The Triple Absurdist Play House & Film Project at 163 Sterling Road

* Christina Kozak and Art Szombathy on set in the Triple Absurdist Play House 

For the month of February 253469 works out of 163 Sterling Road to create the Triple Absurdist Play House & Film Project.  A group of Toronto artists will create, collaborate and perform for the camera under the direction of Wesley Rickert. 

The 253469 film project process and approach is based in art making and collaborative creation with little connection to the film model of script and traditional instruction.  Instead artists are invited to enter a space designed to develop and express their ideas within the parameters set by the director, using and making objects, costumes and movements.  It sounds something like art school but its really more of a collective agreement with a captain steering the ship.

While Rickert controls the camera and editing, the other half of the project is headed by Kathleen Reichelt who provides the tools for artists, if they choose, to prepare for their performance through drawing, painting, sculpture, audio and discussion.  There is room for costume and prop making and for creating work that won't be in the film but is still part of the project through its creation in the space during this time.

Each filming session is an opportunity for the artists involved to participate in multiple ways.  The ultimate goal is to film the performers and capture the magic of their performance.  But sometimes the magic in art making can't solely be captured on film.  The energy and ideas that are generated by object based creation are directed to the camera and though gratification may come through performing, the participating artist may have a more immediate sense of gratification through the object which was created directly or indirectly for the film.  Ultimately the immediate object view is something the film can't provide in the same way.  Even if the video can be played back instantaneously, its not an object that's  tactile and can't be held or touched.  This does not take away from the ultimate experience of the film as the end result, but may be different to the performer's experience.

As the month of February progresses Rickert will be filming the performances and Reichelt will be safeguarding the objects that are made.  At the end of the month there will be an exhibition in the Sterling Road space.



Post Film Exhibition