Terror Symphony

I recently viewed Nosferatu for the first time. What a remarkable gem (with gem-like colours gracing this toned silent horror), and I am so grateful for finally experiencing its creepy majesty. Very moody and well-told tale, easily living up to its reputation. Note: I wonder if the tavern scene where the townsfolk suddenly stop what they are doing, turn morose, and inform their newest customer that to venture in the woods (where werewolves dwell) would be fatal -- sets a precedent that, jumping forward, would find its homage in a similiar scene in An American Werwolf in London by John Landis? I love this film too since it first splattered the big screen. In any case, Nosferatu is ghastly and wonderful!

Lover Man

Fiery passion, romance, primal force, animal grace -- and even occult power come together in this one man. Behold, Valentino!

Color Wheel

Little did I know that the majority of silent films were tinted or toned with vibrant colors. Hand-tinting processes were employed, or bathing black and white positive film in dyes for toning. Colors were chosen to fit a mood or location, such as blue for a seaside scene or red for action sequences, shown here.

The marvelous colors offer a magical, often dreamlike lyricism, inviting audiences to bask in an otherworldy glow -- or contemplate their own personal psychotropic terrain. I wonder what colors Silver Sun will produce?

Projection

Quiet evocations of mood, spirit, and pathos

Lights!

Silver Sun
Illuminating the Splendor of the Silent Screen

Presented by COCA Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art

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May 2009, VARIOUS Weekdays, Saturdays & Sundays, noon-5 PM, FREE

featuring FREE PREMIERE viewings of

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new stained glass sculpture by Scotland-based artist

Emma Butler-Cole Aiken

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new silent documentaries in

Minutopia new actualities for a new world

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new artist-designed slideshows with LIVE chamber music in

Magic Lantern

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Silver Sun developed and curated by Elliot Lessing
Minutopia developed with Ellen Lake

Silver Sun: Illuminating the Splendor of the Silent Screen is a placemaking art project that celebrates the power and magic of Silent Film

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Set within the rustic charms of San Francisco's green and urban outdoor spaces, visitors of all ages will explore the richness of silent cinema in an entirely new way. Through a robust collaboration with COCA Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art, Scotland-based artist Emma Butler-Cole Aiken is creating a fascinating stained glass sculpture designed to celebrate the rich history of silent film while highlighting the California landscape as a natural hub of meditative beauty and healing quietude. Project and city visitors are invited to wander through and around the sculpture’s arch-shaped design – exploring its nuances as a beacon for contemplation and study. Phantasmagoric images and iconic moments from the golden age of silent screen are reflected in dark hues that are richly innovative for the stained glass genre. Much like film technology, the stained glass imagery is brilliantly illuminated by the sun, stimulating dialogue and wonder about film art, sculptural form, and natural beauty

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Silver Sun’s innovative film programming includes Minutopia new actualities for a new world. With a modern spin on the nickelodeons of yesteryear, visitors will view free ongoing screenings of new minute-long silent documentaries by local and global artists via a nomadic viewing port designed by a Bay Area artisan. Spanning back to cinema’s proto-film history, our program also includes a premiere performance event called Magic Lantern, featuring a new series of artist-designed slideshow projections presented with an evocative soundtrack performed live by San Francisco’s finest musicians. Free artist-designed info brochures will offer insights into the Silent Film history, Silver Sun, and the vibrant connections linking nature and art. Free all-ages workshops, talks or presentations from local film groups, stained glass societies, homegrown film enthusiasts, and our lead visiting artist will deepen the educational and community-building dimensions built into the project. And Discovery Tours of San Francisco's unique open spaces will highlight Silver Sun as a holistic cultural experience that is both timely and unique

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Through a refreshing fusion of art, technology, and nature, Silver Sun quietly unveils a captivating new world of fresh possibilities for film and outdoor spaces, while casting a prismatic light onto the timeless wonders of cinema's golden legacy!