MONK IN PIECES (2025) + TURTLE DREAMS (1983) — A Meredith Monk Celebration

In collaboration with Dance Camera West, 7th House is proud to present a special evening honoring one of the most unique and influential artists of our time: composer, singer, director, choreographer, and creator of new opera, music-theater works, films and installations — the extraordinary Meredith Monk. A pioneer of what are now called “extended vocal technique” and “interdisciplinary performance,” Monk’s groundbreaking exploration of the voice as an instrument, as an eloquent language in and of itself, expands the boundaries of musical composition, creating landscapes of sound that unearth feelings, energies, and memories for which there are no words. Tonight, we celebrate her life and artistry with a screening of Billy Shebar’s new, powerful documentary MONK IN PIECES (2025), followed by a rare theatrical screening of TURTLE DREAMS (1983), theater director, choreographer and video artist Ping Chong’s striking film of Monk’s homonymous musical piece.

MONK IN PIECES (2025)

A composer, performer, and interdisciplinary artist – Meredith Monk is one of the great artistic pioneers of our time, yet her profound cultural influence is largely unrecognized. With Monk’s music at its center, and featuring interviews with Björk, David Byrne, Philip Glass and more, MONK IN PIECES is a mosaic that mirrors the structure of Monk’s own work, and illuminates her wildly original vocabulary of sound and imagery.

As a female artist in the male-dominated downtown arts scene of the 1960s and ‘70s, Monk had to fight for recognition and resources. Early reviews in The New York Times were vicious and sexist: “A disgrace to the name of dancing,” wrote Clive Barnes, and “so earnestly strange in a talented little-girl way,” wrote John Rockwell. Yet as her celebrated contemporary, Philip Glass, says, "she, among all of us, was – and still is – the uniquely gifted one." In the film’s final chapters, Monk faces mortality. We see her warily entrust her masterpiece, ATLAS, to director Yuval Sharon and singer Joanna Lynn-Jacobs for a new production at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. For 60 years, Monk has directed and performed in all of her music theater works; now she must learn to let go. What will happen to such singular work after she is gone?

Director Billy Shebar was granted incredibly intimate access, as Monk opened the doors of the Tribeca loft where she’s been working since 1972, to him and his film crew, allowing them to capture the rhythms of her daily life and the creation of her newest work Indra’s Net. She also granted him access to a rich archive of film, photos and notebooks, affording deep insights into her evolution as an artist. Rather than attempting a comprehensive biopic, Shebar created a mosaic mirroring the structure of Monk’s own work. Each chapter is anchored by a single Monk song and offers a unique window on her life’s work.

Dir. Billy Shebar, 2025, 95 mins, United States/Germany/France, English, Unrated, Digital.

TURTLE DREAMS (1983)

Originally produced for WGBH-TV and aired in September of 1983, renowned theater director, choreographer and video artist Ping Chong’s film captures Meredith Monk’s composition Turtle Dreams (Waltz), a music piece with movement for four voices and two organs, performed by Monk and her vocal ensemble. Starkly shot against a pink background and minimalistically choreographed, the film culminates with excerpts from Robert Withers’ experimental film of the same name – a black and white short starring Monk’s beloved turtle Neutron roaming a post-apocalyptic landscape. Evocative of the dissonance of Manhattan in the 1980s, Turtle Dreams conjures urban archetypes of the 20th century seen against the threat of war or nuclear annihilation.

Dir. Ping Chong, 1983, 27 mins, United States, Unrated, Digital.

Tickets: $10 (All Screenings Are In Person Only)

Please email events@prs.org or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.

ABOUT DANCE CAMERA WEST

In 2025 Dance Camera West (DCW), will celebrate its 25th year as the globally renowned, Los Angeles-based festival that sets the standard for exploring dance on screen. The DCW2025 festival takes place over 5 days — Wednesday, January 29 to Sunday, February 2, 2025 — at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre and features special programs including a Tribute to Dance Icon David Roussève, a World Premiere of Dense from Benjamin Millepied's Paris Dance Project, LA POPS UP created by Kitty Mcnamee/Hysterica andfeaturing films by LA's influential choreographers, plus programs featuring over 50 International Short and Doc dance films from around the world and a Co-Creation Lab with Guest Teachers for dancers and filmmakers.

For ticketing and information: https://dcw.eventive.org/welcome.

ADVISORY DISCLAIMER

With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email events@prs.org.

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The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.

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