FORMAL ANALYSIS – Week 8 – 12 October 2020
1. "What do you see?"
Robin Rhode, 16 June 2010
A video with individual still photograph images with a female signing “Na na na”. on the video soundtrack.
Catch Air: Robin Rhode @ Wexner Center, 23 March 2009
This video is about his substantial solo exhibition—the artist's first in a U.S. museum and the Wexner Center's first organized by Senior Curator Catharina Manchanda—brings you a firsthand look at his intriguing work. Thu, Apr 2 - Sun, July 26, 2009. Full details: http://www.wexarts.org/ex/index.php?e...
"Pan with Us" by David Russo, 2003, You Tube, 12 July 2016
This is an experimental animation film I created to Robert Frost's early poem, "Pan with Us", from A Boy's Will (1915). I shot it on a very old 35-pound, 35mm Mitchell motion picture camera. Making that ancient tank of a camera move around was an engineering challenge. My back hurts just thinking of all the work this was. Thanks to the lovely folks who helped me out with it.
Copyright note: This is one of only a handful of Frost poems that lapsed into the public domain.
“I Am (Not) van Gogh” by David Russo, 2016
Another of my stop-motion animated shorts. This 35mm film was made as part of an arts festival called Bumbershoot. This was when I first started realizing it was time to quit -- too tired of packaging my anxiety-ridden thoughts and stop-motion film techniques into provincial little projects designed for the approval of media art panels. Basically, this film says what "Pan With Us" already did, but in an uglier, more recycled way. I let cynicism rule, not wanting to sell anything original for the tiny amount of money I was making, not to mention the rights I was surrendering.
2. "How did the artist do it?"
Photo of Robin Rhode
Robin Rhode’s films are about are very clever and he uses multimedium in his visual language. He is a multidisciplinary artist who uses a variety of visual languages such as photography, performance, drawing and sculpture to create narratives expressed through materials such as soap, charcoal, chalk, and paint. I love the fact that he come from a multicultural background. He has insights to various worlds, and he gives a new perspective to his art. I really appreciate how he used 2d space and was able to photograph it into give it a 3D look. I found these two videos to be very clever and inspirational.
Photo of David Russo
David Russo’s films deals with the ancient Greek god Pan and in “I am (Not) van Gogh” deals with creation. Both films use quick cuts, animation, and photograph. I enjoyed the fact that in the “I am (Not) van Gogh” voice over is very different from the action and subject of the video. I enjoyed how an artist can tell two different stories sound and visual in the same video. Both videos use very simple images that are animated. These animated images move across the video and gives each video life from these inanimate photographs.
3. "Why did the artist create it and what does it mean”
All these artists want to use simple drawings and photographs to give “life” and movement in their videos. Watching these four videos gave me many ideas for my homework assignment “Obstruction #2”. With very limited resources a video artist can make very interesting and exciting videos.
4. Is it a good artwork? Yes, this is good artwork because each video uses imagery to tell its story. Using very simple photographs and drawings, a filmmaker can bring movement and life to their videos.