2018 Triennial Archive

Alix Pearlstein

Please note: MONØGRAM is best viewed in full screen at 1080p, please check to be sure you are viewing the film in high resolution by clicking on the gear icon on the bottom right of the film. 

 

MONØGRAM

The Camera is positioned on a tripod at the farthest point from the rear of the absolute center of the cyclorama.

The piece is Structured as series of passes.

Each pass is a single take.

Each pass is consistent in speed / duration.

Each pass begins with the camera zoomed in to the rear wall of the cyc.

The camera then zooms out for 20 seconds, to the point that reveals the maximum possible widest framing of the cyc.

When it reaches that point, the camera holds still for 15 seconds.

The camera then zooms back in for 20 seconds, to the rear wall of the cyc.

The passes follow a relay pattern through three Cycles of solos, pairs and trios.

Each cycle reconfigures the possible combinations / permutations of 3 actors through positions that maintaincarry over or switch.

Each cycle is made distinct through shifts or adjustments to action and wardrobe.

POV, Framing, Marks, Camera Movement, Speed / Durations, Exposure and Lighting remain constant.

All Action aggregates along the central axis of the cyc.

Orientation is frontal towards the camera.

As the camera zooms out, the actor(s) enter from the side(s) of the cyc.

As the camera zooms in, the actor(s) exit to the side(s) of the cyc.

The entrance and exit movements include a pause or two while feeling out the space, the distance between actors and the distance relative to the zoom, while moving towards and away from the marks – these movements will vary from pass to pass.

Orientation for entrance movements is towards the camera.

Orientation for exit movements includes a few steps walking away from the camera, a turn and / or a few steps walking backwards facing towards the camera.

Entrances, Holds and Exits will be cued.

As the camera zooms out, the configurations of solo, pair or trio coalesce.

Three marks in a row will be located at the point of a tight full body frame (frame on Christen).

Once at their marks, actors take their positions, gaze to the camera / viewer and hold for 15 seconds.

These holds while still are not static or frozen.

As the camera zooms back in, the configurations of solo, pair or trio disperse.

Lighting is bright, flat and cool.

Audio is ambient – foot steps, movement and breath.

Wardrobe is solid black, black with texture or detail, off black, black dominant prints; each actor has two looks with variations (change of shoes, sleeves rolled up or down, blouse buttoned or unbuttoned); One look for 2 consecutive cycles.

1st Cycle – neutral / neutral

Pass #1 – Stacey – middle, standing

Pass #2 – Stacey & Christen – left, standing / middle, standing (dress)

Pass #3 – Stacey & Christen & Steven – left, standing / middle, standing (dress) / right, sitting

Pass #4 – Christen & Steven – right, standing (dress) / middle, sitting

2nd Cycle – neutral / warm

Pass #5 – Steven – middle, standing

Pass #6 – Steven & Stacey – left, standing / middle, standing (dress) – hold hands*

Pass #7 – Steven & Stacey & Christen – left, standing / middle, standing (dress) – hold hands* / right, sitting

Pass #8 – Stacey & Christen – right, standing (dress) / middle, sitting – Christen glance at Stacey*

3rd Cycle – neutral / fierce

Pass #9 – Christen – middle, standing

Pass #10 – Christen & Steven – left, standing / middle, standing (short sleeves)

Pass #11 – Christen & Steven & Stacey – left, standing / middle, standing (short sleeves) / right, sitting

Pass #12 – Steven & Stacey – middle, sitting / right, standing (short sleeves)

 

Actors: Christen Clifford, Stacey Karen Robinson, Steven Rattazzi
DP, Post-Production, Conform: Sarah Lasley
AC: Aylon Ben-Ami
Production Manager: Nick Rymer
PA: Elana Steinberg
Still Photographer: Nathan Fitch
Audio Mix: Paul Geluso
Director, Editor, Producer: Alix Pearlstein
Filmed at Acme Studio, Brooklyn NY

 


Artist Biography

Alix Pearlstein’s practice spans video, performance, installation and sculpture. Through a focus on the human and figurative, Pearlstein exploits the legacies of minimalism, structuralist film and postmodern dance to create an affective space between viewer and subject, the spatial and the psychological. She often works with ensemble groups of actors, mining their professional skills and subjectivity to explore behavior, relationships, group dynamics and social constructs, while foregrounding the codes of acting and performance.

Selected solo exhibitions include Upfor Gallery, Portland OR; On Stellar Rays, NYC; deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln, MA; Ballroom Marfa, Texas; Atlanta Contemporary Art Center; CAM, St. Louis; The Kitchen, NYC; MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge MA and MCA, Chicago. Performances have been seen at Art Basel, Miami; The Park Avenue Armory; Esopus Space and Salon 94, NYC. Works have been included in exhibitions at Whitechapel, London; ParaSite, Hong Kong; The New Museum, NYC; INOVA, Milwaukee; MoBY-Museums of Bat Yam, Israel; Internationale D’Art De Quebec; Annual Exhibition of Visual Art, Ireland; The Whitney Museum, NYC; SMAK, Ghent, Belgium; Biennale de Lyon, France, The Guggenheim NYC and MoMA, NYC. She is a recipient of the Foundation for Contemporary Arts 2011 Grants to Artists Award, serves on the Board of Governors of The Skowhegan School, and is on the faculty of the SVA MFA Program. She lives and works in NYC and Orient, NY.

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