Still from Whispering Pines #4
Wednesday evening, I went to the Gowanus, Brooklyn based headquarters of Cabinet Magazine for Video Replay a special screening and artist talk sponsored by Art21. My interest was piqued not only because I adore both Art21 and Cabinet Magazine, but also due to the inclusion of video artist Shana Moulton. I discovered Shana’s work this year at Moving Image and wrote about her in my post covering the first video fair. For this particular event Shana presented Whispering Pines #4, 2007 from an on-going series of the same title. Once again she transforms into Cynthia, her protagonist and alter ego always in search of the healing powers of nature and the supernatural.

Still from Whispering Pines #4
Whispering Pines #4 features the artists mother as Lady Nova, a palm reader of sorts who uses an Avon healing kit to cure Cynthia of her woes. She deftly applies eye shadow, taken directly from the color blocked glove, to Cynthia’s face who after looking in the mirror, realizes she’s been decorated as a butterfly. This discovery results in an immediate dance of joy and she flails her arms , dancing in the woods. The butterfly then takes flight entering the blue screen world of Disney’s Donald MathMagic Land, the fibonacci number series, and replaces Donald Duck.
I spoke to Shana briefly and was content to learn that she makes work pulling from her own personal experiences and longings. She is her own camera woman (except when her parents are filming her dancing in the woods), choreographer and stylist and embodies Cynthia as both an otherworldly persona and a misguided relative.
From the Cabinet Magazine website:
Cabinet is pleased to host a program organized by Art21. The evening presents work by Shana Moulton, LaToya Ruby Frazier, and Tommy Hartung, artists featured in Art21’s new documentary series, “New York Close Up.” For more information, see www.art21.org/newyorkcloseup/events.
Stay tuned for future events!
More soon.
xo