James Fotopoulos
Born 1976, Chicago, IL
Lives & works in Brooklyn, NY
Selected Exhibitions
2019
Frieze x Ray Johnson Project, Frieze New York, NY
2015
“The Given”, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (solo)
2013
“Overt & Cover: technology and portraiture”, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
“I Think We’re Ready to go to the next Sequence: The Legacy of the Halflifers”, Gallery 400, Chicago, IL
2012
“VHS The Exhibition”, curated by Rebecca Cleman, Franklin Street Works, Stamford, CT
“Dreamful Slumbers”, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn NY (solo)
2011
“Independence Returns”, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2009
HHORRAUTICA 4: (CRYPTO), Parsons Hall Project Space, Holyoke, MA
“Half-inch Half-life”, X-initiative, New York, NY
2008
VII Salon De Arte Digital, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo del Zulia, MACZUL, Maracaibo, Venezuela
2007
“The Fourth Symposium on Synergetics and Morphology: Explorations into the Shapes of Nature,” The Synergetics Collaborative (SNEC) in collaboration with the Philomorphs and The Edna Lawrence Nature Lab at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Providence, RI
2006
Triskel Art Center, Cork, Ireland
“Fotopoulos/Arcangel Part 3”, New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
“James Fotopoulos & Saya Woolfalk,” Momenta Art, Brooklyn, NY
2005
“Contour”, 2nd Bienniale for Videoart, Mechelen, Belgium
“Arcangel/Fotopoulos Part 2”, New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
2004
“F#@K Perfection”, Vertex List, Brooklyn, NY
“Fotopoulos/Arcangel Part 5”, New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
Selected Screenings
2014
“James Fotopoulos: Families”, Q&A w/ Rebecca Clemans of EAI, Union Docs, Brooklyn, NY
“Dignity” (NY Premiere), Spectacle Theater, Brooklyn, NY
2013
“Dignity” (World Premiere), Festival del Film Locarno, Locarno, Switzerland
“My First 3D” curated by Ben Coonley, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
“James Fotopoulos in Wonderland”, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
“Fotopoulos’ Alice in Wonderland & shorts”, A.p.A.I. – Casa dell’Arte, Ravenna Italy
“Ten Ways of Doing Time”, Maryland Institute College of Art, Studio Center, Baltimore, MD
“Consumed Part 5”, Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
“Descend into Madness w/ James Fotopoulos…”, Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2012
“VHS Series: Jerusalem by James Fotopoulos”, Museum of Art & Design, NY
“Ten Ways of Doing Time”, by James Fotopoulos and Laura Parnes, MoMA P.S.1, NY
2011
“Wonderland,” Art Cinema OFFoff, Ghent, Belgium
“Guilty Pleasures,” 2020, Sydney, Australia
“Guilty Pleasures,” Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
The Onion City Experimental Film Festival (Closing Night Film), Chicago, IL
“Alice in Wonderland” (Premiere), Microscope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2010
“Huis Clos: James Fotopoulos,” Art Cinema OFFoff, Ghent, Belgium
2009
“Coonley/Fotopoulos”, Canada Gallery, New York, NY
Cinemad: Almanac 2009, Cinefamily, Los Angeles, CA
Cinevegas Area 52, Onyx Theatre, Las Vegas, NV
2008
“Art(Core): The Avant Garde and The Cinematic Body”, Cinematic Body, Office of Contemporary Art, Oslo, Norway
Conversations on the Edge, “CUFF Retro: Program One,” Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago, IL
“Art(Core): The Avant Garde and The Cinematic Body”, Cinematic Body, Pleasure Dome, Toronto , CA
“Cinematexas Eulogy: The Living Whale,” Aurora Picture Show, Houston, TX
Doc Films, Impossible Adaptations, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
“Mike Plante’s Lunch Short Show,” Stuttgarter Filmwinter, Stuttgart, Germany
2007
“1 Minute (+) Films from the Film-makers’ Cooperative”, Collective Unconscious, New York, NY
“Mike Plante’s Lunch Short Show,” Festival Cinema Nouveau, Montréal, Canada
Austin Film Society, Regal Arbor Cinema, Austin, TX
“Mike Plante’s Lunch Short Show,” Aurora Picture Show, Houston, TX
“Mike Plante’s Lunch Short Show,” Pacific Film Archives, Berkeley, CA
New York Underground, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
Sundance Film Festival, “Mike Plante’s Lunch Short Show,” Park City, UT
