.


“With each touch I risk my life. ” – Paul Cézanne

Sounds like MassArt has become not so much an art school as a therapy 
group – or a kindergarten.


Fred Camper
Chicago

On 4/1/2018 5:42 PM, John Muse wrote:

Surprised that I haven’t read anything here on the recent news that Saul Levine 
"was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after 
administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes After 
Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.”

Here are a few resources:

Saul’s original post detailing his decision to “[retire] from MassArt,” as he says, 
and his 
reasons:https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215932754649479=1165322620

The Artforum 
article:https://www.artforum.com/news/filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844

Indiewire 
article:http://www.indiewire.com/2018/03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/

Saul’s Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/saullevine  


Films mentioned in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long 
Silence"https://vimeo.com/73242778  and “The Big Stick / An Old 
Reel”https://vimeo.com/89886468

j/PrM

*

john muse
visual media scholar
haverford college
he/him/his
http://www.finleymuse.com
http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse

*


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Re: [Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[Scott MacDonald]

*John,*

*Thanks for sending these links.*

*I just had a look at the two films that apparently caused the problem--and
realized that this situation is even more disgusting than it appears. *

*Check out the two films (John has supplied the links) and you'll see what
I mean.*

*Scott *

On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 6:42 PM, John Muse  wrote:

> Surprised that I haven’t read anything here on the recent news that Saul
> Levine "was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after
> administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes
> After Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.”
>
> Here are a few resources:
>
> Saul’s original post detailing his decision to “[retire] from MassArt,” as
> he says, and his reasons: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=
> 10215932754649479=1165322620
>
> The Artforum article: https://www.artforum.com/news/
> filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844
>
> Indiewire article: http://www.indiewire.com/2018/
> 03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/
>
> Saul’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saullevine
>
> Films mentioned in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long
> Silence" https://vimeo.com/73242778 and “The Big Stick / An Old Reel”
> https://vimeo.com/89886468
>
> j/PrM
>
> *
>
> john muse
> visual media scholar
> haverford college
> he/him/his
> http://www.finleymuse.com
> http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
> http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse
>
> *
>
>
>
> ___
> FrameWorks mailing list
> FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com
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>
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[Frameworks] Saul Levine & MassArt: resources

[John Muse]

Surprised that I haven’t read anything here on the recent news that Saul Levine 
"was pushed out of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design after 
administrators accused him of 'harming students' by showing his film Notes 
After Long Silence, 1989, to his senior thesis class.”

Here are a few resources:

Saul’s original post detailing his decision to “[retire] from MassArt,” as he 
says, and his reasons: 
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215932754649479=1165322620

The Artforum article: 
https://www.artforum.com/news/filmmaker-saul-levine-leaves-massart-following-dispute-over-artwork-74844

Indiewire article: 
http://www.indiewire.com/2018/03/saul-levine-mass-art-notes-after-long-silence-1201945678/

Saul’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saullevine 

Films mentioned in the Artforum article include "Notes After a Long Silence" 
https://vimeo.com/73242778 and “The Big Stick / An Old Reel” 
https://vimeo.com/89886468

j/PrM

*

john muse
visual media scholar
haverford college
he/him/his
http://www.finleymuse.com
http://www.haverford.edu/faculty/jmuse
http://haverford.academia.edu/JohnMuse

*



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