Cinema Direct Art - announcement.

Vienna.: Self-published., 1967. Single sheet with mimeographed text printed in blue in white paper.. (29.7 z 21 cm).. In 1967 Muehl coined the term “Cinema Direct Art”, which is aligned with that of “Direct Art”, the designation for the ‘direct’ action on reality as practised by the Vienna Actionists. It was the success of the films by Kurt Kren and Ernst Schmidt on the one hand, and Muehl’s dissatisfaction with their ""dismemberment"" of his work on the other, which led Muehl to produce 16mm films from the spring of 1967 onwards. Muehl himself often stood in front of the camera, and had little influence on the recordings themselves. The cinematic means are simply used: fixed camera, long shot or close up, and no sound. The venue was usually the cellar leased by Muehl in Perinetgasse and the apartments of Muehl, Brus and others. Muehl always insisted on showing his films in his own programs. The first demonstration was of two of his films ‘Grimuid’ and ‘Wehrertüchtigung’ on October 20, 1967 in the Art Center in Hohenstauffengasse. On the mimeographed announcement flyer for the screening, Muehl’s text is typically rousing: “nun den kunstlerfuß in fremdes land gesetzt, in die vitale vibrierende welt des films. vorher machten kurt kren und ernst schmidt filme über materialaktionen, das ist nun schon wieder jahre her. inzwischen ist OTTO MUEHL zum CINE MAGUS von wien geworden. vor starrer kamera enthüllt sich notstand im wohlstand.“ (“now set the artist foot in a foreign land, in the vital, vibrating world of the film. Before kurt kren and ernst schmidt films about material actions, that's now years ago. Meanwhile OTTO MUEHL has become the CINE MAGUS of Vienna. In front of a stalwart camera, a state of emergency reveals itself in prosperity”). [Ref. Vienna Actionism. Art and Upheaval in 1960s’ Vienna. Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien, p. 144 (variant print)].