Vladmaster

The four Vladmaster videos or slide shows shown reminded me of a children's story book being told by narration. This was in part because of the fact that we all got to use a "toy" for the first time, and because we had a voice sharing a story that went along with each picture. This made the experience similar to a child visiting a museum, because they are both hands on. The greatest part of these works was how they involved the viewer. Unlike most films, these programs gave us control over what we were seeing. Using the View-Master, we could decide when to change the slide, how much light was available, and whether or not to follow along with the narrator. I'm always amazed at how someone can pull even farther away from the norms of film-making; Vladmir definitely showed me something new. I couldn't believe how much time and thought went into each beautiful little packet holding the slides. Each one was so different in detail, for some reason I couldn't wait to see how she wrote the "1,2,3, and 4" on each new set of slides.

I think my favorite piece was "Lucifugia Thigmotaxis," simply because I was interested in what would happen to the cockroach. I liked how we got to experience Stanley's adventures with him. On Vladmaster's website she explains that "Lucifugia" means light-fleeing. "Thigmotaxis" is how in order to feel safe there must be pressure on all four sides of the body. These two words together describe the character of a cockroach and what is necessary for them to survive.