Coming across more alike to
installation art than a film, TSDoAA by Russell Morton, recent Master of Fine
Art graduate from the University of the Arts, London, is both visually
interesting as well as thoughtfully intricate. The 11 minute piece stars Helena
Freitas, a lady with fiercely red hair, Barry Newton, an old man with a head
full of white strands and an apple Snow White would die for.
Shot in atypical dimensions, the
film opens with the sight of the fruit staring back insolently, alluringly, at
the audience. A few moments later, the lady emerges and caresses the apple
softly and slowly, like a canine playing with its prey. As expected, she bites
the apple after awhile and masticates the mouthful, the lens fixated on her
face; emotive with pleasure gained from the fruit. A biblical allusion
to the temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden, into eating of the forbidden
fruit?
As if knowing that the audience
will be drawn into the picturesque imagery presented, the lady steps back
behind her, to the old man who is apparently sleeping. In slumber, he does not
seem to realize that the lady is removing some of his clothing, exposing his
neck, and it is almost understood that she will be biting into his carotid
arties next. However, as with the apple, the lady strokes his flesh, as if she
is calming the meat or blood before her consumption. There is no conclusion of
the picture revealed to the audience; the final shot is a painting of the two
people in semi-embrace, where the lady looks on intensively at the gasping old
man.
It is gleaned
from TSDoAA that art is an idea which can be consumed; one may see the process
through the entire piece- the sensation that comes from producing the idea,
creating the art and outcome of enjoying it. Though the artist may give birth
to the piece, he or she is absorbed into it and ultimately consumed by the art,
as he is framed into the art piece. During the Q & A session, Morton also
shedded some light on the fascinating title which also justifies the piece;
that art forms, for example, poetry, has to inspire a person, before one writes
a poem. Therefore there is no art that is original, and art thus goes around in
a circle, within a collective process, so any art we see actually has a story,
and that is the silent dialogue of all artworks.
Here is a trailer of the piece.
The silent dialogue of all artworks from Russell Morton on Vimeo.
Review by Gwen K
Gwen is very happy to be writing for SINdie because it marries her love for film and words.
When not reading, writing or making short films with friends during her spare time,
Gwen plays Michelangelo and designs the next piece of artwork that is to be painted on her nails.