PORTLAND — Performance artist Matthew Barney’s epic five-part film, “The Cremaster Cycle,” nearing cult status in the art world for both its visual brilliance and intellectual complexity, will be shown at the Portland Museum of Art.

The 7 p.m. screenings will begin on Thursday, Nov. 18, with “Cremaster 1 & 2” and continue with showings of “Cremaster 3″ on Friday, Nov.19; and”Cremaster 4 & 5” on Saturday, Nov. 20. The series will culminate on Sunday, Nov. 21, with an all-day marathon of the series shown in its entirety, beginning at 1 p.m.

Tickets are $10 per showing, $20 for a weekend pass. They are available at the museum through Nov. 21.

This much-discussed work of art has not toured nationally since 2003, following the completion of “Cremaster 3.”

Although the five films were not created in chronological order, and each one comprises a completely realized work in itself, together and in numerical order they follow a geographical path from west to east and trace a metaphorical path toward fully developed form.

For more information about Movies at the Museum, including in-depth synopses of each “Cremaster” installment, visit www.moviesatthemuseum.org.