2006
Triskel Art Center, Cork, Ireland
“Mike Plante’s Lunch Short Show,” Cinematexas International Short Film & Video Festival, Austin, TX
Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
“James Fotopoulos: One-Man Show”, Collective Unconscious, New York, NY
“Barney Rosset Presents: Samuel Beckett’s Film & Literary Cinema”, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
“The Theatrically of Cinema”, Irish Film Institute, Dublin, Ireland
New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
2005
Cine Contour, Mechelen Biennale, Mechelen, Belgium
“An Evening with James Fotopoulos,” Galapagos Art & Performance Space, Brooklyn, NY
Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
The Onion City Experimental Film & Video Festival, Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL
“HHORRRAUTICA”, Roberta Beck Memorial Cinema, Participant Inc., New York, NY
PDX – Portland Documentary/Experimental Film Fest, Portland, OR
New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
2004
“James Fotopoulos: New Works”, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
“Judge’s Show”, The Onion City Experimental Film & Video Festival, Chicago, IL
Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
“Brooklyn Underground”, DUMBO Artspace, Brooklyn, NY
“Ocularis”, Galapagos Art & Performance Space, Brooklyn, NY
2003
Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
“Paradise Lost/Paradise Found: New Experimental Film & Video”, Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL
Arsenal/Friends of German Kinemathek, Berlin, Germany
Arizona International Film Festival, The Screening Room, Tucson, AZ
New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
2002
“Here and Now: Recent Films by Local Film & Video Artists”, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL
Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA
“Selections from the 48th Robert Flaherty Film Seminar,” Donnell Media Library, New York, NY
Melbourne Underground Film Festival, Melbourne, Australia
Cleveland Cinematheque, Cleveland, OH
Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
“Chicago’s Own: James Fotopoulos – Short Films (1999 – 2001)”, Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL
Brighton Cinematheque, Brighton, England, UK
“Abject Flesh,” ATA Gallery, Other Cinema, San Francisco, CA
Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
“Danger After Dark”, Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema, Philadelphia, PA
“Urban Legends: The Films of James Fotopoulos”, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
“Nature’s a Language, Can’t You Read?”, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2001
“Experimenta”, Regus London Film Festival, National Film Theatre, ICA Cinema, London, England
“Orgasmic Cinema”, Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Thessaloniki, Greece
“A Look Apart” Film/Video Series, Curator: Cis Bierinckx (Film/Video Curator at Walker Art Center), Flanders International Film Festival, Ghent, Belgium
Chicago Underground Film Festival (Opening Night Film), Biograph Theater, Chicago, IL
Walker Art Center, “A Look Apart” Film/Video Series, Minneapolis, MN
“A James Fotopoulos Special,” Lux Centre, New York Underground Film Festival Program, London, UK
The Blinding Light Cinema, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
“Birth of Tragedy (Redux),” The Robert Beck Memorial Cinema, Collective Unconscious, New York, NY
New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
Cleveland Cinematheque, The Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
2000
Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
“ZERO + 1 = 0,” Collective Unconscious, The Robert Beck Memorial Cinema, New York, NY
“Not a Dry Seat in the House”, Cinematexas International Short Film and Video Festival, Austin, TX
“Greeks of the Diaspora”, Athens International Film Festival, Apollon, Athens, Greece
Chicago Underground Film Festival, The Fine Arts Theater, Chicago, IL
New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY
1998
Welsh International Film Festival, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Selected Grants and Awards
2005
Creative Capital Foundation Grant, Film/Video
2001
