About

While best known for his boxed assemblages, Joseph Cornell was also a pioneer of collage films made with old 16mm film prints. In 'The Children's Trilogy' (Cotillion 1940s–1969; The Midnight Party 1940s–1969; The Children's Party 1940s–1969), Joseph Cornell intercuts various found sequences such as star constellations, ballerinas and vaudeville acts. He incorporates freeze frames, upside down and reversed images throughout, creating a chaotic and humorous fantasy world. While Cornell started the three related works in the 1930s, they were left unfinished and only completed from instruction in 1968 by filmmaker Lawrence Jordan.