Since the beginning, film has been identified by the presence of its narrative structure and the use of cinematic elements such as dialogue, props and sequence of events. In contrast, video art is known to be more experimental and its emphasis leans towards the portrayal of time, space and form. In Bill Viola’s “Reflection”, a 6-minute sequence portrays ideas of rebirth and baptism whereas Apichatpong Warasethakul’s “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” narrates a story about reincarnation. Both works do a great job at baffling viewers at first glance. However, by digging deeper, one can extract the message that both artists are trying to convey which revolves around the human condition, especially the cycle of life, reincarnation …show more content…
“Reflection”, in essence, is classified as Video Art, that runs for 6 minutes long whereas “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” is a film that runs for 1 hour and 30 minutes. “Reflection” begins with a view of forest surrounding a pool in the foreground. As an unidentified man is about to jump in, he is suspended in mid air in a fetal position as if he is being frozen in time whereas his surrounding – the trees and the water - continues moving . The reflection projected on the surface then becomes the focus as it changes and the viewers see silhouettes of people walking up and down, in contrast to the surrounding that is quite static. “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” is set in an agrarian environment in Thailand, near the borders of Laos and Cambodia. Uncle Boonmee is the protagonist, supported by a few other characters such as his late wife’s sister Auntie Jen, his Lao caretaker Jaai and a foreign worker Tong who is residing in his home. Uncle Boonmee is suffering from a kidney infection and is preparing for his …show more content…
Firstly, they adopt quite a naturalistic colour scheme. In “Reflection”, the most dominant colour is green as it is set in an unknown forest, although colours appear to be slightly oversaturated. In “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”, there is a mixture of natural and man-made backdrops, but they are kept simple. The main difference in terms of cinematography for both works is the framing and the composition. In “Reflection”, Viola employs the use of symmetrical composition throughout the entire video that evokes a sense of balance and calmness amidst the strange visuals - the man suspended in mid air and the reflections on the water that changes periodically among the almost static surrounding. Whereas in “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”, Warasethakul mostly employed the rule of thirds in majority of the scenes – the objects and the actors are strategically placed such that the emphasis is on them, based on the rule of thirds. Both “Reflection” and “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” employ the use of sunlight. In “Reflection”, time of the day is denoted by the colour change of the water whereas in “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”, shadows casted or the lack of thereof indicates time of the day, contrasted with hues of blue during the night
The imagery used in the two poems is very similar at times. Both authors describe to the readers a picturesque view of nature, like plants blooming in the springs. Proof of this is found in “Lone Bather'; : “ is plant with lilies bursting from its heels.'; Similarly, in “The Swimmer'; the first
figure of the same name. The alteration of the story into the visual medium of cinema is
Thomas Merton once said “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” What is art? Art contain ways for people to express themselves through different means. One can sculpt, paint or draw; it really depends on how the person wants to express himself/herself. When people think of art, they tend to think of Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo or even Leonardo da Vinci. Yes, these long established artists paved the way, but art contains so much more. Art can include so many meanings and as a whole continues to evolve. Bill Viola portrays the way that art can change through time and with technology. Bill Viola helped discover video art. He received a Bachelor in Fine Art from the University of Syracuse in 1973. He knew art contained ways for him to express himself through different outlets. His art demonstrates different aspects of life and experiences. He primarily focuses on experiences such as life, death and even how one perceives different events. He takes different experiences and displays the art through video. The works that demonstrate his views the most include Isolde's ascension - The shape of light in the space after death 2005, Passage into Night 2005 and Earth, Air, Fire, Water 2014.
Bordwell David and Thompson, Kristen. Film Art: An Introduction. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008.
Bordwell, David. “The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice.” Film Theory and Criticism. Eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. Oxford University Press, 2009: 649-657.
Both authors use figurative language to help develop sensory details. In the poem It states, “And I sunned it with my smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles.” As the author explains how the character is feeling, the reader can create a specific image in there head based on the details that is given throughout the poem. Specifically this piece of evidence shows the narrator growing more angry and having more rage. In the short story ” it states, “We are below the river's bed. The drops of moisture trickle among bones.” From this piece of text evidence the reader can sense the cold dark emotion that is trying to be formed. Also this excerpt shows the conflict that is about to become and the revenge that is about to take place. By the story and the poem using sensory details, they both share many comparisons.
The statement Junger and Heatherington made with their film Restrepo was a powerful one. This is exactly the purpose of Cinema Verite, to give voice to the truth. Many argue that the verite style presents a manipulative version of reality because the editing is used to influence the audience, dramatizing the events on screen, focused on eliciting a certain emotional response. It is also often criticized for being more reportage that artistic expression. However, as with all modern art, especially that in the film industry because of its wide audience and influence, Cinema Verite reflects the zeitgeist in which it was produced. There is a thirst for the truth, even in the harshest of realities. Artists, no matter their medium, strive for this.
Although both poems are set in the same environment, and that the visual structure of the poems are similar. Once you look deeper and analysis the poems it becomes clear that they have been written in very different styles, and very different but as powerful emotions running through them i.e. grief and resignment. One poet has a future to look forward to; the other knows that death is around the corner. One poet could not have for scene a death, the other is questioning weather the ‘black diamond dust’ was worth it on reflection.
Imagine you can own one of the famous painting in the world. Which one would it be? What will you do with it? If I got to own a famous painting, I would hang it in my bedroom and I’ll show it to my family. In this situation, If needed to narrow it down it will be The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali or Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. These paintings are extremely different, and their artistic movement is opposite from one another. By the end of this essay, you’re going to know the differences and similarities of these paintings.
Bordwell, David, and Kristin Thompson. Film Art: An Introduction. 5th ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, 1997.
Postmodernism is a vague term that can describe a variety of disciplines that include, architecture, art, music, film, fashion, literature…etc. (Klages). In the case of “Videotape”, postmodern literature would be the main focus or area of study. This type of literature emerged in the era that succeeded World War II and relies heavily on the use of techniques such as, fragmentation, the creation of paradoxes, and questionable protagonists. Furthermore, postmodern literature also exudes ambiguity and critical thinking where the focus is mainly on the reader and his/her experience of the work rather than the content and form. Building upon that, the selected passag...
Postmodernism theory when associated with films can be represented as the delay of skepticism audience is broken in order to free public understanding of the work of the director. Small alterations are made to create a different and important meaning in the vision of the public. The director has created a work of art that takes the audience of conventional and emotional attachment to the subject, creating a new point of view.
Bordwell, David, and Kristin Thompson. Film Art: An Introduction. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.
...ifferent visual concepts and musical composers, recently Phillip Glass. There is one thing for certain, music still becomes a primary component of her work. Take for example the words of Paola Ferreiro speaking about Neshat's recent work Zarin (2005), “There is practically no dialogue in the video. With the omission of voice, dramatic acting and soundtrack become the communication devices for the narrative. The lack of dialogue gives the viewer interpretative freedom, especially if they are ignorant of the original inspirational text.” (Ferrairo) I will undoubtedly keep Turbulent, Rapture, and Soliloquy close to my heart, as they are her most powerful works of art due to the fact that the sounds drive the entire emotional interpretation of the pieces. However, it is just as intriguing analyzing how Shirin Neshat
‘Then came the films’; writes the German cultural theorist Walter Benjamin, evoking the arrival of a powerful new art form at the end of 19th century. By this statement, he tried to explain that films were not just another visual medium, but it has a clear differentiation from all previous mediums of visual culture.