There were some questions I needed to ask about this performance, so I e-mailed Harmon asking him to describe exactly what happens. He sent me this: "I perform live, controlling the speed and brightness of each projector with a custom made mixer. I project multiple images over-lapped onto a single screen. The images are mostly found footage, much of which has been manipulated by hand with both physical and chemical processes. The narrative flow of the piece is dictated by the content of the documentary on McLuhan that I will be working with and developing over. I work in front of the crowd, pick up the visual I am creating on a small screen via DV camera and re-project it above me onto a big screen via video projection." Got it? Support visiting filmmakers, and check out a one-of-a-kind film experience while you're at it.
Speaking of odd events that pop up seemingly out of nowhere, the University of Washington's Department of Slavic Languages and Literature will be screening eight short Polish avant-garde films from the '30s and '40s in UW's HUB Auditorium (Room 112). It's their way of celebrating 50 years of Polish language instruction, which I like, and it's free and open to the public, which I like even more. The event takes place on Saturday, October 18, at 8:00 p.m.
In conjunction with the UW's "Interdisciplinary Conference on Fellini and His Legacy," there is a host of Fellini stuff happening around town. The Henry Art Gallery has an exhibition of Fellini's erotic drawings of women, the UW's Suzzallo Library is displaying photos by Tazio Secchiaroli from the set of 8 1/2, and along with a bunch of vintage posters, the Seattle Art Museum is showing a series of classic Fellini films. This week it's showing Juliet of the Spirits (Fri Oct 17), Satyricon (Sun Oct 19), and Amarcord (Mon Oct 20). For more information, go to www.felliniana.org.
Heck, as long as we're touring through the international scene, allow me to shift your attention to Asia. South Korea has been developing its own unique voice in the realm of international cinema lately, and recently it hosted an intensive film seminar. Our own 911 Media Arts Center was one of the organizations invited to attend, and South Korean Jetlag (Fri Oct 17) is a celebration of that trip, where they'll be showing a selection of short films made there, a documentary about the experience, and a showcase of Korean indie films.