Chicago Underground Film Fund Grant for Consumed 1-5, a program of the Chicago Underground Film Festival
2000
Award for “Migrating Forms”, Chicago Underground Film Festival
Best Feature for “Migrating Forms”, New York Underground Film Festival
Lectures, Symposiums, Juries
2011
“Alice: Inclusion”, Lewis Carroll Society Fall Meeting, New York Institute of Technology, NY
2007
Texas Production Fund Panelist, Austin Film Society, Austin, TX
2006
Outlaw Cinema Panel with Greg Araki, Abel Ferrara, Bobcat Goldthwait, Nina Menkes , Cinevegas, Las Vegas, NV
2005
Guest lecturer, “Non-Narrative,” Aesthetics of Film & Video, Columbia College of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Guest lecturer, “How to Watch Movies,” National Louis University, Chicago, IL
2004
Juror, The Onion City Experimental Film & Video Festival, Chicago, IL
2003
“Meet & Greet with James Fotopoulos,” Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL
Guest lecturer, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ
Juror, Cinematexas International Short Film & Video Festival, Austin, TX
Guest lecturer, “Film One” (non-sync sound, b/w) production class, The University of Texas at Austin
2002
“Getting your work out into the world – An Audience Development Panel for Independent Film and Videomakers,”Presented by The Media Arts Environmental Scanning Tour of Regional Organizations, Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers, National Alliance of Media Arts and Culture and Video Data Bank, Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago, IL
Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Cinemad Presents panel discussion with James Benning and Scott MacDonald, Arizona International Film Festival, Tucson, AZ
2001
Guest lecturer, “Film One” (non-sync sound, b/w) production class, The University of Texas at Austin
Selected Bibliography
2011
Nash, Aily. “Migrating Forms 2011.” Brooklyn Rail (May). Online. Internet.
Taubin, Amy. “Recurring Dream.” (Alice in Wonderland) Artforum (May). Online. Internet.
2010
Andronis, Dionysos. “Alice in Wonderland.” KagaBlog (Dec). Online. Internet.
Weiner, Robert G., Dr. Mikita Brottman and John Cline. Cinema Inferno: Celluloid Explosions from the Cultural Margins. Lanham, Maryland:Scarecrow Press. 356
2009
Hall, Phil. The History of Independent Cinema. Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media. 197.
Kaufman, Anthony. “Brand Upon the Brain.” The Village Voice. (Migrating Forms Film Festival) (15-21 April): 46.
Kilston, Lyra. “Lunchtime.” Modern Painters. (May).
Momenta 2005-2006. Catalog. Momenta Art. Brooklyn, NY. 32-25.
Randall, Bill. “The Way We Were: Dousei Jidai.” The Comics Journal #296. Seattle, WA: Fantagraphics Books, Inc. (Jan). 179.
Wang, Michael. “Form and Function.” Artforum. (Migrating Forms Film Festival) (10 April). Online. Internet.
2008
Halter, Ed. “James Fotopoulos.” Exile Cinema: Filmmakers at Work Beyond Hollywood. Ed. Michael Atkinson. New York: SUNY Series, Horizons of Cinema. 145-150.
Sell, Courtney Fathom. “No Real Rules: An Interview with James Fotopoulos.” Southcoast 247 (2 June).
2007
Papadeas, Paul. “Independent Filmmaker Keeps Impressing Critics.” (interview) The National Herald. (10 Nov): 7.
Rowin, Michael. “The Sky Song.” Reverse Shot Blog. (2 April) Online. Internet. Available.
2006
Durozoi, Gérard. Samuel Beckett : irremplaçable. Paris: Hermann Éditeurs. 173.
Hall, Phil. Independent Film Distribution: How to Make a Successful End Around the Big Guys. Studio City, California: Michael Wise Productions. 17, 107,188
Hesitant Hack. “Awkward Silence at MOMA.” Empire State View. (15 May). Online. Internet.
Koehler, Robert. “The wild, wild west at Cinevegas.” Variety . (11 June).
Koziarski, Ed M. “Avant garde filmmaker Fotopoulos steps into commercial realm with $2 million thriller.” Reel Chicago. (27 Feb). Online.
Laughingcalvin. “James Fotopoulos, ARTIST.” Hollywood Is Talking. (28 Feb). Online. Internet
Parsons, Spencer. “James Fotopoulos on Star Wars.” Emulsion Magazine. (Jan/Feb).
Wills, Holly. “Richard Nixon.” Creative Capital Foundation. n.pag. Online. Internet
Wilschke, Amy. “The Six Sense: Chicago Filmmakers Directs Sleepwalking Police Thriller, ‘Area Six.’”Screen Magazine. (24 March).
