Bodies of Water video purchased by the City of Ottawa
August, 2019: The City of Ottawa has purchased the video Bodies of Water for its Art Collection.
video still from Bodies of Water, 2013
The Bodies of Water video combines the fluidity of life drawing with video footage of urban reflections in water. It intertwines narratives of human journeys with those of travelling waters in a vivid expression of colour, energy, and motion. Hand-drawn animated figures of all ages mask the rippling water to portray an ongoing flow of humanity, a testament to both constant change and continued endurance. A wide range of emotion is conveyed by the fluctuating character of the water and by peoples’ gestures. Through their posture and manner of movement, the individuals express confidence and frailty, joy and loneliness, nonchalance and playfulness, exuberance and hesitancy. The soundtrack envelops viewers with both abstract and urban-sourced sounds. However, the video has also appeared without sound in numerous public art presentations, in storefront windows and projected onto buildings. Bodies of Water is accessible and easily relatable; the familiarity of people walking provides a welcome entry point into an art experience. Bodies of Water is a precursor to Connect, my 2019 interactive video and audio installation, where imagery is revealed through our own moving bodies.
