I was completely enthralled by ANTIGONE at LAXART Gallery, the latest Video Installation by Mark Boulos.
Actress Catherine Carlen was recently referred to me by longtime client and friend Actress Sharon Lawrence. The two met while working on the short film The Bridge Partner, which just wrapped production. Sharon kindly gave out my information, as she’s done countless times before, to Catherine who was looking for someone to reshape her hair. While in the chair, Carlen invited me to attend the premiere of Antigone, a new Video Installation by Mark Boulos.
The Culver City ArtWalk was packed with Angelenos out enjoying the warm September evening. I managed to slip into a few of my favorite galleries along the way, namely GEORGE BILLIS and FRESH PAINT, before entering the LAXART gallery. Catherine had given me a brief synopsis of what to expect, however, this premiere was also her first time seeing the completed Video Installation. I was transfixed by the three floating screens that could be viewed from both sides, which also gave us the opportunity to take a few selfies and art photos of our own. The installation was edited together in a way that would give the performers the illusion of literally watching each other. One actress spoke candidly from her own experience as the two on the screens beside her reenacted her words. The objective was to muddle the line between enacted performances and documentary accounts, as the three performers spoke in unison. The process of getting to the finished piece took considerable work. The women worked off and on for several months exploring truth in method acting. They each shared personal stories, and were then asked to memorize the words of the other women and relive her experience, all of which was done on film. It takes a great leap of faith for a performer to allow themselves to be this raw in front of a camera and then trust the filmmaker to create a finished product that would stand on its own. It’s truly a collaborative project, and I applaud all of this fine women for fearlessly marching into the fire for the sake of making art. Produced by Matthew Schum, Antigone will travel to Amsterdam, England, Geneva, Singapore and Tanzania.
Runs through October 18, 2014 at LAXART Gallery, 2640 S. La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Clip from ANTIGONE