To quote Christie’s NYC Robert Manley “[Elizabeth Rockwell] is arguably one of the most groundbreaking women in the art scene.”
And according to Richard Armstrong, Director of the Guggenheim Museum “It’s inside American Art History a little recognized phenomenon,”
So exactly who and what are Mr. Manley and Mr. Armstrong referring to?
Tracing Outlines Cayce Mell’s first feature length documentary that is creating a buzz in the art world for unveiling one of the most hidden secrets in modern art history. The film, which is narrated by famed street artist, Swoon, features some of today’s most influential figures of the art world.
Tracing Outlines tells the true and untold story of how the avant-garde movement emerged in conservative Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the turbulent era of WWII, and how 21-year old Elizabeth Rockwell single handedly led the fight to keep the movement alive. She opened “Outlines,” the first gallery to showcase now iconic avant-garde pioneers such as Paul Klee, Alexander Calder, John Cage, Maya Deren and Merce Cunningham
As interesting as the legendary artists themselves, was the controversy and notoriety that surrounded them at the time and although “Outlines” had become a popular underground Mecca of creative minds, young Elizabeth Rockwell constantly battled to keep its doors open. This is a story that would have remain buried, had it not been for the old newspaper clippings that literally fell on Cayce Mell’s lap when she was going through old family scrapbooks one day. Stunned to see her own Grandmother’s beautiful young face amidst headlines such as “Girl Tries Modern Art on Pittsburg”, “Weird French Film Shown at Outlines” and “Outlines Out” – Cayce would spend the next five years digging up everything she could find out.
“I knew my Grandmother very well growing up and I admired her because she was always advocating for a cause. I was pretty blown away to find out what her true legacy was because she never even mentioned “Outlines” to us at all. Having made the discovery myself, I considered it both my duty and honor to bring her story back to life, because it’s also a story that the world needs to hear,” Cayce explains.
The film, which is set to premiere soon,
Cayce had a successful career in social justice advocacy before she turned her passion for writing and filmmaking into a full-time pursuit. Together, Cayce and her husband founded 2nd State Productions with the intention of bringing great stories to life through independent filmmaking. In 2014 they released releasing “Tracing Outlines” and “Monongahela”. They have also began production for “Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home,” the first book of a series Cayce began writing in 2011.
To find out more about the film, Tracing Outlines, and the book “Outlines gallery, library, theatre of modern art”, visit the official “Tracing Outlines” website at: http://www.tracingoutlines.com