2005
Biernickx, Cis and Etieene va de Bergh. Contour 2005. Catalog. Contour Bienniale of Videoart. (2005): 155, 161, 166, 167, 90-101.
Camper, Fred. “Critics Choice: Esophagus.” Chicago Reader. (22 April): sec 2, 9.
Cullum, Paul. “Samuel Beckett Is Ready for His Close-Up.” The New York Times. (24 December): sec 2, 15.
Halter, Ed. “Out of Nowhere: An Interview with James Fotopoulos About The Lime Book.” The Lime Book. New York, NY/St. Louis, MO: Phosphorous Recordings/Neshui Publishing, 481-487.
Marasa, Paul J. “Godot Arrives.” Your Humble Viewer. (16 Dec). Online. Internet.
New York Times Video Library. “Clip from James Fotopoulos’s Film.” The New York Times. (Dec). Online. Internet.
2004
Faust, Lily. “11th New York Underground Film Festival.” The New York Art World.com.
Foundas, Scott. “The Nest.” Variety. (July 26 – August 1): 60.
Kipp, Jerimiah. “Kipp’s Crypt: 3 By Fotopoulos.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Zero). Film Festival Today. (12 Feb).
Halter, Ed. “Year in Avant Garde Film & Video.” (Families/The Nest). The Village Voice.
Huldisch, Henriette and Chrissie Iles. Whitney Biennial. Catalog. Whitney Museum of American Art. (2004): 64, 177.
Le Cain, Maximillan. “Migrating Forms.” Film Ireland Issue 99. (July/August): 36-38.
“The List: The Experimental Experience.” The Independent Film & Video Monthly. (June): 72.
Malcom Paul. “Year End DVD List” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Zero). LA Weekly.
Mookas, Ioannis. “Been Underground So Long, It Looks Like Up To Me.” Senses of Cinema. (March).
Sinagra, Laura. “Notes From The Underground.” (The Nest/Esophagus). The Village Voice. (10-16 March): 64.
2003
Adams, Sam. “Screen Picks: Migrating Forms/Back Against the Wall.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms). Philadelphia City Paper. (17-23 April).
Anderson, M. Jeffery. “Deeply Disturbing.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Zero). San Francisco Examiner. (31 March).
Camper, Fred. “The Fountain/Families.” (capsule reviews). Chicago Reader. (29 August): sec 2, 20-21.
“Creation and Murder: James Fotopoulos Speaks.” (cover). Facets Features. (Winter): 15–19.
Crouse, E. Edward. “James Fotopoulos.” Film Comment. (March/April): 48–50.
Crunette JR., Richard A. “Unquiet Cinema: An Interview with James Fotopoulos.” The Film Journal Issue 4.n.pag. Online. Internet.
Erickson, Steve. “James Fotopoulos x3.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Zero). Time Out New York. (19 February).
Friswold, Paul. “Instant Soundtrack.” Riverfront Times. (24-30 September): 149.
Frye, Brian. “Underground Features of Yesterday and Today: Palmer & Weisman, Fotopoulos, Jolly, Packard.” Senses of Cinema Issue No. 26 (May-June)
Goldenberg, Lance. “DVD Pick:Fotopoulos x3.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Zero). Weekly Planet. (30 April).
Halter, Ed. “Take 4: The Year in Avant-Garde Film and Video.” (Back Against the Wall). The Village Voice.
—————. “Take 4: Film Critic’s Poll.” (Back Against the Wall). The Village Voice.
—————. “Cinematexas..” (The Nest). The Village Voice. (8-14 October): 136.
Kipp, Jeremiah. “Year in Review – 2002 Movies.” (Back Against the Wall, Christabel). CultureDose.com. (5 January): 8. Online. Internet.
McGavin, Patrick Z. “Prolific filmmaker sticks to non-commercial style.” Chicago Tribune. (27 April): sec 7, 12.
Malcom, Paul. “James Fotopoulos x 3.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Zero). L.A.Weekly. ( 7 – 13 March): 60.
Major, Wade. “James Fotopoulos x 3.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Zero). Boxoffice Magazine.
Parsons, Spencer. “The Nest.” Cinematexas 2003 Program. 115.
Plante, Mike. “High Plains Drifters.” (interview/panel). Cinemad #7 (November) Online. Internet. Available at www.cinemadmag.com/arizonap.pdf.
