If Time Were Tactile
2022, Super-8 Moving Picture
“The Nature of Memory” - Mahon Hall
Curators ― Stefanie Denz + Chris Arnett
‘If Time were Tactile’ explores the nature of memory and how it may be processed, fragmented and recreated from within the playful perspective of a child. As Mahon Hall posed as the backdrop for the diverse experiences of countless children who have lived on Salt Spring from its inception, it was the perfect place to stage this jostled, non-linear reflection of memory as a constantly shifting concept. The format of a moving image an expression of transition.
Requesting the participation of my own children and a group of their friends, I had costumes made for them, to give the film a period appearance. Imagining them as such thereby gave them their own authentic, tactile experiences as turn of the century youngsters. I also chose to shoot on actual Super-8 film stock to give the piece a true analog and sensory feeling. While not being true to a specific period, using this film stock fragments the timeline of historical accuracy and focuses more on an emotional element of reflection. Inspired by “The Actuality Film” (a non-fiction genre dating back to 1895), I decided to stick to mostly in-camera edits with no intended story-line. We are here with no objective but to witness.
By shooting in portrait orientation with an intended 9:16 ratio, I am forcing the viewer to shift their perspective by distorting a snapshot of the past into a format we are now used to viewing modern content in; ie, instagram stories. A blending of the past with the present.
By zooming in to a vertical (as opposed to horizontal orientation) it may also suggest that perhaps the sides of a certain story may be missing. The viewer sees only what it is given a portal into seeing. Focus is centred on the playful nature of children in community with each other as opposed to what might be the bigger picture in a time of colonialist change. A messy hand-held style of shooting captures an innocent and embryonic perspective of a time.
The film is shot on three super-8 film rolls, each roughly three minutes long. The form itself a reference to any three part structure; Birth, Life & Death / Beginning, Middle and End. The songs that accompany the footage are of the era and chosen for their similar reflection of these cyclical references. Though, if one listens closely to the lyrics you can catch outdated ideologies and concepts founded in antiquated ways of thinking about childhood, adulthood and the relevant interconnected functionings of society.
Credits:
Concept, Camera & Editing by Annika Hagen Siemsen
Costumes by Jana Reidel Creutz
Film Developed by Niagara Custom Lab
Digital Scanning by Frame Discreet
Participants:
Elsa Siemsen, Isabela Siemsen, Gabriele Szul Quirico, Leokadia Estelle Szul Quirico, Giada Taylaur Stefani, Layla Powers, Iris Applewhaite, Macy Applewhaite, Jasper Billy Egan, Larkin Mae Hemstreet, Oliver Truman Thring, Zavy Van Ommen
Special Thanks To: Mahon Hall, Salt Spring Arts Council, Bullock Lake Farm, Piet Suess, Anna-Karolina Szul, Stefanie Denz & Chris Arnett
Music in the Public Domain:
School Days - 1907 recorded by Byron G. Harlan, written by Will D. Cobb and Gus Edwards.
Since Mother Goes to Movie Shows - 1916 recorded by Billy Murray written by Albert Von Tilzer and Was McCarron.
Smiles - 1918 recorded by Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra, written by Lee Roberts.