CVM - Preservation

Film Preservation at CVM

Future Preservation Projects

Muratti Greift Ein by Oskar Fischinger (pending funding)

Fischinger's earliest Wax Experiments tests (pending funding)

Current Preservation Projects

Re-entry by Jordan Belson

Recent Projects

Jordan Belson's Mandala, LSD and two Vortex Presentation Reels (1959). With support from the National Film Preservation Foundation.

Oskar Fischinger's Squares, Gasparcolor Tests (part 1) and "Concerto" - 1940's animation tests (never screened). From original nitrate separation negatives. With NFPF support. Image from original artwork from Squares, (c) The Fischinger Trust

Meditation and Music of the Spheres, both by Jordan Belson. Both 16mm, color, sound. With support from the National Film Preservation Foundation. Lo-res excerpt from Music of the Spheres on CVM's vimeo channel

Raumlichtkunst, c. 1926/2012

Three 35mm nitrate reels from Oskar Fischinger's Raumlichtkunst experiments, used in his 5-projector film performances in the 1920s. B/w, tinted and hand-colored 35mm nitrate. Preservation made possible by an Avant Garde Masters Grant, funded by The Film Foundation and managed by The National Film Preservation Foundation. Preserved film was transferred to HD, and CVM created a reconstruction of Fischinger's 1920s performances, as an HD installation. Premiered as an HD 3 projector installation, June 2012, at Tate Modern, London and Whitney Museum, New York. Included in Artforum's Best of 2012 lists.

More information, press and photos: Raumlichtkunst site

May 2009 Press about CVM's preservation work: Preserving Visual Music on Holly Willis' KCET blog, Blur + Sharpen
June 2009 Press in Animation World Network's Headline News, Top Stores: CVM to Preserve Fischinger Experiments

Studie nr 5, Oskar Fischinger. Preserved by CVM with funding from the EYE Filmmuseum's archive.

Wax Experiments by Oskar Fischinger. Excerpt on CVM's vimeo channel

Spirals by Oskar Fischinger, from original 35mm nitrate

Two Charles Dockum Mobilcolor Performance films, 1969 and 1970. 16mm, color, silent. With support from the NFPF. See the 1969 film on CVM's VOD channel

Chakra by Jordan Belson, 16mm, color, sound. Preserved with support from the National Film Preservation Foundation. With thanks to Pacific Film Archive. See this film on CVM's VOD channel on Vimeo

1920s-30s Home Movies and Experiments, 35mm, b/w, silent, from nitrate, by Oskar Fischinger; and also Home Movies in Los Angeles (c. 1959-1964), from 8mm originals, color, silent. Both projects preserved with the support of the NFPF.

Two films by Charles Dockum about his Mobilcolor color organ, 1965-66 (one documentary with VO, one silent performance), 16mm, color. Preserved with support from the NFPF.

Previous Projects

Jud Yalkut's Turn, Turn, Turn, a collaboration with Nam June Paik, 1966, 16mm, color, sound. Preserved with the support of the NFPF.

Charles Dockum: 1952 Mobilcolor Performance at the Guggenheim Museum (16mm, color, silent). Filmed with the assistance of Ted Nemeth (and allegedly Mary Ellen Bute).

Jules Engel, Coaraze (35mm, color, sound), preserved with the support of CalArts and individual donors.

Oskar Fischinger: Allegretto (1936-43, 35mm, color, sound).

Oskar Fischinger's Radio Dynamics. 35mm, color, silent. See this film on CVM's VOD channel on Vimeo

Oskar Fischinger: Study No. 7 (1931, 35mm, b/w, sound), preserved with thanks to Cinematheque quebecois. See this film on CVM's VOD channel on Vimeo

Jordan Belson, Allures (1961, 16mm, color, sound)

Oskar Fischinger: Ornament Sound (1932, 35mm, b/w, sound), with support of MNAM/Centre Pompidou. See this film on CVM's VOD channel on Vimeo

Elfriede Fischinger: Lumigraph Film (1969, 16mm, color, silent). Film of a performance of Oskar's Lumigraph, by Elfriede Fischinger (with the assistance of Wiliam Moritz and Conrad Fischinger).

Article by Elfriede Fischinger, "Writing Light" about the Lumigraph

Drawing by Oskar Fischinger of the Lumigraph (on the Fischinger Archive website)

David Lebrun, Tanka (16mm, color, sound). Preserved with support of the National Film Preservation Foundation.

Stanton MacDonald-Wright, Kineidoscope Films (35mm, b/w, silent), with thanks to MNAM/Centre Pompidou

Harry Smith: Early Abstractions, Films no 1, 2 and Film No. 3 (Interwoven) (1949, 16mm, color, sound), preserved with thanks to Anthology Film Archives. Preserved for the 2005 Visual Music exhibition.

James Whitney: Yantra (1957, color, sound), and Lapis (1966, 16mm, color, sound), both preserved with support from MNAM/Centre Pompidou.

John Whitney, Sr.: Permutations (1968, 16mm, color, sound), preserved with support from MNAM/Centre Pompidou and National Film Preservation Foundation.

Films preserved by CVM in association with NOMI Group (2003-04)

Jules Engel: Three Arctic Flowers (1978, 16mm, color, sound), preserved with support of NEA

Jules Engel: Celebration (1978, 16mm, color, sound), preserved with support of NEA

Jules Engel: Play-pen (16mm, color, sound), preserved with support of NEA

Jules Engel: Accident (16mm, color, sound), preserved with support of National Film Preservation Foundation.

Jules Engel: Mobiles (1978, 16mm, color, sound), preserved with support of National Film Preservation Foundation.

Jules Engel: Times Square (16mm, color, sound), preserved with support of National Film Preservation Foundation.

Jules Engel: Landscape (16mm, color, sound), preserved with support of National Film Preservation Foundation. See this film on CVM's VOD channel on Vimeo

Other preserved films/preservation negatives and materials in CVM's Collection

Jordan Belson: World, Light, Momentum (preserved with support of National Film Preservation Foundation), and Mandala, Caravan, and Seance. Excerpt from World on CVM's vimeo channel

Pat O'Neill: 7362, preserved with support of National Film Preservation Foundation

John Stehura: Cibernetik 5.3

Various Oskar Fischinger films

John Whitney Sr. (Arabesque, Catalog), James Whitney

Single Wing Turquoise Bird Light Show Film

Many films will not survive for future generations without preservation work.

You can help support the preservation of Visual Music films. CVM is a 501(c)3 non-profit; your donation is tax deductible. Every amount helps.

Please contact us if you wish to sponsor the digitization of a film, or the preservation of a Fischinger film

Are you interested in learning about film preservation for your own films? Here's some basic information, link to external site:

Film Forever: The Home Film Preservation Guide - a guide for home movie collections

CVM Home

Join our Mailing List: list (at) centerforvisualmusic.org

Images this page courtesy the individual filmmakers and estates

updated April 2018