Phantom, The. “Back Against the Wall.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall). VideoScope #46. (Spring): 57.
Pride, Ray. “Underground Man.” (cover). New City. (6 March): 5 -7.
Tobias, Scott. “James Fotopoulos x3.” (DVD release Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Zero). The Onion. (20-26 March): 32-33.
2002
Camper, Fred. “Critics Choice: Chicago’s Own: James Fotopoulos – Short Films (1999 – 2001).” Chicago Reader. ( 31 MarCH): sec 2, 10.
Foundas, Scott. “Back Against the Wall.” (review). Variety. (June).
Green, Frank. “Midwest Mourning.” (review Back Against the Wall). Cleveland Free Times. (14 – 20 August): 70.
Halter, Ed. “Take 3: The Year in Avant-Garde Film and Video.” (Back Against the Wall). The Village Voice. (8 January): 42.
—————., et al., “Documenting the 48th Flaherty Seminar.” (Migrating Forms/cover/interview/article).
The Independent Film & Video Monthly (October): 37, 39, 41-43, 45.
Hoberman, Jim. “The Last Seductions.” (retrospective review Back Against the Wall, Migrating Forms, Christabel). The Village Voice. (19 March): 113.
Holden, Stephen. “Back Against the Wall.” The New York Times. (15 March): E5.
Huston, Johnny Ray. “Foto-graphy.” (review Back Against the Wall). San Francisco Bay Guardian. (15 March): 56.
Mookas, Ioannis. “When They’re Bad, They’re Better.” (festival review Christabel). The Independent Film & Video Monthly. (July/August): 26, 27.
Musetto, V.A. “Midwest lowlifes find themselves Against the Wall.” New York Post. (13 March): 46.
O’Discoll, Bill. “Foto-play.” (review Back Against the Wall). Pittsburgh City Paper. (16 March): 44.
Privett, Ray. Urban Legends: The Films of James Fotopoulos. 32-page program book. New York and Chicago: New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, Facets Video, et al.
Sterritt, David. “Underground Goes Mainstream.” (festival review Christabel). Christian Science Monitor. (8 March).
Wolf, Matt. “Grilling the Underground.” (interview). The Squealer. (Fall/Winter 2002): 11.
2001
Conn, Andrew Lewis. “Notes from Underground.” (festival review Back Against the Wall). Film Comment. (May/June): 67-68.
Crawford, Travis. “Interiors.” (interview). Filmmaker Magazine. (Spring): 71-73, 80.
DiGiovanna, James. “Darker Shadows.” (review of Back Against the Wall and Migrating Forms). Tucson Weekly. (27 September – 3 October): 24.
Evans, Gareth. “Back Against the Wall.” (capsule review). Time Out London. (14-21 November): 112.
Frye, Brian. “James Fotopoulos: An Interview.” OtherZine 3 (Fall). n.pag. Online. Internet.
Kipp, Jeremiah. “Back Against the Wall.” Guerrilla Filmmaker. (Fall/Winter): 45.
Lim, Dennis. “Surreal Endgames, Seedy Glamour.” (festival review Back Against the Wall). The Village Voice. (13 March): 140.
Ludwig, Jerome. “Festival Seating: a dark star of the underground film scene.” Chicago Reader. (10 August): sec. 1, 38.
Plante, Mike. “James Fotopoulos Takes a Stance.” (cover/interview). Cinemad #5. 5-10.
Rosenbaum, Jonathan. “Back Against the Wall.” (capsule review). Chicago Reader. (17 August): sec 2, 19.
Taubin, Amy. “Back Against the Wall.” (capsule review). The Village Voice. (13 March): 92.
2000
Bierinckx, Cis. “Artists of the Year: James Fotopoulos.” City Pages. (27 January): 21.
Halter, Ed. “James Fotopoulos.” New York Press. (15 – 21 November): 31-32.
—————. “Best of 2000 Lists.” New York Press. (Migrating Forms). (27 December).
Taubin, Amy. “Getting Over, Going Underground.” (festival review Migrating Forms). The Village Voice (14 March): 112.
——————. “Take 2: Film Critics Poll.” The Village Voice. (Migrating Forms). (2 January): 46.