Running Through History

LUCINDA LUVAAS
Running Through History

A Multi-Media Project by
Lucinda Luvaas

The only way that history can resonate for us as individuals is if we can experience, empathize, or in some way personally be in the period we are learning about: we must absorb the atmosphere of the times we're investigating in order to truly appreciate them.
For several years, I 've been thinking about exploring history as a subject for my work, but didn't really have a handle on how to approach it.
The terrible tragedy of September 11th catalyzed this body of work because it gave me that personal reference that is essential to beginning a project that really, in all of its scope, is not personal.
I started working on a video called, Running Through History, wanting to use myself as a witness, as a sort of voyeur/observer through the passage of time; running through varied scenes that contain meaning for me personally, as well as scenes that are pertinent to our history as a nation, as a people, and finally, as a world.
After finishing Part One of the video, I started using video stills--manipulating them with wax and oil paint, after which I began a group of mixed media pieces that abstract the elements in the video stills. Now, I'm composing two dimensional works that elaborate on the stills, thematically and symbolically.
So, the project is working in five different ways: 1. the video; 2. stills from the video; 3. manipulating the stills with wax and paint; 4. abstracting imagery in order to create totemic elements that reflect a dreamlike quality on the theme; and finally 5. creating paintings that are catalyzed by the video frames, that enlarge and elaborate upon the meaning of all other creative aspects.
In addition, I am composing all the sound and music for the videos.

RUNNING THROUGH HISTORY/PART ONE
VIDEO INFORMATION

Running Through History is a multi-media project that includes video, paintings and mixed media.
It was catalyzed by the events of September 11th, 2001 in that I felt a strong desire to 'run through history'--the historical events that have made a great impression on me, and examine them. In Running Through History, I feel as though I am running through a dreamscape, slowly, tentatively--with a sense of childlike wonder.
Running Through History/Part One, initially deals with September 11th and then moves into the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII, from there it goes to a Western Ghost Town.
The video was made with Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Digital Performer, various sound effects, real and imaginary footage and stills.
Running time for the video is: 7:35:14.
I've just completed Part Two.
My other video, Familiar Voices, was premiered at The Artist Television Access in San Francisco, CA. Running Through History, was screened at The Institute for Contemporary Art in Athens, GA, USA. In June/July, Running Through History and Familiar Voices were broadcast a number of times on Channel 23, Boston, MA and Channel 10, Cambridge, and was just and will be broadcast on Times/Warner Cable in Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY Nov. 2, 8th and beyond/2002. Also, on September 25th, this video was aired on AT&T Cable/The Claude Show, in a number of suburban Chicago communities. In addition, Running Through History/Part One, will be aired on KDOL TV, Oakland in November/2002, and will air on SF Cable/Channel 29 in the near future, at Alfred University in the Spring/2002, GRTV/Grand Rapids, MI in January/2003 and Clip Show, SF Cable Channel 29, Jan. 18, 2203 and March 2003, (Part Two).
I have been a visual artist for many years and started working with other mediums in the mid-nineties. In addition to being a visual artist, I'm the Director/Curator of Mt. San Jacinto College's Fine Art Gallery in San Jacinto, CA, USA.

Running Through History/Part Two, deals with civilization being destroyed by natural causes, i.e. the volcanic eruption that destroyed Pompeii in contrast to nature being destroyed by mankind as we use up the land and harm the natural balance of things.
I've always been concerned and disturbed by development that's not well thought out with no sense of planning for the future--worried about the fate of wildlife and our own mounting stress due to this creation of a paved world without any natural green space.
Part Two begins with a beach scene in Southern California, the remnants of the World Trade Center disaster are placed within this scene after which it moves on to me reading a book about Pompeii and then going to Pompeii...much from then on is dreamlike and allegorical. Pompeii is destroyed by Vesuvius and a small town in Southern California is in jeopardy due to rampant development. These two different refrains come together in the last section of the video, and then winds up with returning to the beach scene.