Multimedia Installation (Series)
Liar Liar
A commentary on time and the ephemeral nature of all things, Liar Liar (Pants On Fire) is a multimedia installation featuring a range of looping and non-looping interconnected videos, and a series of prints.
Project
Overview
Owner
The Girl Mirage
A Geena Media brand, The Girl Mirage is Geena Matuson's pseudonym as multidisciplinary artist using the strange and surreal to shine a light on individual and societal perceptions. Stylistically, her work plays with language and patterns, cognitive dissonance and ephemerality, often using the medium itself as a means to communicate a message. Multimedia techniques include multi-channel and looping video installations, Kuleshov Effect, and one-shot filmmaking, with mixed media including 16mm film, video, traditional and digital painting, photography, audio and sound design.
Concept
Liar Liar (Pants On Fire)
Liar Liar (Pants on Fire) is a multimedia installation featuring a series of art prints and a range of both looping and non-looping interconnected videos. A commentary on time and the ephemeral nature of all things, this series is able to exist forever in the present based on both the content presented by the media, as well as by virtue of the media, itself.
Group gallery show "TransFIREmation" was developed to feature the series, as the physical interactivity between viewer and art is essential to the installation's statement. In addition to the videos in this series, the six-panel 24x36" print series depicts burning curtains that may display the progressive transformation of curtains ravaged—or rebuilt—by fire, all based on the direction in which the viewer interacts with the series in the gallery space.
Gallery Show
TransFIREmation: Group Juried Exhibition
A self-produced group juried exhibition "TransFIREmation" was created to house the "Liar Liar" series, alongside artists working in a variety of media that either by media or message reflect ephemerality.
Liar Liar (Pants on Fire)
Specifications
Multimedia Installation (Series)
Pre-Production
Ideated original concept with storyboards; created shot lists and visual renderings for all videos, and their spatial use in an installation.
Producing
Research, strategy and execution from production through to physical installation; scouting, sourcing and management of equipment, location and production with regard to safety; hired and scheduled professional fire spinner to manage fire safety and execute project.
Directing & Cinematography
Directed crew on location on schedule. Cinematography using HD video camera.
Worked with professional fire spinner to create fire content with regard to both accuracy and safety.
Print & Post-Production
Designed and printed range of giclée prints ranging in size from 4x6" to 24x36".
Digital video and audio file management; video editing and color grading with Final Cut; audio editing with ProTools, mixing music and sound effects.
Gallery Installation
Concepted, designed and executed juried group gallery exhibition "TransFIREmation" to feature series, including: event marketing, production, communication and management with artists and physical venue, plus installation and management of all A/V and artist work.
Marketing & Communications
Generated gallery show call for art across print and digital; jury selection process, artist communications, and administrative; hiring and scheduling of gallery assistants.
Production
Credits
Crew
Creative Direction & Cinematography: Geena Matuson
Fire Spinner: Jeremy Day
Post-Production & Installation: Geena Matuson
Portfolio
Visual Samples
Art Print Series
Curtains on Fire
Overview: This 6-panel, large-scale print installation involves a curtain with a quaint print burning on a clothesline. The transformation of curtains due to the fire, and transformation of fire as it destroys the curtains, shows the ephemeral nature of things; no pair of pants will ever burn the same way. Based on the direction in which the viewer interacts with the series in the gallery space, the progressive transformation of curtains is ravaged—or rebuilt—by fire.
Creative Direction & Cinematography: Geena Matuson
Fire Artist: Jeremy Day
Post-Production & Installation: Geena Matuson
Quote
The Medium is the Message
Liar Liar (Pants On Fire) is a multimedia series featuring art prints and video that can resonate differently with each viewer. For me, this series focuses on time and the ephemeral nature of all things.
As video is a time-based medium, these singular moments are able to exist forever in the present not only due to the nature of the medium, but also due to the direction of the fire: moving forward, and in reverse. Similarly, the art prints displayed in a gallery setting allow the viewer to choose whether the curtains burn or regenerate.
The use of live fire in the production process, and editing of the fire in post-production, made the project in its entirety a comment on time and the ephemeral. Each item burned differently due to respective material compositions, and offered a unique experience during filming, as well as in the final products.
Working with a fire spinner to achieve control over the fire for this installation, even the creation process involved a focus on time. As described with video component Made In Yugoslavia, everything repeats—reverts—nothing truly changes.
Video
Liar Liar, Pants On Fire
Overview: This piece shows the progressive burning—and reformation—of red jeans. The transformation of the pants due to fire, and the transformation of fire as it ravages the pants, shows the ephemeral nature of all things; no pair of pants will ever burn the exact same way. However, as video is a time-based medium, this single moment is able to exist forever in the present.
Explosions In The Sky song ‘Yasmin The Light’ remixed and timed to the visuals for this non-looping version.
Creative Direction & Cinematography: Geena Matuson
Fire Artist: Jeremy Day
Post-Production: Geena Matuson
Video
A Study in Blue Jeans
Overview: This piece involves a pair of jeans burning on a clothesline. The transformation of pants due to the fire, and transformation of fire as it destroys the pants, shows the ephemeral nature of things; no pair of pants will ever burn the same way.
Múm song ‘Scratched Bicycle/Smell Memory’ from album The Peel Session was reversed to accompany this non-looping version.
Creative Direction & Cinematography: Geena Matuson
Fire Artist: Jeremy Day
Post-Production: Geena Matuson
Video
Made In Yugoslavia
Overview: This short shows plastic flowers burning, the plastic melting off the wax stems—all atop a broken chair made in Yugoslavia. The fire appears to burn in reverse, expressing the idea that everything repeats, reverts—nothing truly changes.
The music for this non-looping version of Made In Yugoslavia is a remix of Bach’s ‘Air on G-String,’ a violin solo.
Creative Direction & Cinematography: Geena Matuson
Fire Artist: Jeremy Day
Post-Production: Geena Matuson
Event
TransFIREmation
Held at Massachusetts College of Art & Design in Boston, MA, a self-produced group juried exhibition “TransFIREmation” was created to house the Liar Liar (Pants on Fire) series.
Included were a selection of artists working in a variety of media that either by media or message reflect ephemerality.
Liar Liar (Pants on Fire)
Project
Brands
The Girl Mirage
A Geena Media brand, The Girl Mirage is Geena Matuson as multidisciplinary artist using the surreal to explore the ephemeral and shine a light on societal perceptions.
Geena Media Studios
A Geena Media division, Geena Media Studios produces and manages all film, video and audio productions including scripting, pre-production through to post-production, publishing and distribution.
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