YNMD is indebted to the poems of Hugo Ball and Tristan Tzara, and to the paintings of Jean Arp and Hannah Höch. The “dada” movement was born through the works and manifestos of these and other experimental artists of the early 20th century. This movement proposed to eliminate logic, order, and reason by surrendering to chance, allowing “the synchronous universe itself [to] become an active agent in creating the art.” In relieving yourself of the rational process and planning of artmaking they believed you could be more in tune with the workings of nature.
TO MAKE A DADAIST FILM:
Randomly select several reels of film. Take some scissors.
From these reels cut out random sections of footage until you have the approximate length you want your film.
Place the film in a box and shake.
Without looking, take out the strips and splice them together in the order in which they left the bag. The poem will resemble you.
And there you are – as Tzara would have it, “an infinitely original filmmaker of charming sensibility, even though unappreciated by the vulgar herd.”
BIOGRAPHY
Laura Arboleda is a Colombian filmmaker based out of Vancouver, BC. She holds a B.F.A. in Film Production from Simon Fraser University and is an alum of Vancouver International Film Festival’s Mentorship Program (2019) and Beijing Normal University’s Looking China Cultural Programme (2016). Her previous short films have screened in festivals and venues across North America, Asia, and Europe. She continues to expand her film practice, making short documentaries and process based experimental films. Her work explores themes of shared memories and spaces. Laura is currently on the screening committee for Cinema Spectacular.