Gideon, Alexis
Floating Oceans
Alexis Gideon will be presenting the third installment in his critically-acclaimed multimedia opera series, Video Musics III: Floating Oceans, beginning this fall. Portland, Oregons historic Hollywood Theatre will host the world premiere on October 11, 2012. Gideon is an interdisciplinary iconoclast whose body of work joyfully challenges the presumed constraints of visual arts and music genres. Where others attempting the same projects might get lost in the weeds, Gideons ferocious intelligence and crystal-clear vision produces some of the most engaging pieces audiences will encounter. Gideon worked with Cynthia Star (Lead Painter for Coraline, Laika Studios) and Jacob Rubin (Best New American Voices), among others, to produce the video piece. Video Musics III: Floating Oceans was funded by a generous award from The Regional Arts and Culture Council, the second consecutive grant from this organization Gideon has received. (Gideons first RACC award was for Video Musics II: Sun Wu-Kong). Video Musics III: Floating Oceans is a 38-minute stop-motion animation video opera based on the works of the early 20th century Irish writer Lord Dunsany, and inspired by the time and dream experiments of the Irish physicist John William Dunne. The piece is dedicated to Flann OBrien. Video Musics III: Floating Oceans contrasts the vivid dreams of its poet-protagonist with the foreboding routine of pedestrian life. Parts operate under the tow of dream logic. All dialogue and narration are expressed through lyrics and music performed live in front of the projected video. The piece explores non-linear and traditional linear narrative, and uses the musical meters of modern classical, hip-hop, ambient, and psychedelia.