The video for my thesis work will be presented in 3 parts. Each part includes research and my response. The streamlined water cycle track creates a motif that connects all three sections.
Part 1 - Waves
This section begins with a prologue, providing contextual information for the viewer. It continues with a descriptive narration of my experience in a particular space. Not only does this section connect past with present and experience of place within the overall narrative, but it also prepares the viewer to experience the subsequent story through my point of view. This narration segues into video self portraits of me in various landscapes and an excerpt from Lucille Clifton's poem, "Driving Through New England," shown as text to be read by the viewer. This section ends with an unanswered interrogation of my 4th great-grandmother.
Part 2 - Ripples
Visually, this section uses the commodification of trees as a metaphor for exploitation and features an attempt to physically un-write history. Aurally, the interrogation of Charity Ann continues before segueing into a transcription of the inventory of property she and her children are listed on. As with all 3 section, it features a series of video self portraits and ends with an excerpt from Alice Walker's poem, "Turning Madness into Flowers."
Part 3 - Rivers
Charity's Ann's interrogation culminates with a number of blunt questions. More self portraits and the work ends with excerpts from Lucille Clifton's "Cutting Greens" and Fredrick Douglass' "What to the Slave is the 4th of July."
