Art Incarnation: Portraits of Artists As Art by Arden Durham is a series of documentary art videos that explores the process of creation. Arden records artists making their art and then edits stylistically according to each unique experience. The outcome of each episode is a blend of documentary and video art genres, with a mixture of education and entertainment.
Art Incarnation is an ongoing series (started in 1998) and Arden finds the artists from within her own community. She records on location wherever the artists create artwork, which has so far included artist studios, galleries, in the field (quite literally,) public spaces, and private property. If you've ever wondered what happens behind the closed doors of an artist's studio, this series will answer some of your curiosities!
All volumes of Art Incarnation: Portraits of Artists As Art contain the episode Statement, as it is the precursor to full appreciation of every other episode. Statement is Arden’s artist statement as she defines the mission of the series.
Volume One contains two episodes: Autobiographical Feedback Loop, and Paella in the Pot. These episodes focus on artists living and working in St. Paul, Minnesota in diverse mediums such as music, sculpture, food, drawing, and video. The artists include Michael Bernstein, Rob Lorch, Wendy Gherity, and Arden herself.
Volume 2 features Celeste Nelms in seven episodes: Shooting Celeste in the Field, Capturing the Babywalker, The Slipper, 20/20 Hindsight: A Reflection Demo, Discipline in Light of the Darkroom, See What I Hear, and Bathing Trunkless Elephant. Arden follows Celeste as she shoots self-portraits in Minnesota and prints in her darkroom.
Volume Three features sculptor and performance artist David Wyrick in The Rock Crushor at the Soap Factory No Name Exhibitions. It is an artistic record of David’s performance of “Constricted Vacation #5: The Age of Homo Sapiens” during the Circus 2000 show. Arden camped out in the Soap Factory while David was chained to a pole for three days reducing large rocks into sandy pigment with hand-forged tools.
Volume 4 features performance artist David Wyrick in three episodes:Man In Box, Space Disruptor, and Rock Redistributor. The audience plays an important role in David's performance pieces and his work questions, "Is it art?" Nudity/Profanity
Volume 5 features Shawn Dalsen. Arden shifts speed in the film, mimicking Shawn's constant shifts in gears as he draws from his background in street art, formal training, and his own sensibilities and experiences making art.
Volume Six features artist Erik Pearson painting in his studio over the course of 4 days in the summer of 2008. The episodes are Visual Narrative, Throwing It Down, and Unpainting to Square Jaw. Get absorbed into Erik's mesmerizing style!
