Short Summary
Help us raise the money to produce our documentary:
LUDO IS FANTASTIC: A portrait film of the artist Ludo Mich by W.R. Stewart
Ludo Mich Then
The first time I met Ludo Mich, he was standing outside my front door, smoking a cigarette and drinking a can of Guinness while Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown" boomed out of my speakers. It was 10 o'clock on a Thursday morning. Ludo and his wife Chantelle had just ended a long journey from their home in Antwerp to my house in rural Northwest Ireland. A friend had picked them up at the airport and dropped them at my place while I was off running errands. He'd suggested they make themselves at home while I was out and, happily they had, rummaging through my records til they found the perfect soundtrack to accompany their first drink in Ireland.
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Ludo Mich Now
Before I'd met him, I knew of Ludo's
amazing and prolific 50 year career as a painter, sculptor, performer,
filmmaker and holographer, but even so, I was awed when I encountered
the man himself. He had come to Ireland to perform at an avant-garde
festival. Dressed in a well worn long black coat, with an unkempt beard,
strong hands that had laboured through life and twinkly eyes, one might
easily have mistaken Ludo for a retired pirate rather than a respected
hero of the underground art world. And maybe there is a touch of the
pirate within him. But once Ludo stepped on stage at the festival, his
shamanic artistic brilliance took over and I was treated to one of the
most uplifting performances I had ever come across.
Ludo In His Element
During our first few days together, I was so taken with Ludo that I wanted to capture his brilliance to share with the world. Because of this, I have decided to make a full length documentary about him.
Poster for a gig featuring Ludo wearing his "Light Suit"
Since starting the initial filming and research for my project, what I have learned most is that Ludo Mich has lived. In the 70s, he drank beers with
Werner Herzog and saved John Waters' films from Belgian customs, in the 80's he ran a
holography gallery, in the 90s he homesteaded with his young children in the Belgium countryside. And all along he has remained a true uncompromising, underground, independent artist and a huge supporter of the art scene in Antwerp and beyond.
Ludo in his studio
Meet Ludo MichLudo was born in 1945 in Antwerp, Belgium. He started his career in 1961 when he began experiments with all the possible art forms: fluxus
happenings, painting, electronic music, sculpting, theater, street and sound performances.
Since then he has performed all over the world and released lps, cds and tapes of his many music projects and collaborations. Ludo has produced films on 8mm, 16mm, 35mm, video and digital. He has collaborated with other artists and musicians such as Thurston
Moore, Paul LaBrecque, Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson, Dennis Tyfuss,
Jennifer Walshe, Blood Stereo, Wataru Kasahara, Kiyoharu Kuwayama,
Burial Hex, The Joyous Cosmology, Syed Kamran Ali, Pascal Nichols, Roman
Nose, Blue Yodel, Mama Bar, Kommissar Hjuler and more.
Now in his 60's, there is no stopping him. This past summer he toured Belgium with Crank Sturgeon and before the year is out he will take the stage to perform at his daughter's 30th birthday party.
Ludo - Still the life of the party
With your help and much appreciated funds I will be able to make a film about Ludo and share the very special and magical work that he produces with a wider audience.
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Ludo on the set of Lysistrata, 1976
What We Need & What You Get
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We are a team of 2 people: director and camera man
. We don't need much, but we need a little!
So far we put together enough for the first trip to Antwerp and to put a trailer together, but to help this project get off the ground and launch Ludo into worlds unknown we need help from as many friends as possible.
Our main costs include: travel to the UK and Europe to interview musicians and artists with whom Ludo has collaborated, cameras and lights rentals, translators, soundtrack CD production, DVD production and distribution costs.
We have a lot of good perks for you to own, enjoy and cherish forever, including: A MASSIVE THANKS, collectable DVDs, CDs, posters, tote bags and invites to screenings!
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Deus Machina