| Synopses |
A strange lake with an incredible amount of salt content in the water. A distinct artistic vision forming a 1,500-foot-long spiral-shaped jetty into the water, created from 7,000 tons of basalt rock and earth. Clouds, reflections, odd algae, and a few people far away. These are the elements of casting a glance, James Benning’s latest stunning film.
A huge earthen artwork in Utah's Great Salt Lake, the Spiral Jetty was made in 1970 by storied artist Robert Smithson. Between May 15, 2005, and January 14, 2007, Benning made 16 trips to the jetty. On each visit, Benning set up his 16mm film camera and took beautifully framed shots of the ever-changing jetty in a similar way to his past landscape films.
The finished movie is a new form of art documentary, recreating the 37-year existence of the jetty with its many water levels (it was under the surface for almost 30 years), visitors, and seasonal markings. Educated and poetic hints to history are layered throughout the soundtrack. The sunlight is incredible as the rocks reshaped by human beings are now distorted by nature. The sky and the water provide the perfect paint for Benning, who has voiced that this could be his last film project. It’s one of his most hypnotic.
- Sundance Film Guide
Casting a glance is a tribute to the American artist Robert Smithson. Between May 15, 2005 and January 14, 2007 I made 16 trips to the "Spiral Jetty". Created in 1970, the «Jetty» is a 1,500 - foot long spiral-shaped jetty extending into the Great Salt Lake in Utah constructed from rocks, earth, salt and red algae.
The resulting film maps the "Jetty" back onto its own 37 year history - looking at and listening to its reoccurring changes. I found the "Jetty" a barometer for a variety of cycles. From morning to night its allusive, shifting appearance (radical or subtle) may be the result of a passing weather system or simply the changing angle of the sun. Seasonal shifts and water level changes alter salt crystal growth, the amount of algae in the water, and the presence of wildlife. The water may appear blue, red, purple, brown, or gold. Sounds may come from a navy jet, wildlife, lapping or splashing water, a visitor's car radio, converging thunderstorms, or be a silence so still you can hear the blood moving through the veins in your ears
- James Benning
|
