Cool Videos for a Hot Florida Summer

José Alvarez (b. 1968)
Cosmic Geometry (Ayauasca Dream Remix), 2008
José Alvarez's abstract animations are the opulent accompaniments to the artist's collages and crystal paintings - coupling voluptuous swells of colorful shapes with hypnotic sound. Organic forms in the animations melt and undulate in and out of one another, creating a peaceful, yet hallucinatory atmosphere.

PHILLIP ESTLUND (b. 1974)
Crossing the Equator, 2007
Phillip Estlund's video, "Crossing the Equator," is comprised of footage originally shot in 8 mm in 1968 by the artist's father. The film portrays a U.S. Navy ritual in which young men are transformed by engaging in a series of humiliating tasks. It was cut and edited by Estlund to create a new and haunting work.

Dara Friedman (b. 1968)
Talk Show, 1999
In Dara Friedman's "Talk Show," five women dressed as newscasters speak the news like sultry, lipglossed newscasters. The "news" is actually the artist's notes from a class with filmmaker Peter Kubelka.

NELSON HALLONQUIST (b. 1982)
A Warm Smile, 2011
Footage of John Waters being interviewed is edited into split second clips of him smiling. The repetition of his welcoming facial gestures ask the viewer to reconsider initial preconceptions of appearance.

DAVID HAXTON (b. 1943)
Cylinder Sphere and Solid, 1978
David Haxton's films came out of an interest in producing films from an artist's viewpoint rather than from a filmmaking narrative approach. They are not about recreating a life experience, but rather using the elements of film to create a self-reflexive story about the medium of film. In Haxton's words, "the film would describe itself by using the intrinsic elements that define film." These elements are light, the illusion of space, and the reality of the space where the film is projected.

Marilyn Minter (b. 1948)
Green Pink Caviar, 2009
"I was shooting stills of models with long tongues swirling and sucking bakery products from under a pane of glass. I wanted to make enamel paintings along the idea of painting with my tongue. My makeup artist shot some short videos just to see how it would look. The low definition videos looked so good that later we made plans to do a professional high definition video. I have made both billboards and produced a commercial advertising a 1989 painting show so this made sense as a next step. Green Pink Caviar seems to have a life of its own." - Marilyn Minter

Aleksandra Mir (b. 1967)
Gravity, 2006
In 2006 Aleksandra Mir converted a once industrial train turning station, now a performance space, into a live rocket factory, much like NASA's barn at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The "rocket" took two days of construction, stood erect for three days, and was dismantled in another two. Gravity documents the process.
This project was commissioned by the Art Catalyst, supported by the Arts Council of England and the Henry Moore Foundation and built for the show "Space Soon" at the Camden Roundhouse, London.

DANIEL NEWMAN (b. 1978)
Tropical Depression, 2006
Daniel Newman took a boat trip from Miami to Puerto Rico in 2006. The boat encountered a tropical depression, which is a much more serious and nauseating event at sea than on land. In Tropical Depression, Newman chooses to confront the viewer with his experience rather than simply relay it.

Scott Reeder (b. 1970)
In Search Of, 2011
The title of Scott Reeder's In Search Of refers to a the Leonard Nimoy series of the same name, which sought to investigate unexplained mysteries. Reeder's video takes us on a journey through found images of bizarre products and objects which are associated by color. Music by Scott Reeder.

MUNGO THOMSON (b. 1969)
Untitled (Titles), 2006
Continuing his exploration of typographical phenomenology, Thomson's video plays all of the sample titles that come standard in a Sony video camera, in each of the standard colors.

T.J. WILCOX (b. 1965)
Jackie on Skorpios, 2007
Jackie on Skorpios examines the intense influence of collective opinion on a public figure's tragic life.

ROB WYNNE (b. 1950)
1975: A Film by Rob Wynne, 1975
Wynne's film uses vintage, seemingly nostalgic footage of lush trees, abstracted eyes, and a spinning gem to create an ethereal experience that seems hazily familiar.

HENNESSEY YOUNGMAN (b. ?)
ART THOUGHTZ: Bruce Nauman, 2010
ART THOUGHTZ: Post Structuralism, 2010
Hennessy Youngman's ART THOUGHTZ series are raw, no holds barred art critiques using only a webcam to communicate. His sharp, deft criticisms are filtered through a hilariously harsh persona and then spread through social networks, something rarely seen in academic side of art criticism. Getting through his stylized exterior, Youngman's commentary is astute, perceptive and incredibly knowledgable. Bruce Nauman tackles the continuous topic of authenticity, while Post Structuralism dissects more difficult philosophical territory.