A Thousand Excuses

(2005, color/sound, for projection, 2:28)

This video is a reflection on the futility of escaping the inevitable, and the conquering of insistent avoidance through respite. The long shot portrays a young girl trudging through the snow with a wooden chair tied to her arms and her ponytail. At a distance it is difficult to determine what she is pulling behind her until she approaches the foreground and takes a seat center frame. At first the audio is abrasive and dissonant to heighten the tension and suspense as she advances, while the processed sound of bus brakes references the prevention of moving forward. As the chair comes into focus, the audio shifts to the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor, and transitions into a lull with the striking of a bell to signal the moment visibility and closure. The final image of the girl panting in the chair is a painterly expression of timelessness and relief.