Catch Me
In collaboration with Nicholas Kontaxis
Nicholas, living with severe physical and developmental challenges and having experienced over 75,000 seizures, uses art as his only means of expression, creating large-scale works that convey a global message of resilience and inspiration.
I first had the opportunity to see Nick’s work when he was getting ready for an exhibition at UTA Artist Space for his latest collection. I had been working for UTA doing short documentaries of each new artist they exhibited and with a new show coming up for Nick, I headed out to his live/work space out in Palm Desert. The title of the show, CATCH ME is a reference to the numerous daily seizures he experiences and the ongoing risk of falling that painting presents for him.
Nick’s condition involves a lot of starting and stopping, but it also necessitates engagement with others, who use touch and sensation to help Nick’s flow.
I’ve also photographed Nick’s studio space which was printed in life-size scale for an exhibit at the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation in Athens.
THE ART OF CAPTURING THE ART
In this particular video I did of Nick creating, I used a technique I call Still Motion. It entails taking thousands of slow-shutter stills and turning them into a film. Every frame of this is a full frame 35mm photograph. But I also employ some filmmaking techniques in terms of my handling of the camera, so it is in fact a complete hybrid artform.
Nick’s condition often results in still moments in his process. A kind of real life freeze frame. By creating a film of stills, the narrative, like Nick, holds two truths simultaneously - moving and still.
