Continuity (Smart Art Press (Series), V. III, No. 34)

The creation of seamless illusion remains a driving tenet of Hollywood cinema. In order to preserve this illusion, it is crucial that there are no jarring disruptions of cinematic space and time. This preservation of order is called continuity, and it has been the focus of John Divola's photographic work for the past several years, as beautifully represented in this striking book. Divola takes the original still photographs he has collected of Warner Bros. film sets from the 1930s, which were used to maintain continuity, and creates haunting installations of fictive reality. Divided into subject categories such as "Hallways" and "Broken Furniture and Evidence of Aggression," these images possess a glorious beauty, made possible by the use of 8 x 10 negatives, while being grounded in an intelligence found in the best of conceptual art. Features an elucidating essay by the noted film writer and critic Edward Dimendberg.