The Sundance Shuffle: Let the Films Begin Already!

While the media froze outside, obligated to find something to send back to their stations on this first official day of Sundance (the photographer above resorted to shooting playbills), I spent most of the day deep underground in the so-called "Rabbit Hole" of Sundance's latest addition: New Frontier. The venue is dedicated to art (my personal first love in the humanities), and this being Sundance, specifically art created with video.





Today was the venue's inaugural reception. Fortunately my shift ended just as the party started.






Ring-around-the-roses. Cameras (and people) watch these spinning kaleidoscopes of paper doll-like cut outs, which then project what they see (well, hopefully not the people) onto monitors outside the room.



I was fascinated by this video screen that was like a mirror on LSD; a collage of fragments that have come into the monitor's view.
According to a festival staffer, it's the artist's representation of memory. Passing, random, incomplete; lots of recent-past in the forefront, but you never know when something long-forgotten will pop up.

I could be part of this display for the rest of its lifetime.


I absolute loved these chandelier-like light fixtures made of crumpled plastic bottles. I spent time peering into them, trying to figure out how I could replicate something similar of my own.

Later, unwittingly, I ended up talking to the artist, David Cooney, and we quite hit it off. When I found out he was the creator of the pieces I so-loved I gushed sincerely and demanded a picture.

He said even though the Sundance Festival Guide dubs them "ECO lamps," it's because he was put on the spot for a name. He's looking for something better to call them. (How about "Inspired Recycling"? At least, that's what I would have titled mine).




I stopped in at "the place to be." (One guess as to the lounge's name). But honestly, not my scene. Too-loud music, just the amber stuff to drink, and people munching on french fries (julienned and served in cute paper cones, but french fries nonetheless).

The lounge's theme was "drink your weight in swag," which meant after you drained a glass of beer, you could take it home in a beautiful, embroidered, black velour bag with a tassel.

Some people were taking the collecting very seriously.