2002 and 2003, 12 minute loop with sound; Digital Animation; Seamen's Bethel Building, Portland, Oregon
Illumination #1 is an exploration of identity. By animating specific gestures, story fragments, and names, Rose Bond aims to evoke the past, the peoples, and the accretions of memory held and reflected in the second story windows of the historic Portland Seamen's Bethel Building. The piece, which calls up 120 years in 12 minutes, draws from six epochs specific to the site:
“A brilliant, groundbreaking concept executed with tact and craft. Don’t miss it. Just about the coolest made-in-Portland movie of all time and it’s free.” —Shawn Levy, The Oregonian
“.. a sight like few others you’ll see this year…more than a conceptual installation…if last week’s preview is any indication, car traffic will stop, crowds will assemble and rapt silence will soon prevail as vibrant waves of colorful, lighted imagery roll across the derelict building like dancing ghosts. Set against the evening sky, Illuminations #1 lived up to its promise: A historic palette magically lighted out of thin air. Patrons at Hobo’s, a bar across the street, stood in the windows with their drinks in hand, entranced.” —D.K. Row, The Oregonian
“When Portland animator Rose Bond flashed some images on the windows of an Old Town building last May, this newspaper’s film critic called the resulting artwork ‘Just about the coolest made-in-Portland movie of all time.’ Seems he wasn’t the only one impressed…” —The Oregonian, February 2004
“Bond turned an Old Town building into a luminous work of art that literally glowed with dancing images…car traffic stopped, crowds assembled in the middle of the street, and rapt silence prevailed on the night it opened.” —The Oregonian
Illumination #1was sponsored by The Old Town History Project
Major Sponsor:
Director & Animator: Rose Bond
Composite Artist: Zak Margolis
Original Music: Courtney Von Drehle
WatchOut Programming: Steve Farris
Sound Editing: Co O’Neill
Videographer: Linda Kliewer
Image Preparation: Valerie Collins
Additional Animation: Richie Russelle
DVD Authoring: Tom Lakovic
Production Assistant: Carolyn Wood
Production Assistant: Derek Jackman
Dance Reference: Dawn Joalla Jackson
Martial Arts Reference: Courtney Stubbs
Musicians
Piano: Mike Van Liew
Drums: Michael Partlow
Double Bass: Time Renner
Guitar: Tracy Kim
Saxes, Accordion: Courtney Von Drehle
Historic Research
Richard Harris
Dale Hing
Joanne Hong
George Katagiri
Rebecca Liu
Jacqueline Peterson, PhD
Old Town History Project
Oregon Historical Society
Jeff Shenk
Bruce Wong
Sponsors
Sound Images
Comp View
Central City Concern
Mitsubishi
Funding Support
Regional Arts & Culture Council
Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust
SERA Architects
H. Naito Corporation