motion pixel poetry

DEBUT BY ARTIST

Balance—Serina Paris

VIDEO RESPONSE

Breakaway (1966)—Bruce Conner

The idea of trying to escape one's body or mental state is visually conveyed in this piece, reflecting the words of the song directly. The sped up free-form dance warps in and out of distorted ghost-like images, and then song is played in reversal. These choices are unsettling and captivating. The psychological idea of trying to break away from normalcy can yield to dark and unsettling territory. In society, the sinister and dark aspects of the psyche are often suppressed and in freeing oneself of societal constraints, these dark forces can come out to play.

VIDEO RESPONSE

Frances Ha—Directed by Noah Baumbach

I finally got a chance to see France Ha the other night (it's on Netflix yay!!) and was pleased. There were so many good lines in the movie that spoke truth to me. It explored the experience of the quirky, artistic, independent, female post-graduate trying to find a niche in the world (in the same vein of Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture). The feelings of discomfort, love, awkwardness, and competition in relationships, the boring and lonely experience of traveling alone, and the fulfilling experience of creating something and gaining respect for it—were a few memorable themes conveyed in the film that stood out to me. The cinematography and choice of black and white (reminiscent of Woody Allen's Manhattan) distinguishes the film and sets it apart, reflecting Frances' path of individuation.

VIDEO RESPONSE

Amanaemonesia—Chairlift (Directed by Caroline Polachek and Tom Hines)

I saw this video for the first time quite a long time ago and it never left me, the dance scene specifically. It’s like a minimal, extraterrestrial kareoke video. It feels futuristic from a dated perspective, and thus not of this time. The choreography was liberating and captivating in its peculiarity.

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Matthew Barney sees everything through a lens that most like to pretend doesn't exist. Not only does he see it, he magnifies his work through it. The result is something self-aware and charged with symbolism, yet somehow aesthetically freestanding. Barney is a materialist in a materialist (art) world and he wears this as a badge of honor. What would for most be a fault is for him a foundation as well as a shiny finish. Barney is intentional with every frame of this project and every inch of each set, and it fucking shows. This video has a hard time finding a home within cinema/video art/performance, but it rests proudly as the eccentric guest of fine art who came to visit and never left.

VIDEO RESPONSE

Clip from the trailer of Terrence Malick's film Badlands. 

This clip captures paradox so well, a person's sincere belief in idealistic ideas contrasted with their inherently contradictory and destructive actions. The juxtaposition of the shots in the edit created for the trailer bring this idea to attention vividly. This short clip ends up being a work in and of itself.

VIDEO RESPONSE

This dance video is based on the story of Scheherezade. The smoke coming from the dancers mouths, the sword like cutting and squeezing of the oranges, and the eyes of the women inside the series of burka-like windows got me right away.  This video captures the mysterious and dangerous quality of the fable.  The use of candles, providing atmosphere, and the strong and agile dancers evoking Scheherezade's inner life gives this piece added psychological depth. Interesting how a short video of this nature can capture an entirely different experience of dance "telling a story." It has to render down the content of what might have been an entire performance to its most essential message. I like that it does this all -- with spoken word, cool Middle Eastern music, great dancers and an artful editor/cinematographer.

VIDEO RESPONSE

This video has great effects; I love the concept of a body of smoke or steam or whatever the substance was, and the way the video plays with the act of disappearing. It's a little eerie, but the song is light and uplifting so it makes the unraveling body more playful than creepy. Visually compelling and conceptually intriguing.

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(Bat For Lashes—Laura) Directed by Noel Paul

An interesting and compelling MV beautifully shot

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What We Call Ourselves—Sarah Scaduto

Sometimes it feels as though we've lost our childhood, our innocence or our former selves. It is true that every seven years no cell in our body is the same and we are entirely physically different but it gives us peace of mind to believe that there is still a happy, naive child within us somewhere that we can still access. Scaduto's video causes me to explore this idea. But part of the intrigue of the video is that the footage is of her in an orphanage. This brings up a slew of psychological concerns with the idea of being an orphan: trying to sell yourself to strangers at such a young age, not having the secure loving base of a guardian. And then we see the adult her, and wonder what effect that has on her as an adult. As for the video's visual impression, I enjoyed the whimsical aesthetic of the old footage and how it was recreated in the present.

VIDEO RESPONSE

On How to Feel Better Directed by Joshua King

Because it was that kind of night, here is a cute little short from director Joshua King. I like the simplicity of this video. The simple things you can do to feel better, the simple and beautiful music, comes together to create a bit of magic. Very relatable, I wanted to do every step. Beautifully shot and edited. I hope you enjoy and feel maybe a little bit better :)

VIDEO RESPONSE 

Smile Directed by Misko Iho

I found this treasure while browsing through Vimeo. The coloring is absolutely STUNNING. I really dig the lens flares and how we can see every little particle floating in the autumn air. The juxtaposition of the images of the elderly couple in the graveyard with the positive and happy music makes you feel a very unique and interesting emotion, neither fully sad nor happy. The quote at the end really ties it all together. I also love the choice to shoot it very wide, really brings it to another level. Overall very impressive and cute. Have fun :)

VIDEO RESPONSE 

The Fall by Rhye (Offical Music Video) Directed by Daniel Kragh-Jacobsen

This video does a perfect job of capturing the tone of the song. The sense of nostalgia, longing, and something you once loved slipping through your fingers. The pastel colors make you feel like you are in a dream. You get the sense of fleeting youth, of the longing for the freedom of a playful and beautiful young adult life and the sadness of being stuck as an adult, where nothing is quite the same. "Don't run away, don't slip away my dear." The girl his wife used to be, and his childhood are fleeting. It's an amazing song as well!

VIDEO RESPONSE 

Achilles Heart Directed by Honor Moshay Written by Lena Kesden

This short stars and was written by my beautiful and incredibly talented friend Lena Kesden. This film is breathtakingly honest account of the process of dealing with a heartbreak that is universally relatable. It chronicles the very human tendency to use thought to suppress feeling, the way we can convince ourselves that we are fine, so we can avoid feeling a loss. The cinematography and acting really gives this film the feel of an intimate yet casual conversation between two friends, the kind you probably have all the time. I get chills every time I watch this! 

VIDEO RESPONSE

It's Not About the Nail Directed by Jason Headley

This is an amazing comedic short film from the brilliant Jason Headley. The cinematography of the first few moments really assists in the comedic revel of the nail, and the choice to shoot them not head on, or from the front of the couch where they were siting, but closer up shots, from the back of the couch made it interesting to look at. The actors impeccable delivery made this short come alive. Enjoy :)

VIDEO RESPONSE

(Iron & Wine "Godless Brother In Love"—Directed by Claire Vogel) This video is so beautiful and it feels very harmonious with the tone of the song. It captures the love and joy in friendship with the focus on facial expressions and happy interactions.  I enjoyed the extreme close-ups on the different parts of the body that aren't usually highlighted such as the back of the neck and the gap between lower thighs—intimate and visually intriguing. There is a certain kind of sadness to the video too, a sort of nostalgic sadness which is captured in the expressions of the actors in some of the shots. The sadness that comes with the impermanence of these happy moments perhaps. The coloring gave a soft dreamlike quality that I feel further emphasized the feeling of transience.

DEBUT BY ARTIST

(Tears On My Pillow—Joey Scher)