Stefan Themerson | Object:Photo | MoMA

About the Artist

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Stefan Themerson. 1938−39. Courtesy Themerson Estate. © Themerson Estate, 2014

Artist Chronology

January 25, 1910	Born At location: Stefan Themerson	Plock
1928–29	Studies physics at the University of Warsaw and architecture at the Warsaw Polytechnic At location: Stefan Themerson	Warsaw
1929	Creates his first photograms and writes about film as a regular columnist for Polska Zbrojna Contributor: Stefan Themerson	Warsaw
1929	Franciszka and Stefan meet and begin collaborating Stefan creates what he will later call a "trick table,"a device that remains a central tool in their filmmaking process. Stefan describes the effect as "photograms in motion." At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Warsaw
1930	Stefan and Franciszka Themerson collaborate on their first film, Apteka (Pharmacy), shown at the Association of Lovers of Art Film (START) At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Warsaw
1930s–50s	Stefan writes and Franciska illustrates approximately 14 books for children Contributor: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Paris Warsaw London
1931	Franciszka and Stefan marry At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Warsaw
1933	Stefan and Franciszka Themerson create a short commissioned film, Moment Musical, their first film to utilize sound At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Warsaw
1935	Stefan and Franciszka Themerson establish the filmmakers cooperative Spółdzielnia Autorów Filmowych (SAF) At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Warsaw
1936–37	Writes and publishes The Urge to Create Visions At location: Stefan Themerson	Paris Warsaw
1936–early 37	Stefan and Franciszka Themerson travel to London and Paris, where they meet filmmakers and artists including László Moholy-Nagy, René Clair, Basil Wright, and Fernand Léger At location: László Moholy-Nagy, Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Paris London
Early 1937	Stefan and Franciszka Themerson organize the first screenings in Poland of European avant-garde films, including some by the artists they met in Paris and London At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Warsaw
Winter 1937–mid 1940	Stefan and Franciszka Themerson live in Paris At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	Paris
1940	Recruited into a Polish infantry regiment At location: Stefan Themerson	Paris
1940–42	When the army regiment disbands, he makes his way to Vichy France and spends more than a year in the Polish Red Cross hostel At the hostel, he writes Professor Mmaa's Lecture. At location: Stefan Themerson	France Voiron
1942–45	Stefan and Franciszka Themerson reunite and make two films for the Film Unit of the Polish Ministry of Information and Documentation At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	London
1944–88	Lives in Maida Vale, London At location: Stefan Themerson	London
1948–79	Stefan and Franciszka Themerson found the Gaberbocchus Press The press publishes the first English editions of writings by Alfred Jarry, Kurt Schwitters, Raymond Queneau, Bertrand Russell, and other English writers and poets, along with Stefan's own works and Franciszka's drawings. At location: Stefan Themerson, Franciszka Themerson	London
September 6, 1988	Dies At location: Stefan Themerson	London

Walther Photographs

View this artist's works in MoMA's Online Collection

Untitled, from Moment Musical (Drobiazg Melodyjny) (1933)

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