Austrian 1927-

Karl Spreitz and Herbert Siebner 1972 Image courtesy of the Collection of Karl Spreitz

Karl Spreitz began his artistic practice in the 1960s after immigrating to Canada from Austria. Collaborating with many of Victoria’s artists, he explored various media, including printmaking and collage under the mentorship of Herbert Siebner. However, it is his film contributions that distinguished his artistic career. His debut of Spring Steelhead (1964) with fellow artist Richard Ciccimarra at Victoria’s International Film Festival was awarded for its realistic depiction of fly-fishing on the Cowichan River. In contrast, Don’t (1965) shows his more experimental work and pokes fun at social conventions. Spreitz, with his ever-present wit, was at the centre of a social circle of artists. His vocation as a professional photographer and TV cameraman allowed him to capture the conversations, working processes, and studios of his artist friends.

DON’T
Produced by Karl Spreitz and Herbert Siebner (1965)
Remixed sound by Renee Poisson (2013)
16 mm film
8:40 min
Karl Spreitz and Collaborators Archival Film Collection – Digitization project partially funded by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia