Oskar Fischinger: Experiments in Cinematic Abstraction at Eye Filmmuseum – A Journey Through Avant-Garde Animation

This exhibition at Eye Filmmuseum focused on the pioneering abstract animated films of German-American avant-garde filmmaker Oskar Fischinger. It explored his earliest experiments and inventions, showcasing his influential role in developing animation and his lasting impact on music videos and computer graphics by coupling abstract images with music and rhythms.

The Eye Filmmuseum, in collaboration with the Center for Visual Music in Los Angeles, presented a major exhibition on the work of Oskar Fischinger (1900-1967) from December 16, 2012, through March 17, 2013. This German-American avant-garde filmmaker made short films that were highly influential in the development of animation film, continuing to inspire makers of music videos and computer graphics today. Known as the “Wizard of Friedrichstrasse,” Fischinger was one of the first animators to couple abstract images with music and rhythms, long before the advent of music videos. He also invented ingenious cinematic devices, such as the wax-slicing machine, and his eye-catching animations garnered attention from directors like Fritz Lang and Ernst Lubitsch. The exhibition also focused on his earliest experiments and inventions, complemented by an extensive film program. The exhibition showcased many of Fischinger’s films, alongside original, never previously displayed animation drawings that he used to shoot his films frame for frame. These were supplemented by paintings, notated music scores, and various documents. Rarely shown fragments of Fischinger’s restored experiments from the 1920s and 30s were also included. Alongside the exhibition, Eye organized a rich accompanying program of films and activities in the auditoria, and a game installation referencing the exhibition, where geometric figures played a leading role. A comprehensive, richly illustrated monograph on Fischinger, co-edited by Cindy Keefer and Jaap Guldemond, accompanied the exhibition, offering insights into his work's position within the international avant-garde, animation, music, painting, Hollywood, and his enduring influence.