Paris Calligrammes par Ulrike Ottinger

Abstract

Reviewed by: Paris Calligrammes par Ulrike Ottinger Maria G. Traub Ottinger, Ulrike, réal. Paris Calligrammes. Int. Jenny Agutter, Fanny Ardant. Zero One, 2020. The decade known as the “sixties” was a period of intellectual activity and social unrest, fomenting upheaval and breaks with tradition. Arriving in Paris as a hitchhiker, Ulrike Ottinger, an artist from Germany, accepts transport from a group whom she suspects are bank robbers. Her entry into Paris is thus heralded by adventure and surprise. In his Saint-Germain bookshop, “Librairie Calligrammes,” she meets Fritz Picard, a German expatriate, who becomes a good friend and literary mentor. He includes her in his intellectual social circle, and suggests books for her to read. Picard’s guest book is a virtual who’s who of renowned artists, writers, thinkers, and journalists working in or visiting Paris and having stopped by his shop. Titled film sequences showcase meetings or work sessions with famous artists and memorable events. In one, we observe Ulrike’s studies under Johnny Friedlander, noted expert on the art of etching. Welcomed as his guest at family dinners, she met many artists. Living in Saint-Germain, she encountered Raymond Duncan, brother of dancer Isadora Duncan. Raymond habitually dressed in a toga he had woven for himself, following his philosophy of life: one should limit one’s needs to what one could make. From one eccentric’s lifestyle, we move to that of Algerian immigrants in the bidonvilles at the outskirts of Paris, followed by scenes of the October 1961 protest which began peacefully but morphed into a brutal and bloody conflict. The protests against the French involvement in Vietnam as well as the student protests of 1968 appear in film clips that give visual testimony to the efforts of bringing about change, either peacefully or violently. Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the well-known student leader challenging the educational system, is shown as a provocative spokesperson in the footage. Culturally, we are treated to clips of world-class performances at the Odéon Theater, celebrities attending film premieres and noteworthy museums. Ottinger shows samples of Pop Art or Nouvelle Figuration which became part of her own work. From this perspective, the phenomenon of Dadaist influence is apparent in her way of portraying images and scrapping traditional approaches. Presenting an array of historical photographs and documentary footage, we follow experiences and influences in Ottinger’s life in Paris. A poetry reading of Walter Mehring’s work concerning the persecution of German writers by the Nazis is a long, plaintive cry against suppression. Not only exploring intellectual and cultural circles in the city, she also observed and discussed political and social incidents, as well as iconic Parisian places such as Les Halles, which has unfortunately disappeared. These dimensions of the film make it an historical time capsule. The information this film provides both visually and verbally is useful for the study of French civilization. A drawback is the lack of in-depth coverage of any one issue. Used in the classroom in short clips, it provides immersion into the decade’s zeitgeist. As a documentary, it is an interdisciplinary tool for history, political science, or art and film classes. [End Page 219] Maria G. Traub Neumann University (PA) Copyright © 2022 American Association of Teachers of French