Groundwork
Identifier
F.2011-01-0146
Date Of Production
circa 1975
Abstract
"Groundwork," along with its counterpart "Groundwork / Backyard 2" (F.2011-01-0145) appears to be a version of "Groundwork (Original)" (F.2011-01-0171) edited for presentation as double projection, in which the left and right portions of the film would be presented side by side simultaneously. The film is a poetic tribute to the establishment of the maple farm in Monterey, MA, owned and operated by JoAnn Elam's friend Bonner McAllester and her husband Joe Baker. Elam and McAllester were close friends since their time at Antioch College together, and Elam would return to the farm and make films many times through the 1980s. Using double exposure and occasional rapid editing, this film follows McAllester, Baker, and a group of friends as they live in the teepee first built on the property, dig the foundation for a more permanent structure, harvest and prepare their crops, and build a new wooden structure on top of the dug-out foundation. Elam films the workers with a focus on their bodies and hands, emphasizing the tactility of their labor, but at other times also foregrounds the ethereal quality of their natural surroundings.
Run Time
11 min 1 sec
Format
8mm
Extent
180 feet
Color
Color
Sound
Silent
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Language Of Materials
English
Element
Reversal Positive Print
Genre
Form
Subject
Related Collections
Related Places
Main Credits
Elam, JoAnn (is filmmaker)
Participants And Performers
McAllester, Bonner (is participant)
Baker, Joe (is participant)
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