I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Zoe Beloff a few years ago and seeing her 3-D projection of Charming Augustine. I am continually inspired by her incredibly intriguing work. Beloff works with many media, including "film, projection performance, installation and drawing. She considers herself a medium, an interface between the living and the dead, the real and the imaginary." Beloff explores the space between the living and the dead with fervor and without fear. She truly delves into that which fascinates her and dedicates herself to exploration through her art. She has a distinct style and subject matter, which are unique to her point of view in the world.
Beloff's Charming Augustine is a 3-D projection on B&W film. The use of stereoscopic projection made the work seem haunted, fragile and phantasmagoric. "The film is inspired by series of photographs and texts on hysteria published by the great insane asylum in Paris in the 1880's under the title of the Iconographie photographique de la Salpetriere. It is an experimental narrative... [that] explores connections between attempts to document [Augustine's] mental states and the prehistory of narrative film." Though I saw the work years ago, I clearly remember the sense of wonder and amazement I felt upon viewing.
It reminded me of the first time I saw a 3-D film in Korea, which is a long and reflective story that requires another post or outlet. What remains with me if Beloff's ability to evoke the past and memories with her work. She does this through the form and content of her work, but also through her careful examination of the medium, and the experience that the chosen medium will grant to the viewer. I'm currently in the process of carefully poring through Beloff's interactive video installation, titled The Influencing Machine of Miss Natalija A. It's captivating. Experience it yourself.
Beloff's Charming Augustine is a 3-D projection on B&W film. The use of stereoscopic projection made the work seem haunted, fragile and phantasmagoric. "The film is inspired by series of photographs and texts on hysteria published by the great insane asylum in Paris in the 1880's under the title of the Iconographie photographique de la Salpetriere. It is an experimental narrative... [that] explores connections between attempts to document [Augustine's] mental states and the prehistory of narrative film." Though I saw the work years ago, I clearly remember the sense of wonder and amazement I felt upon viewing.
Beloff, Charming Augustine
