BITCHES BREW
Posthaste Perennial Pattern, Jodie Mack, U.S., 2010, 3m 38s
Although I had viewed this online, the screen and sound at the Beale really made this a monumental presentation. Ms Mack’s fabric samples in this work comes from her old apartment. Look forward to many more animated surprises from her in the future.
Babobilicons, Daina Krumins, U.S., 1982, 16m
The second of three Academy restorations Ms. Krumins Babobilicons is a wonderland of hand made animation full of imagined creatures orchestrated in 16 minutes of mind bending fun. A work of love, worth the attention it is getting.
You Are Now Running On Reserve Battery Power, Jessie Stead, U.S., 2011, 11m
In an alternate universe the Fox television show GLEE (yes, I have an eleven year old) would be about experimental film makers and Ms. Stead’s “You Are Now Running On Reserve Battery Power” would be focus of an episode. Full of energy, fun and a whole lot of now, the 11 minutes were peppered with audience laughter – and not the uncomfortable Kind. The room really enjoyed it. The smart use of Chatroullete and Ms Stead’s on screen persona made this one of the high points so far.
Hull, Tara Merenda Nelson, U.S., 2011, 7m 32s
I’d like to see this agian and more of Ms. Nelson’s work. The imagery was surreal at times but she held a narrative thread throughout which leads me to hope for more from this smart storyteller.
(5) from Jhana and the Rats of James Olds:, Stephanie Barber, U.S., 2011
The Phone Call, 1m
Billy and the Magician, 3m 18s
Little Kitten, 42s
Level of Zero Buoyancy, 4m 53s
Romance Novels, 1m 4s
Ms. Barber is fearless. Faced with creating a new work each day over the course of the month she moved her studio into a Baltimore Museum – she took no prisoners and created a series small smart pieces which are being shown at the festival across 3 or 4 programs. Her ability to churn productivity into creative output remarkable. And while collectively the work pushes at many edges they all seem held together by her singular talent. I hope she publishes these on DVD along with the installations documentation. I’d buy it.
A Party Record Packed with Sex and Sadness, Bobby Abate, U.S., 2011, 10m 11s
Mr. Abate has a few styles he plays in – he is comfortable in all. Unlike some artists he isn’t afraid to share online so this was a chance to continue getting to know his work which I was introduced to last year. This felt music video style, cut and pasted and multiplied and layered and paced so well. It seemed at times to be Klahresque – an east coast version, more personal and consumed from the inside the artist.
Praxis 8 – 12 Scenes, Dietmar Brehm, Austria, 2010, 25m
One of the reasons I have committed days to this festival the last two years was to expand my ideas of what my moving image practice can be. Since I don’t belong to either the CalArts or Bard mafias coming here is mostly solitary. There is opportunity to spend time talking to the filmmakers and this year’s program offers enough time between screenings to do that. However what I want are one or two moments where presentation and discovery of an artist will carry me deep into their work. Mr. Brehm’s Parxis is one of those works. This series blew me away.
Taste Test, Andrew Lampert, U.S., 2011, 2m 30s
Mr. Lampert had the unfortunate spot of following Praxis which I was still thinking about when I realized the scene of the little girl with the missing teeth had just cut to a roasting rodent.
Bitch-Beauty, MM Serra, U.S., 2011, 7m
Ms. Serra’s work deserves some further attention. At first viewing is was difficult to thread the needle the story intended to tell. I found myself focused on the compelling imagery and spoken word narrative. I would like a second chance at seeing this.
