The Machinist's Lament

Synopsis

"In factories, everyone has their place. Western industrial production is a site of magical thinking: an old history that will never return, an idealized construction that never really was. It's impossible to know what the true costs would be if it were to return - societal, environmental, and psychological – and yet, entire political campaigns are built around this. This piece speculates on re-industrialization, and is a sequel to my 2013 video, Safety First (Bad, Don’t Touch, Mercy!). Like its prequel, it posits a non-specific future populated by female factory workers. The geometric aesthetics of power and the romance of industrial-era alienation, are paired with theoretical and fictional texts about alternate social economies. Video footage was shot in Ohio, animation and soundtrack by the artist. Voiceover text sources include Industrial supply catalogs, OSHA safety manuals, Monique Wittig’s Les Guerilleres, and Adorno’s Minima Moralia." -Taken from Jen Liu's Vimeo page.

Main Cast

Wang Si

CHOREOGRAPHER / MASK DANCER / TEST SUBJECT

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Xu Mengchen

Test Scientist

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Joelle Lingat

Test Chorus

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Katherine Hamilton

Test Chorus

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Crew

Department	Role	Name
Camera	Director of Photography	Jake Hochendoner
	Grip	Ilse Miller
Visual Effects	Animation	Nadia Stevens Ali Post
Directing	Director	Jen Liu
Department	Role	Name

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