A still from Amy Zhang’s work. Credit: Courtesy of Amy Zhang and Laya Benali.
The Wexner Center for the Arts is home to several movie screenings, performances and artistic exhibitions. Typically, the work featured comes from traveling artists or exhibitions making their way across galleries in various locations.
Rarely do students have the opportunity to see multiple pieces of cinema from Ohio-based artists, one of whom is a professor at Ohio State.
Sunday at 2 p.m., Ohio Expanded, a screening presented in partnership with the student organization Cinéseries and the Wexner Center for the Arts, offers students the chance to witness works that they otherwise would not have the opportunity to see.
Expanded cinema is an art form that combines elements of a typical theater experience — sitting in a dark, quiet room watching the film on screen — with more interactive and untraditional ideas, according to Roger Beebe, a filmmaker, professor and interim chair of the Department of Art.
Beebe said artists can use live performance or interactive bits, meaning no two performances can truly be the same.
Beebe is one of the artists showcasing his work at the event.
“[There’s] lots and lots of different, interesting and weird ideas about what you could do to take the space of a screening and turn it into an event,” Beebe said.
The piece he’s showing at the event was inspired by the changing landscape of Weinland Park and his efforts to conserve the natural tree canopy.
“The first part is a little bit more abstract, and works through sound and image,” Beebe said. “Then the second half is a little bit more explanatory about that history, the work that we did together, and it has footage of the site where the trees used to be.”
The event was organized by Cinéseries, a film-centered student organization that frequently hosts screenings at the Wex, followed by informal receptions with group discussion. Screenings are typically held once a month, with club members organizing the events.
Amalia Herzog, a third-year in biology and medical laboratory sciences, as well as Cinéseries’ treasurer, explained that members of the club curate programs each month, effectively becoming student curators.
“That’s what’s different about Cinéseries as a film organization is [that] we like to highlight smaller artists and filmmakers,” Herzog said. “We’re not picking films from super big producers, and depending on who’s programming, they choose a theme that they’re passionate about.”
Jules Biller, a fourth-year in film studies and studio art, is the student curator for the Ohio Expanded event. Their introduction to the concept of expanded cinema came from a program in New York City hosted by Beebe, as well as the classes he teaches at Ohio State.
“My practice is very centered in experimental video and film,” Biller said. “I don’t know if there ever are these large showcases of multiple expanded cinema performers at the same time, so I thought it was a really unique opportunity to bring that here.”
Not only are expanded cinema viewings not common in academic settings, but the fact that each filmmaker is local to Ohio is another element that makes the screening stand out among the Wex’s upcoming events.
Other filmmakers include Amy Zhang, a graduate student at Ohio State, Mark Franz from Ohio University and Mike Morris, a professor at Denison University.
Layla Benali, a curatorial assistant for the Wex, said that people are often surprised to see local artists’ work in a large setting.
“There are actually artists making work right here in [our] backyard that is experimental, challenging, exciting and unique,” Benali said. “I always love a moment when we can highlight local Ohio-based artists.”
Beebe’s hope for audience members is to leave with a different view of cinema and be able to participate in an open discussion afterward.
“I hope that they get excited about that and about just the possibilities of what you can do in a movie theater, other than just sit there quietly.”
Guests can reserve tickets online at the Wex’s website. Tickets are free, however a digital ticket is required for entry.
