During a short residency in the Synthesiser archive at WORM Rotterdam, Quaintance recorded a series of improvisations on various pieces of equipment. WORM 808 is the result of an improvisation with their legendary Roland 808 drum machine.

drum machine audio piece

Quaintance's miniatures are an ongoing series of short shorts that are all under four minutes long. Each explores a single formal, conceptual or structural idea. The process of realisation can either be loose and improvisatory, or time intensive and heavily edited. Each of the films use footage shot with a DV camera, mini VHS or High 8 video camera, or ‘found’ footage. Using cheaper and handheld mediums, instead of 16mm (or a larger, more expensive HD digital camera), allows for a quicker, more intuitive and playful approach to production. Quaintance will present five new miniatures in this programme: A Better World, Palace, Strawberries, Numerology and Partners.

Morgan Quaintance's newest work, Repetitions is an exercise in observing repetition, following patterns and deciphering loops. Drawing focus through the lull of recurring images and repeating sounds, Repetitions concentrates on inducing retinal excitement and states of anticipation, but a clearer image emerges of industrialised labour and the vulnerable bodies of those performing it. This film finds a rhythm, much like a machine, to manifest the misgivings of the working class.

English spoken

Since Xiaolu Wang immigrated to the U.S. more than a decade ago, phone calls replaced occasional visiting trips as the primary communication method between two generations. Xiaolu’s grandfather has been hard of hearing for as long as he remembers, which makes their phone calls especially strenuous. Most of the time, their conversations are similar to the moment we witness in the film. This is a film in honor of Xiaolu’s grandmother.

West Lounge is about an unfortunate event in Columbus Mississippi as told by an unreliable narrator.

English spoken