In what’s already proven to be an exciting year for Phil Hastings, associate professor of Film and Video Arts in the Department of Visual Arts and New Media, come the simultaneous screenings of his film “SIGINT” and placement of his digital artwork in an international show in China.
Works by Mr. Hastings have been exhibited this year in galleries, museums and film festivals around the globe including venues in Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Canada, Romania, Israel, Australia and England.
The experimental film was slated to be seen regionally at the Buffalo International Film Festival on Oct. 6-9 and the Simultan 2017 Media Arts Festival, Oct. 3-7, in Timisoara, Romania.
For Hastings, “SIGINT” -- which was shot digitally through an old microscope -- is about how the obvious answers are sometimes missed when looking at a problem too closely. A former student who creates music under the name Zen Albatross provided the musical score for the video. The video was specifically created to be a part of a showcase with former students of Hastings.
“I have kept in contact with a number of former students and I know sometimes it is hard to be creative without a deadline or assignment, especially when you’ve just graduated. I wanted to provide that opportunity for my former students. So I set a deadline, provided a theme to work with and we had a great showcase of work done by former students,” Hastings explained. “We will be doing it again this year in the spring and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do.”
Digital prints and videos from Hastings’ Morphology series can be seen in the international show “The Model of the World” at the newly opened Zhangzhou Museum in China, where Hastings will be part of U.S.A. representation in the museum’s inaugural contemporary show.
“It’s a great honor to be included in this show,” Hastings said. “During my first sabbatical I participated in two residencies at the Institute for Electronic Arts. The work in this show grew out of that residency. To be included with other internationally renowned artists such as Gary Hill, Corey Archangel and Kiki Smith is a real privilege.
“This type of opportunity helps me express to students the importance of continually working at one’s artistic endeavors.”
Work from the Morphology series will also be seen in the upcoming show NUCLEUS - Imagining Science, at the Noorderlicht Photogallery in Groningen, The Netherlands, which will highlight the intersections and inspirations between artists and scientists.
