Song of Myself | under supervision of Jonathan Miller
Task: Develop an image of place using learned history of landscape art and its continually evolving means of representing the natural world.
Response: This segment of film attempts to investigate the relationship between self and mortality and how this interaction is embodied within nature. While observing the relationship between nature and culture, Novak states that nature is the organism through which the universal spirit speaks to the individual, as well as the inevitable fall of man’s self. Nature’s permanence as well as its constant role as backdrop to the continual rise and fall of civilizations and leaders is a constant reminder to man of his own temporality. Novak herself states that “mortality is a notion indispensible to the nature-worship machine”, suggesting that landscape exists as a surface upon which religious, moral, philosophic, and cultural ideas may be continuously projected and re-projected. Ultimately it does not matter whether or not man accepts nature’s message as his attempts at control are futile – they exist only within the human imposition of time.
The above is a compilation of footage taken from a longer film.
Acropolis/Around | under supervision of Jonathan Miller
Task: Depict place/idea using learned history of cinema and the manner in which it has depicted the built environment throughout history.
Response: Within Chicago lies an unrecognized acropolis - a lingering monument to past cultural an natural events - which stands proudly against contemporary monuments of the city. This acropolis contrasts sharply with its direct surroundings - the 'around' - which are nothing more than hollow shells for hollow lives of consumerism and imagined wealth. While the acropolis is a symbol of aspiration and achievement, the around are towers built in honor of false idols.
The acropolis is an environment of sensory stimulation while the around is a subdued palette of monotony.