The New High
Panorama 2
Cosmopolites are wrong. Happiness is in little things. Housekeeping never was so pleasing and Sky Radio sounds better than ever. Choreographic explorations evoke unprecedented sensual experiences in sultry hotel rooms. With the right pills the living room turns into the perfect location for ‘The New High.’
Cleopatra’s Teeth – Mika Kiburz
USA, 2008, video, 17:00 min
Nearing the end of his life, an oral historian pursues a non-traditional love affair with the most powerful woman of the ancient world. On an expedition to fill the cavities of decay, explicit dental problems coincide with archaeological excavations of Egypts’ history.
The Hose Heads Get Unhosed (Gray Poodle & Shit Heads Getting Shit Faced) – Seth Scriver
Canada, 2008, video , 02:00 min
The Hose Heads Get Unhosed is a collection of animations from stories of living in the northern Canadian bush. Most of the stories are narrated by Seth’s father and brother or are adaptations of their stories. IMPAKT will show two parts, Gray Poodle & Shit Heads Getting Shit Faced.
Hotshot – Camille Verbunt
The Netherlands, 2008, video, 03:52 min
These films are part of a series of mosaic- films that unite many individual and private, yet published experiences into a single frame, a collective experience. This reveals a synchronicity in seemingly unique webcam- and home videos posted on the Internet. The mimicking of other Internet videos is more than the desire to share a personal thrill. Through publishing one becomes part of a larger movement. The mechanical repeti- tion of action and design within this group in turn propels new contributions with small alterations. These so called ‘memes’ (units of cultural transmission or imitation) make up the evolutionary DNA of the Internet. Slow memetic changes in degrees of openness and social behaviour are already detectable. In this video the collective experience of an amusement park attraction is transformed into an abstract light sensation.
Men Seeking Women – Penny Lane
USA, 2007, video, 04:30
A random survey of personal ads one night on Craigslist opens up performative possibilities for a corporate tool.
Perfect Day – Paul Wong
Canada, 2007, video, 07:30 min
A riveting look at a day in the life of the artist that is recorded and edited over a 24 hour period. This poignant self-portrait is pathetic and hilarious, a brave and truthful reveal of Wong’s private other. The title and the sound- track are references to Lou Reed’s song of the same name Its A Perfect Day.
Jennet Thomas – Return of the Black Tower
United Kingdom, 2008, video,
14:40 min
A distinguished looking man (performance artist Richrd Layzell) is apparently trapped in an ever changing void of colour, locked in a power play with a perversely operated cam- era. A mute, caged, charismatic TV presenter het is by turns charming, menacing, educa- tional, confused. At times he appears to have great powers. A voice over tells us extraordi- nary things – how this man is special – the first man to ‘have a baby’. Hallucinogenic flash – frames punctuate the colour field to give us a view of his world’s disturbing and alien futuristic logic. A retro Sci-fi critique of representation. A playful meditation on the idiocies of making sense.
Oh, I’m So Happy – Cecilia Lundqvist
Sweden, 2008, video, 03:07 min
Oh, I’m So Happy is an animated video where we meet a middle-aged woman who is living in total isolation, with extreme loneliness as a result. The woman performs a monologue, in which she tries her best to convince us about how happy and content she is with her present situation. However, her attempt is totally shallow and transparent.
Area of Use – Cecilia Lundqvist
Sweden, 2009, video, 05:12 min
The video Area of Use is an illustration of a housewife’s inner thoughts about alterna- tive ways of using her most common working tools. It is also a manifestation of a sealed existence that exposes a mind which gives a sense of being trapped in a treadmill. This work is closely related to the video Oh, I’m So Happy.
Crystal Gaze – Ursula Mayer
United Kingdom, 2008, 16mm > video, 08:00 min
In the Crystal Gaze three women occupy a lavish setting, namely in the magnificently art deco rooms of the Eltham Palace in London. With help of these women, who are wearing impeccable period clothing and pearl jewelry – reminiscent of the excessive 1920’s – Ursula Mayer is able to create a visual paral- lel to the tradition of the classical Hollywood film and it’s iconic actors. In contrast to her previous films, there is a script – however it is in the form of single statements, mono- logues and quotes. Cinematic role-playing shows a complicated web of dramatization, camera and staging.
Close Encounter – Zak Tatham
Canada, 2008, video, 06:36 min
Trying to touch and give advice to yourself does not really work without an edgy love triangle or a good workout that’s not just physical.