Exploring Old Visual Concepts
REINVENTING THE PHYSICAL SPACE
The idea of creating a virtual stage: a physical performing space that would include the metaphysical elements that virtual theater brings to the table, made me revisit SPAZI: a series of photographs I created years back inspired by the works of Italian surrealistic artist Giorgio de Chirico.
Reinventing The Physical Space
The idea of creating a virtual stage: a physical performing space that would include the metaphysical elements that virtual theater brings to the table, made me revisit SPAZI: a series of photographs I created years back inspired by the works of Italian surrealistic artist Giorgio de Chirico.
TO BE CONTINUED
The Virtual Theater Language
BEYOND THE FOURTH WALL
I believe Virtual Theater to be a brand new creative language. While it might share some structural and methodical elements with other languages like live theater, film and video, it also contains unique methods of communication and artistic expression. To think of virtual theater as recorded or broadcasted theater or, as a video or film adaptation of a stage performance, would not only be a shortsighted vision of the platform but also a misapplication of its creative and communicative potential.
The Virtual Theater Language: Beyond The Fourth Wall
I believe Virtual Theater to be a brand new creative language. While it might share some structural and methodical elements with other languages like live theater, film and video, it also contains unique methods of communication and artistic expression. To think of virtual theater as recorded or broadcasted theater or, as a video or film adaptation of a stage performance, would not only be a shortsighted vision of the platform but also a misapplication of its creative and communicative potential.
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Making Sense
A RESILIENT BRAIN STUDY
BARE CHARACTER STUDY VIDEOS
Actor: John-Riley O’Handley
The Bare Character Studies Videos: A Resilient Brain Study
The Bare Character Studies; a series of videos exploring the Bare Character approach beyond the the theatrical language, are perfect examples of what I consider to be very valuable work that could only be shared on a laboratory platform like the one I’m proposing with this website.
Even though the actors participating in the project were aware, from the start, that this was meant to be an experiment and, that the final video was to be just a recording of where they stood after the training and - not a demo reel or promotional video - the end results weren’t exactly what we were expecting so, mostly in consideration for these actors who, no doubt would have been judge by the video and not by their hard work and great spirit of experimentation, I shelved these videos and never shared my findings with anyone until now.
I will be revisiting my notes and sharing with you some of what we discovered about the connection between an actor’s instinctual impulses and his rational approach to acting. I will be reopening this project online for discussion and possibly, further experimentation.
TO BE CONTINUED
TRANSCENDING THE IMPERMEABLE MASK
Like many of my other ideas, projects, realizations, etc., the visual representation of my current personal and creative life came to me in a dream. There I stood in front of a group of people fighting to break out of this impermeable shell - my public self - which with age and the loss of my senses have become hardened and stronger in the last few years. After I woke up, I was able to put everything into perspective and visualize the path to follow to avoid loosing myself completely and becoming the mask.
Awakening The Energy: Inside Out - is the second session from the Awakening The Energy series. After shooting “Recharging”, I thought it would be interesting to play with a “physical shell” rather than just an imaginary one. The large plastic bag I used for these photos not only provide a visual aid for others but more importantly, it helped a great deal in recreating this “bubble” which was both suffocating and isolating, as well as, protective and comforting.
The Impermeable Mask
Like many of my other ideas, projects, realizations, etc., the visual representation of my current personal and creative life came to me in a dream. There I stood in front of a group of people fighting to break out of this impermeable shell - my public self - which with age and the loss of my senses have become hardened and stronger in the last few years. After I woke up, I was able to put everything into perspective and visualize the path to follow to avoid loosing myself completely and becoming the mask.
“To create one’s own world takes courage”
Like many of my other ideas, projects, realizations, etc., the visual representation of my current personal and creative life came to me in a dream. There I stood in front of a group of people fighting to break out of this impermeable shell - my public self - which with age and the loss of my senses have become hardened and stronger in the last few years. After I woke up, I was able to put everything into perspective and visualize the path to follow to avoid loosing myself completely and becoming the mask.
I also recognized this struggle as a constant motivator in my creative work. In the summer of 2021, I experimented with the permeability of masks in a solo virtual theater show: “Becoming a Rose” and began exploring the concept of total deconstruction of the mask in a segment of the show entitled “Secret-Sacred Photo Sessions”. The intimate quality of the new virtual theater language encouraged me to pierce open the mask and establish a direct connection between my inner self and each individual watching the show. “Becoming a Rose” also gave me the opportunity to grow as a visual artist - not in the traditional sense but - as an artist who communicates with images. “Becoming a Rose” also marked the beginning of “Transcending The Impermeable Mask” - a journey of self-exploration journaled with photographs and videos - and because it was an intimate solo show, I had to put in practice my “bring-your-own-menu” approach - in other words - I had to peel off my own mask and could not hide behind another actor’s mask.
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