To Discipline a Rock by Jiayi Chen

September 22nd - October 22nd, 2023

Public Reception:
Saturday, September 22nd, 2023 5-8pm

To Discipline a Rock
2023, Jiayi Chen

Format: 16mm looping installation installation

Chicago-based artist and filmmaker Jiayi Chen's new looping installation To Discipline a Rock was filmed on unsplit 8mm film (the same width of 16mm) in two layers. The first of these was shot with an 8mm camera and observes a collection of rocks in a series of static compositions. The same roll was subsequently run again through a 16mm camera to capture a series of choreographies for the hand. Processed at home using developers mixed by the artist herself, the film features an additional, third layer of motion courtesy of a series of unpredictable chemical interactions within the film's emulsion. In less than a minute, To Discipline a Rock provides all the kinetic thrills and filmmaking bravada you could ask for from action cinema.