Real life cowboys
Thursday, April 16th, 2009Since we’ve been talking cowboys, guns, and all things Western in the last few posts, I thought I’d post a project we did a little earlier this year: a commissioned artwork for an exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art.
Cowboy poetry art piece for the Nevada Museum of Art
It was an amazing project in which we filmed three current day cowboy poets reciting the poem “Grass” by Buck Ramsey. The filming took us from the grasslands of Texas to the high deserts of Nevada.
Called “Between Grass and Sky: Rhythms of a Cowboy Poem,” the exhibit opened on January 16th. Hundreds of people from the community came to the premiere night… We were honored to be a part of it, and amazed to see our piece projected in full blu-ray glory on a giant, beautifully decrepit, old roadside billboard. Here are some pics (by photographer Aaron Underwood — thank you, Aaron!) of the exhibit and the opening night:
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- FLF Films "Grass" large-scale original artwork at the NMA
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- FLF Films "Grass" projected on old roadside billboard
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- NMA "Between Grass & Sky" Opening
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- Crowd at the NMA's "Between Grass & Sky" Opening
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- Observers at the NMA "Between Grass & Sky" Opening
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- Installation at the NMA "Between Grass & Sky" Exhibit
Very cool concept… Artist Nik Hafermaas, who designed the exhibit, wanted to present cowboy life in a non-traditional way: not folksy, rather modern and avant-garde. You can see that idea reflected in our film: instead of cutting at the end of lines or stanzas, Nik urged us to cut in unexpected places. He also told us he wanted extreme close ups of the poets — so we “stitch them together in our imagination.” It was inspired art direction, and a wonderful experience working with him.
If you’re in the Reno area, check out the exhibit, “Between Grass & Sky,” at the Nevada Museum of Art! It’s on display for another month (until May 17th).