Hudson

Stills from The River Holds the Memory of Light by Anna P.

With it being January once again, it is time for me to continue with my Hudson river video project. In January of 2008, I began documenting the Hudson river in dozens of short takes that captured the first few seconds when the camera was pulled under. These takes were then linked into a circuit, so that the viewer saw land fade away over and over again. I began this series with thoughts of the Hudson River Valley School of Painting and our mutual fascination with light. I decided to update the representation of the river by capturing the light from within the river rather than upon it's surface.

The River Holds the Memory of Light

Underwater video still from The River Holds the Memory of Light by me, Anna P... camera was repeatedly cast in to the Hudson, swept to the bottom in a current and recast. The video subject is the light refraction that diminishes as the camera is swept away from the sun. When played at 1/4 speed in reverse, the camera travels to the light.

It started with a sarcastic comment about finding beauty in the Hudson, but I took it on this week and began my first body of video work in NYC. It all began with a Sotheby's search when I was trying to date the still-life painting that I found. I discovered the work of the Hudson River Valley School who painted with romantic sweeps of light. I thought about how the Hudson was consistently abused and how an entire community fights to bring it back. As I filmed I was surrounded by whispered comments of potential fish life and the continued recovery that it makes. The Hudson is more than a river here in New York, it is a friend. This friend has seen its darkest hour, and now it is on its way back. I know from my own experience that you are most aware of the light as you enter the darkness. This river still holds the memory of light.