The Grand Bizarre

Jodie Mack in person!

Jodie Mack is an internationally recognized experimental animator who combines the formal techniques and structures of abstract/absolute animation with those of cinematic genres. Her handmade films use collage to explore the relationship between graphic cinema and storytelling, and the tension between form and meaning. A mixture of musical documentary and stroboscopic effect, Mack’s films study domestic and recycled materials to illuminate the elements shared between fine-art abstraction and mass-produced graphic design. The works unleash the kinetic energy of overlooked and wasted objects and question the role of decoration in daily life.

“A postcard from an imploded society. Bringing mundane objects to life to interpret place through materials, The Grand Bizarre transcribes an experience of pattern, labor, and alien[-]nation[s]. A pattern parade in pop music pairs figure and landscape to trip through the topologies of codification. Following components, systems, and samples in a collage of textiles, tourism, language, and music, the film investigates recurring motifs and how their metamorphoses function within a global economy.” (Jodie Mack)

This program is co-presented with the San Francisco Cinematheque and in association with the Headlands Center for the Arts, where Jodie Mack is a participant in their Artist-in-Residence program.

Film Details

Director: Jodie Mack

Year: 2018

Running time: 60 minutes

Country: USA

Language: No dialogue

Format: 35mm

Screens courtesy: Jodie Mack

Films and schedules may be subject to change.