Allen Downs Project

Allen Downs films shown at Anthology Film Archive

By visioncode team on April 12, 2022 3:24 PM

Announcing a special screening of five of Allen's films in New York City!

ALLEN DOWNS: CHASING LIGHT FROM MINNESOTA TO MEXICO

Dates: April 17th and 18th, 2022, at 7:30 pm.

Location: Anthology Film Archives

Address: 32 Second Avenue New York, NY 10003

Website: http://anthologyfilmarchives.org

This program consists of 16mm prints from the Walker's RBMIC Collection; both screenings will be presented by Michael Walsh, Assistant Curator/Archivist of the Walker's Moving Image department.

Linda Passon-McNally will be also be present to talk about the work of Allen Downs and his time in Mexico.

The program is supported by the Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection at the Walker Art Center. Major support to preserve, digitize, and present the Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection is generously provided by the Bentson Foundation.

THE COLOR OF THE DAY (1954-56, 17 min, 16mm)

LOVE SHOTS (1971, 8 min, 16mm)

WINTER IN CHINA (1970, 8 min, 16mm)

A MEXICO (1973, 7 min, 16mm)

MAKING MIXTEC POTTERY (1973, 38 min, 16mm)

Total running time: ca. 85 min.

AMIA features 2 films of Allen Downs

By visioncode team on November 18, 2021 11:27 AM

The Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) will be featuring the films of Allen Downs in a conference session on Thursday, November 18th, 2021. The session is entitled "Forgetting Allen Downs - The Importance of Remembering a Trailblazer in Early Minnesota Film History.

Session description: Allen Downs earned an MA degree in painting and printmaking from the State University of Iowa in 1940. He became an accomplished photographer and filmmaker and was a professor of photography and film at the University of Minnesota from 1950 through 1977 where he established the Film Department in 1952. Bruce Baillie credits Allen Downs as teaching him everything he knows about filmmaking so how could Allen Downs films end up slated for a dumpster? Thankfully, Matthew Bakkom and Adam Sekuler of Search and Rescue made it their mission to save his films, eventually donating them to the Walker Art Centers Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection. We'll look at two of Allen Downs films, Color of the Day (1956) and A Mexico (1973) to provide context for the importance of remembering Allen Downs.

Color of the Day: In one of his earliest films, Allen Downs captures his passion for chasing light and color in the Minneapolis, St. Paul urban landscape. 1956, 17 min, 16mm.

A Mexico: A Mexico traces a road trip down Interstate 35 from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Oaxaca, Mexico. The film has a lucid, dreamlike quality, beginning under the guise of night. 1973, 7 min, 16mm.

"Unlike the strict documentary photographer, I am concerned with pictorial structure over subject matter, but unlike the pure abstractionist, I do make use of the subjects in their natural relationships keeping representational quality". -Allen Downs

Mexico 1970's Film "ROMA" Masterpiece

By visioncode team on December 22, 2018 3:53 PM

This amazing film captures much of the feeling-tone of the 70's in Mexico while the arts program was being hosted in Qaxacan town of Tlaxiaco. Many of students of Allen Downs befriended the local indigenous people who spoke the local dialect. The town square was filled local markert vendors everyday, and was very crowded on weekends.

The black and white film artfully conveys the atmosphere of the times. Mexico was a place filled with change of all kinds, from corporate colonialism, to political movements.

Check it out on Netflix at the official Roma website.

News - 2015

By Linda Passon-McNally on October 20, 2015 12:55 PM

What's Happening: The Allen Downs Project continues to respond to peoples' interest and inquiries. Stay tuned for updates and unfolding events.

Photo by Ginny Larson- Katherine E. Nash Gallery

Walker Art's Mediatheque features films in May 2015

By Mark Stanley on May 7, 2015 10:49 PM

Four of Allen Downs' films in the Walker Art Center's Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection are now at your fingertips for viewing on the big screen in their new interactive Mediatheque.

This month four of the available film selections are A Mexico, Love Shots, Making Mixtec Pottery, Winter in China. All were made between 1970-1973 by Allen Downs. For more info visit the Mediatheque and check out their complete interactive film screening list for May: Mediatheque Film Selections May 2015 (PDF)

Walker Art Center

1750 Hennepin Avenue,

Minneapolis, MN 55403

walkerart.org 612.375.7600

Allen Downs Project on MNoriginal online

By visioncode team on January 24, 2014 1:01 PM

A wonderful segment just released on the Allen Downs' Winter Quarter exhibit is now available on TPT's updated website, www.tpt.org

link: https://www.tpt.org/mn-original/profile/allen-downs/

Visitors to the site will find additional content, web exclusive videos, and links to other MN Original artists. Check it out!

This program started airing on Minnesota Original on Sunday, January 26, 2014, at 6pm.

Episode is called the "Allen Downs Project"

Lila Downs sings for her father- MPR article

By visioncode team on March 9, 2013 3:52 PM

Check out a great article about the music of Lila Downs - the daughter of Allen Downs- who is giving a concert Sunday, March 10th, 4 pm:

Go To MPR.ORG

article by by David Cazares, Fernando Aceves photo

Lila's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/LilaDownsOfficial

Art Exhibition Now Open in Nash Gallery

By visioncode team on March 9, 2013 3:41 PM

Please stop in during gallery hours to view the Allen Downs exhibition.
Check gallery hours online at http://art.umn.edu
Public Reception: Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 6:00 - 9:00 pm

Lila Downs Wins 2013 Grammy for Best Mexican Album

By Linda Passon-McNally on February 13, 2013 12:44 PM

Lila Downs, the daughter of Allen Downs, has won another Grammy for her work as a Oaxacan singer-songwriter. She was recognized in the category of Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) for the album "Pecados Y Milagros" at the 55th Grammy Awards. We are excited to have her appear her in Minneapolis on March 10th for a special concert at 4:00 pm, preceding the Allen Downs exhibition opening at 6:00 pm at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery at the University of Minnesota. For more information on the Grammy award click here.

Buy your tickets now for the Lila Downs concert!

Countdown: Five Weeks

By visioncode team on February 4, 2013 12:28 PM

After almost 2 years of planning, we are only 5 weeks away from the start of the Allen Downs exhibit and Lila Downs concert.You can still donate to the special fund set up specifically to help offset costs for this wonderful project. Donating is secure and easy, and any amount is welcome. No gift is too small and will be very appreciated!

Please visit: https://art.umn.edu/give (click on the "Make a Gift" line) and make sure to designate the following program option: Nash Gallery Exhibitions and Events.

If you prefer to mail your donation, please make a check or money order payable to: UMF Fund #8945 Nash Gallery Exhibitions and Events, University of Minnesota Foundation, CM 3854, PO Box 70870, St Paul MN 55170.

Thank you for your enthusiastic comments as this project to celebrate the legacy of Allen Downs has grown. Now please help us to take it over the top.

Salud - Linda Passon-McNally

Check out our Allen Down Project page on FACEBOOK and let your friends know!