"Panoramas of the Moving Image"

I loved this exhibit at MOMA. It was truly fascinating to see and learn about such instruments like Le Thaumatrope and the Phenakistiscope and the early discs that were used to produce some of the earliest moving images. It was great to see the strips that were used in a Zoetrope to make moving images. These strips were apparently a conceptual forerunner of film. Ernest Gehr's installation included a picture of a Magic Lantern projector circa 1888. Some examples of work included one piece that featured a growing and shrinking nose. Another piece showed a swan dipping its beak into water. The five screen installation featured pieces running in a loop such as the rocking boat, the duck jumping rope and an acrobat balancing on a swing. I heard no music or any audio and there was use of color. I did not see any sort of story or narrative, like modern day films. Viewing these pieces transported me back to a simpler time. It also made me wonder how far our moving image technology has come in a relatively short time.