Elisa27sept

Draft 2

The Rugcutters

The Rugcutters is a short film emphasizing the tropes and cliches of film noir. The two central characters are hands personified as gendered figures. The set is a series of hallways and stage constructed entirely out of rugs. It begins with a femme fatale hand meandering sensually into the space to the tune of mysterious music. A masculine hand, stands stoically watching television in another room. The feminine hand wanders to the stage where curtains open to meet an audience. She begins to sing an Edith Piaf song. The masculine hand continues watching television. The song ends, the curtains close. No applause. The end.

I acquired scraps and leftovers of rugs from a department store and used them to construct sculptures and props to photograph. I imagined living in a home where every surface is covered in rugs and the atmosphere always resembles film noir. Using these rugs, cardboard, fabric, and one metal rod, I constructed maze like hallways that led to a stage. My only prop within the space was a salt and pepper shaker shaped like a television. During the filming process, I used my iPhone and directed my parents’ hands as actors.

I was interested in the tactile and atmospheric qualities that rugs and other home goods provide for a home in both theatrical and sinister ways. During this time I was photographing hanging rugs in department stores. Using my flash to flatten the space, I would walk through rows of rugs as if to enter another world. This film allowed me to enter a space where gender could be created merely by using movement and gestures, and that the interior decor itself could also become a performance of gender, class, and culture.

Borrowed Language

Borrowed Language is a body of photographic work blurring the lines of documentation, fabrication, and performance using American revolutionary war re-enactments as a backdrop. This includes scenes of battle and ballrooms of modern Americans dressed in uniform and gowns of the Patriots, Loyalists, the French, and others involved in this war. Many of the photographs depict young women performing as male soldiers fighting alongside mostly older men. Most are white, though some people of color are also involved. The locations are around New York and New Jersey’s historic battle fields and buildings that these events took place in.

Utilizing 120 Portra color film and techniques such as flash I create a tension between the historical aesthetics and contemporary life. It flattens, saturates, and manipulates light within these portraits, landscapes, and dance scenes as to create a spotlight and stage. The performers themselves are enthusiastic and welcoming to this collaboration, often pleased by my presence to “document”. I combine both spontaneous shots, as well as intentionally posed scenes. Going back and forth between these techniques of picture making I emphasize both the hand we have in, as well as the lack of control in the narrative of history.

I began attending these events because two young women I know participated as soldiers. Though female-identifying, they are in fact of an age that is more historically accurate than most of the male participants. Initially, I was interested in the performance of gender, American masculinity, and heroism. Though, eventually I began to focus on the act of performing and educating history. There is an idea within photography that all photographs are constructed realities, even the most journalistic work. The performance of these re-enactments, will always have elements of bias and fabrication, thus creating a new history.

Draft 1

The Rugcutters

What The Rugcutters is a video piece abstracting a story using the tropes and cliches of film noir. The two characters of the story are hands personified as gendered figures. The set is a series of hallways and stage constructed entirely out of rugs. It begins with a feminine hand meandering dramatically into the space to the tune of mysterious music. A masculine hand watches television in another room. The feminine hand wanders to the stage where curtains open to meet an audience. She begins to sing an Edith Piaf song. The masculine hand continues to watch television. The song ends, the curtains close. No applause. The end.

How I acquired scraps and leftovers of rugs from a department store near my parents and used them to construct sculptures and props to photograph. I imagined living in a home where every surface is covered in rugs and the atmosphere is always film noir. Using these rugs, cardboard, fabric, and one metal rod, I constructed maze like hallways that led to a stage. My only prop within the space was a salt and pepper shaker shaped like a television. During the filming process, I used my iPhone and directed my parents’ hands as actors.

Why During this time I was photographing hanging rugs in department stores. I would use my flash to flatten to space and would walk through the rows of rugs as if to enter another world. I was interested in the tactile and atmospheric qualities that rugs and other home goods provide for a home in both theatrical and sinister ways. I wanted to create a film where the interior decor could also become a performance of gender, culture, and class.

Borrowed Language

What Borrowed Language is a body of photographic work blurring the lines of documentation, fabrication, and performance using American revolutionary war reenactments as a backdrop. This includes scenes of battle and ballrooms of modern Americans dressed in uniform and gowns of the Patriots, Loyalists, the French, and others involved in this war. Many of the photographs depict young women performing as male soldiers fighting alongside mostly older men. Most are white, though some people of color are also involved. The locations are around New York and New Jersey’s historic battle fields and buildings that these events took place in.

How These photos were taken using 120 Portra film. I began utilizing techniques such as flash in order to create tension between the historical aesthetics and contemporary life. It flattens, saturates, and manipulates light within these portraits, landscapes, and dance scenes as to create a spotlight and stage. The performers themselves are enthusiastic and welcoming to this collaboration, often pleased by my presence to “document”. I combine both spontaneous shots, as well as intentionally posed scenes. Going back and forth between these techniques of picture making I emphasize both the hand we have, as well as the lack of control in the narrative of history.

Why I began attending these events because two women I know participated as soldiers in these events. Though female-identifying, they are in fact of an age that is more historically accurate than most of the male participants. Initially, I was interested in the performance of gender, American masculinity, and heroism. Though, eventually I began to focus on the act of performing and educating history. There is an idea within photography that all photographs are constructed realities, even the most journalistic work. The intent of these re-creations, will always have elements of bias and fabrication, thus creating a new history