We Grasp at Straws (Take One) by Katherine Behar

Installation
Written By Charlotte Griffin

Curl, Twist, Reach

About

Artist Katherine Behar commissioned Charlotte Griffin to assemble dance artists and choreograph for this single-channel 4K video installation as part of "Katherine Behar: Ack! Knowledge! Work!" solo exhibition curated by Jesse Colin Jackson for the UCI Beall Center for Art + Technology. Irvine, CA, USA. February 3–April 20, 2024. Looking at human-machine collaboration and dexterity through robotics and basketry, the video captures the ensemble of five dancers embodying the fingers of a hand to grasp at a larger-than-life straw in a futile and absurd attempt at remote group puppetry.

Photos by Heather Seybolt

Support

Created with support from Creative Capital and supported in part by the Black Box Projects Residency at the Beall Center for Art + Technology, and the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences at Baruch College.

The project received crucial support from the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, with generous contributions of motion capture facilities and skilled technicians. Dr. Kelli Sharp's Lab at the University of California, Irvine played a pivotal role.

The ISPACE at California State University, Long Beach provided valuable support by contributing OptiTrack motion capture facilities and technicians.

Photos by Heather Seybolt

 

  • Title
    We Grasp at Straws (Take One)

    Media
    Single-channel 4K video with sound; 12 minutes 56 seconds

    Premiere
    2024, "Katherine Behar: Ack! Knowledge! Work!" Solo exhibition. Beall Center for Art + Technology. Irvine, CA, USA. February 3–April 20, 2024. Curated by Jesse Colin Jackson.

    Dancers
    Nola Gibson, Aliya Kerimujiang, Darrian O'Reilly, Waeli Wang, Magnolia Yang Sao Yia

    Choreographer
    Charlotte Griffin

    Director of Photography
    Maximillian Harper

    Animator
    Silvia Ruzanka

    Vicon Motion Capture Director, UCI
    Dr. Kelli Sharp

    Vicon Motion Capture Technicians Whitney Schmanski and Zuri Fors

    OptiTrack Motion Capture, ISPACE Dennis Lupresto (Director) with Tom Nguyen (Lead), Cesar Sigala, Loc Luong, and Monica Robles

    Sound
    Bitstance

    Colorist
    Myles Stelling

    Production Assistant / Swing
    Nancy Nguyen

    Understudy / Production Assistant Veronica Allen 

    Film Producer
    Waeli Wang

    Documentarian
    Prettymega Inc.

Charlotte Griffin
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