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Stills from the selection of films in this month's MIA screening, "Favorites from AXWFF," include Sasha Waters Freyer's "You Can See the Sun in Late December" (2010). (Courtesy of Alanna Simone / December 22, 2012) |
Alanna Simone and Carolyn Radlo are two talented and creative artists based in Pasadena who collaborate on producing socially and politically provocative video art. They also happen to be mother and daughter, a fact they are reticent to admit when first meeting them. “I always refer to my mother as Carolyn when I talk about the work,” smiles Simone. “Being mother and daughter usually comes up much later in the conversation.”
“It's pretty special and pretty unique that we are working together, but we both feel it's secondary to the work,” says Radlo. The two began collaborating 10 years ago when Simone was attending Brooks Institute, but art has always been an integral part of their lives. Radlo was a painter before moving into the video world.
“When Alanna was a babe in arms she was going to galleries and museums,” Radlo says with a laugh. “She grew up with a love of film and making her own experimental pieces when she was in high school.”
Simone has also now taken on a new curator role creating the Moving Image Art series at the Pasadena Armory Center. The series on the fourth Friday of each month features the work of artists locally, nationally and internationally who use the medium of the moving image.
“Being a video artist myself, it is tough to get venues to show the work. Most galleries do not regularly show video art,” says Simone. “I was thrilled the Armory was so welcoming in supporting this ongoing project. It's my first curatorial role, so it's been very exciting and a great learning experience.
“Making a moving image is not like a traditional narrative film. It's all sorts of different work, but I'm showing what makes the most sense in a gallery setting like a moving painting,” Simone adds. “A feature film is like a novel; video art is like poetry. It's telling a story in a different way.”
This month's program on Dec. 28 will be guest curated by New York video artist Lili White, who founded Another Exchange by Women Film Festival, which promotes the work of women making experimental film and videos. The 90-minute program at the Armory — “Favorites from AXWFF” — will highlight the work of 18 women.
“The themes are pretty broad. There are a number of films about mother-and-child relationships, while one film is a memorial to a friend that passed away. There is a whole range of different stories presented,” says Simone.
The evening will also include a work by Simone and Radlo made in 2010 called “and this forest will be a desert” — a stop-motion animation about global warming, panic and fear.
“There are so many incredible women working in the field, but it's a sad statistic that only 3% of exhibiting artists across all fields of art are women,” says Radlo. “There is a great need to highlight their incredible work.”
As the series continues, Simone sees the repertoire expanding. January will feature two programs. The first on Jan. 25 will be a selection of video art dealing with memory. The following day, MIA will host an additional program, “Water, Water Everywhere,” a traveling exhibition of video art and documentaries with five hours of programming shown in four screenings throughout the day, each followed by short discussions with the artists.
“By providing a regular screening series, people are getting an education on what is out there and seeing how exciting this medium has become. There is so much change in technology, and so much is possible with so much ease,” says Simone. “I am also seeing so much work coming from countries in northern Africa and the Middle East. It will be great to showcase so much great work from around the world.”
KATHERINE TULICH writes about film and culture for Marquee.
What: MIA presents, “Favorites from AXWFF,” a selection of favorites from the Another Experiment by Women Film Festival, NYC; part of the ongoing Moving Image Art series every fourth Friday
When: Friday, Dec. 28, 7 p.m.
Where: The Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena
Tickets and info: A donation of $5 is suggested. For more info, see MIAscreen.com or contact newsletter@MIAscreen.com
“It's pretty special and pretty unique that we are working together, but we both feel it's secondary to the work,” says Radlo. The two began collaborating 10 years ago when Simone was attending Brooks Institute, but art has always been an integral part of their lives. Radlo was a painter before moving into the video world.
“When Alanna was a babe in arms she was going to galleries and museums,” Radlo says with a laugh. “She grew up with a love of film and making her own experimental pieces when she was in high school.”
Simone has also now taken on a new curator role creating the Moving Image Art series at the Pasadena Armory Center. The series on the fourth Friday of each month features the work of artists locally, nationally and internationally who use the medium of the moving image.
“Being a video artist myself, it is tough to get venues to show the work. Most galleries do not regularly show video art,” says Simone. “I was thrilled the Armory was so welcoming in supporting this ongoing project. It's my first curatorial role, so it's been very exciting and a great learning experience.
“Making a moving image is not like a traditional narrative film. It's all sorts of different work, but I'm showing what makes the most sense in a gallery setting like a moving painting,” Simone adds. “A feature film is like a novel; video art is like poetry. It's telling a story in a different way.”
This month's program on Dec. 28 will be guest curated by New York video artist Lili White, who founded Another Exchange by Women Film Festival, which promotes the work of women making experimental film and videos. The 90-minute program at the Armory — “Favorites from AXWFF” — will highlight the work of 18 women.
“The themes are pretty broad. There are a number of films about mother-and-child relationships, while one film is a memorial to a friend that passed away. There is a whole range of different stories presented,” says Simone.
The evening will also include a work by Simone and Radlo made in 2010 called “and this forest will be a desert” — a stop-motion animation about global warming, panic and fear.
“There are so many incredible women working in the field, but it's a sad statistic that only 3% of exhibiting artists across all fields of art are women,” says Radlo. “There is a great need to highlight their incredible work.”
As the series continues, Simone sees the repertoire expanding. January will feature two programs. The first on Jan. 25 will be a selection of video art dealing with memory. The following day, MIA will host an additional program, “Water, Water Everywhere,” a traveling exhibition of video art and documentaries with five hours of programming shown in four screenings throughout the day, each followed by short discussions with the artists.
“By providing a regular screening series, people are getting an education on what is out there and seeing how exciting this medium has become. There is so much change in technology, and so much is possible with so much ease,” says Simone. “I am also seeing so much work coming from countries in northern Africa and the Middle East. It will be great to showcase so much great work from around the world.”
KATHERINE TULICH writes about film and culture for Marquee.
What: MIA presents, “Favorites from AXWFF,” a selection of favorites from the Another Experiment by Women Film Festival, NYC; part of the ongoing Moving Image Art series every fourth Friday
When: Friday, Dec. 28, 7 p.m.
Where: The Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena
Tickets and info: A donation of $5 is suggested. For more info, see MIAscreen.com or contact newsletter@MIAscreen.com
