Baroque (2011)

• 67%
• 2011
• Drama
• Ruth Paxton
• Kim Chapman
• Elisa Lasowski
• Thailai Knight

A contemporary interpretation of the art of Baroque, inspired by the Italian painters of the period. Commissioned by Milan's Festival Delle Lettere and based on a letter about beauty, by Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. 'BAROQUE' is Ruth Paxton's interpretation of a letter written by Italian actor, Vittorio Gassman, when he was aged 73. It is a closing note, with a reflective quality, written to his friend Giorgio Soavi. Gassman has scribed a love letter on the arts, containing thoughtful considerations about himself and his acting profession. Soavi was an Italian author described as having the "gift of observation." He had a deep knowledge of the visual arts and wrote passionately on the subject. Reading the letter moved Paxton to dream of beauty. She found it to be a very physical expression. With 'BAROQUE', Paxton has created a short film of three linked sections, which embodies a contemporary interpretation of the art of Baroque, inspired by Italian painters of the period. It is a painterly, cinematic study of beauty stimulated by the strong subliminal impression and underlying contexts within the letter from Gassman to Soavi. Art of the Baroque age embodies the qualities of vigorous movement and emotional intensity and has a tendency towards overwhelmingly grandiose display. The work evokes emotional states by appealing to the senses in dramatic ways. Paxton has applied these characteristics to study the beauty of the female within a physical film that evolves into a state of sensory overload. Building dramatic, poignant scenes captured at the very moment of greatest impact towards a climax, and release.