I was intrigued by the idea of the video from the physical perspective of the painting. However, through that one physical perspective I wanted to show the perspective of three people viewing the painting, and how their perspectives manifested in their mindscapes.
I had fun obtaining the footage.
Most of the footage is not mine, but scenes that I have taken from movies, shows, and other videos. It was an adventure scouring the internet to find video and audio clips that were what I wanted.
The footage I filmed was made possible by a strange contraption that I put together. I had a frame in my room, which is two pieces of glass which the art is held between. I printed out on of the strangest paintings I could find. I cut a small hole out of it. I taped a few strips of cardboard on the back, creating a slot which my phone could slide into, the camera lense right behind the hole. With my phone held against the back of the frame, my actors could come up to me, genuinely react to the painting, and I could record their reactions.
My three perspectives were the three viewers of the artwork.
I tried to match the facial expressions with images and audio that fit what someone with that expression might think. I don’t presume that I am correct in how I portray their thoughts. To be fair, I did provide them with a painting that would be considered rather strange to most, if not all, people. I am certain that all viewers of art have a mixture of all three of these perspectives. I wanted to create caricatures, so I tried to separate these reactions into three people.
The first, acted by Evelyn, was that of someone whose mind is filled with the criticism of others. Evelyn’s character cannot help but hear their whispers. Her eyes are filled with “good art” and can only see how this piece does not measure up. She knows what is good according to art history. She knows what is good according to critics today. She is aware of the art world and judges this work of art based on how others have told her to judge it. It is not her own lense, but the lenses others have given her. Everything is out of focus and she cannot see the art for what it is.
The second, acted by Alyssa, is someone whose mind is immersed in pop culture’s view of art. Associations flood the mind of Alyssa’s character. She uses popular culture to shape her view of the art. Art has been handed to her certain ways, and so she conjures up these depictions. She takes it all in with humorous confusion. There is a campy attitude about how she interacts with art. The piece is amusing, and yet, it does not draw her attention for too long, so she moves on to the next thing.
The third, acted by Audrey, is someone who receives art with an open mind. Her character allows her mindscape to wander into strange and colorful images. Her lense is her own and it is clear. It receives input and reacts honestly with interest and confusion. She brings only her awareness that there is a power to art, and she would do well to give it her time. She takes her time, lets all noise fade away, and she leaves at least slightly changed.
I created this video with my own biases, and perhaps they may be easily distinguishable. I believe that art has power and that it is meant to say something, that we may do something. I know not everyone holds this view. It is confusing having the whispers of critics, the laughs of culture, and even inward dialogue rattle between the ears. To me art is about communication. But even if you don’t hold this view, I think most of us can agree that we must do our best to choose carefully the voices we listen to and linger long enough to see clearly, to focus.
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