Presentism is a philosophy of time that states nothing in the past or future exists. The only reality is the present moment, which is redefined. A moment is no longer like the blade of a knife, gone the instant it is felt. Rather, it is an extended duration of conscious experience. Reality is also redefined. The world is no longer characterized as a set of historic and anticipated facts, as in "once and for all." The presentist defines reality as a world that relies on constant survey. And when events happen in multiple places simultaneously, they are part of the same reality.
We seek short films and video works (no more than 10 minutes) from filmmakers and artists that explore the following: How do we experience the present? What events today constitute a sense of the present? What activities constitute a constant survey of facts and ideas? How is the concept of presentism expanded globally in the era of live data? How does the moving image define a duration of extended consciousness? In what ways might the human condition change if removed from the past and the future? All genres will be accepted including documentary, narrative, animation and experimental.
FOLLOWING REVIEW AND SELECTION, FILMMAKERS WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL IF THEIR FILM HAS BEEN ACCEPTED.
ACCEPTED FILMS ARE DUE AT THE GALLERY NO LATER THAN AUGUST 1ST.
Whitespace is a contemporary gallery active in Atlanta and across the southeast that seeks to foster an immersive environment of free-expression, intimacy, and dialogue. Under the direction of owner Susan Bridges, the gallery has housed numerous exhibitions across all mediums promoting artistic innovation and inquiries into the relationships that define who we are, both collectively and as individuals. As a respected institution in Atlanta’s art community, whitespace and the artists it houses continue to inspire all who attend through thoughtful examinations of the world around us, allowing viewers a new mode of seeing beyond meaning.
About the Curator
After studying psychology, journalism and fine art, Ruth Dusseault began her career at the Georgia Institute of Technology before teaching cross-discipline art studios at Emory University. She has curated exhibitions for the Carnegie Museum's Avery Center for Architecture, the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center and the District of Columbia Art Center. She has published numerous features for Art Papers and other national journals. Her own work explores experimental documentary practice through film, photography and installation. It falls at the intersection of geography, ethnography and media studies, recording utopian expressions as they enter the built environment. She has won awards from several institutions including the National Endowment for the Arts and the Artadia Foundation.