SHIRLEY CLARKE
OCTOBER 2, 1919 TO SEPTEMBER 23, 1997
A SALUTE TO THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF A
PIONEERING AVANT-GARDE INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER AND VIDEO ARTIST
FROM THE 1950S TO THE 1980S

AS A TEENAGER STUDIED AND PERFORMED AS A MODERN DANCER WITH ANNA SOKOLOW AND OTHERS. HER EXPERIENCE WITH MOVEMENT AS A CHOREOGRAPHER INFLUENCED HER FILMMAKING AND EDITING. BORN IN MANHATTAN, CLARKE LIVED AT THE CHELSEA HOTEL FOR OVER 25 YEARS. HELD EXPERIMENTAL VIDEO SALON EVENTS IN HER STUDIO, 1970S. CO-FOUNDED THE FILM-MAKERS COOPERATIVE, 1962; TAUGHT FILM IN UNIVERSITIES IN NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA; RECEIVED LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY, 1986.

* ACADEMY AWARD (1964) DOCUMENTARY "ROBERT FROST: A LOVER’S QUARREL WITH THE WORLD" * CRITICS AWARD (1961) CANNES FILM FESTIVAL "THE CONNECTION" * VENICE FILM FESTIVAL "THE COOL WORLD" (1963) * NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL "PORTRAIT OF JASON" (1967)* "IN PARIS PARKS" (1954) * "BRIDGES-GO-ROUND" (1958) * "SKYSCRAPER" (1959) * "ORNETTE: MADE IN AMERICA" (1985) * CLARKE’S FILMS AND VIDEOS ARE PERENNIAL SELECTIONS AT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS AND REVIVAL HOUSES *

THIS PLAQUE DEDICATED AND PRESENTED ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2006 BY

* CAROLE D. CHAZIN, PRODUCER * ADRIENNE J. MANCIA * TOBY TALBOT AND DANIEL TALBOT * FILM FORUM * GEORGE C. STONEY * RICHARD PEÑA * JIM CONE * ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES * THE FLAHERTY/INTERNATIONAL FILM SEMINARS * THE NEW YORK FILM/VIDEO COUNCIL * NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS * NEW YORK WOMEN IN FILM & TELEVISION *

The sign is one of the signs indicating famous people who have stayed at the Chelsea Hotel.

The plaque commemorates film director Shirley Clark, who operated for many years from this hotel, where she mainly created videos, some of which also featured hotel guests.

The hotel was photographed on the same day by the same photographer Click for a larger image

The next picture from where the sign was taken shows the location of the sign relative to other signs Click for a larger image

More details about the hotel can be found on the next sign Click for sign's details