A R C H I E F1 9 9 8  
16th
  Iatrou & Morgan
Funeral in My Brain
  USA 1997
Videotape, 2:05, colour, mono
 
Iatrou and Morgan have been making videos for fifteen years now. In 1982 they worked together for the first time, on a seven part series on art for American television. This took four years to make and when it was finished they continued as partners, focussing primarily on the visualization of the works of famous writers, poets and artists. They made video interpretations of stories by the 19th century American writer, poet and critic Edgar Allan Poe and also directed a documentary about him. Likewise they 'translated' into images prose-poems by the French poet and art critic Charles Baudelaire (1821 – 1867) and produced a video introduction on the life and work of French painter/graphic artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The two minute 'Funeral in My Brain' is based on the poem of the same title by Emily Dickinson. This American poet (1830 – 1886) lived a very secluded life. Her work, most of which was published after her death, consists mostly of short, introspective poems (lyrical epigrams) which are considered to be among the best of American literature. In this particular poem she describes feelings of isolation and despair. This is being visualized in grainy black & white shots wherein the protagonist, a beautiful young lady, reaches a state of madness (symbolized by images of fire). The video portrays the deranged delusions of the woman. Iatrou and Morgan have succeeded in translating Dickinson's words into images in such a way that the result is like music. The glorious voice of Sirena Irwin reciting the poem plays a major part in this as well. The video is part of the larger project 'Words like Blades', wherein the makers treat more poems by Dickinson in the same manner and also deal with the life of the poet.

– Marieke van hal

Text: Emily Dickinson, Voice: Sirena Irwin, Music: Gustav Mahler

Mildred Iatrou ° 1955, New York (USA)
R.A. Morgan ° 1950, Oakland (USA)
Live and work in Los Angeles (USA)


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