In this experimental video excerpt, which John (“Mule”) shared with me, he reveals his sophisticated creative eye as he assumes the role of cinematographer using his compact digital camera. While this sensibility may at first appear amateur, this unique work demonstrates the artist’s aptitude for composing playful yet conscientious compositions. Shot in Oakland at the crossing of the (B)ART light rail line, freeway overpass, and the grassy industrial intersection where he spent that night, the selection conveys how Mule employs non-traditional narrative techniques to captivatingly detail an otherwise pedestrian geographic and cultural site.
This poetic meditation on place, time, and the existential nature of man and beast in postmodern, industrialized society, reminds the viewer of early masterworks of American avant-garde cinema, and firmly secures Mule’s legacy among the great geniuses of cinematic arts.
What do you see and experience when you watch it?